Oratorienchor Ulm

Oratorienchor Ulm is an independent, mixed-voice concert choir based in Ulm, Germany, founded in 1890 as a registered association (eingetragener Verein). It is described on its official website as the most tradition-rich concert choir in Ulm. The choir consists of approximately 120 amateur singers and performs choral works from the classical sacred repertoire as well as secular oratorios, with a particular emphasis on contemporary choral music, including nine world premieres. It collaborates with professional orchestras and professional soloists. The choir's history is closely tied to the organists and cantors of Ulm Minster, six of whom successively served as its conductors. Its founding was initiated by Johannes Graf, who assembled a choir of 320 singers for a performance of Mendelssohn's Elias on 29 June 1890, celebrating the completion of the Minster tower. This led to the establishment of the Verein für klassische Kirchenmusik in December 1890, with Karl Weitzel as its first chairman. The first performance took place on 14 December 1890 in the Dreifaltigkeitskirche, featuring Bach's cantata Bleib bei uns and Handel's setting of Psalm 100. Over the decades, the choir navigated the cultural and political upheavals of the 20th century, including the Nazi era, during which it resisted singing at Nazi events and briefly joined a municipal choir association before regaining independence. In 1939, under chairman Karl Neufischer, the association was renamed Oratorienchor Ulm to reflect its broader repertoire beyond classical church music. The first public appearance under the new name was on 14 January 1940 with Haydn's The Seasons. Today, the choir continues to perform regularly in Ulm, with concerts such as a planned performance on 6 December 2026 at the Pauluskirche featuring John Rutter's Magnificat and Puccini's Messa di Gloria, involving over 100 singers, a professional orchestra, and renowned soloists. The choir maintains an active presence through its website and social media, and engages in community activities such as a flute campaign and rehearsal gatherings.

The Oratorienchor Ulm was founded in 1890 in Ulm as an independent association, emerging from the 19th-century choral movement that began with the Sing-Akademie zu Berlin in 1791. This movement enabled the equal participation of women and men in mixed choirs, a hallmark of bourgeois enlightenment. The immediate predecessor in Ulm was the Verein für klassische Kirchenmusik, founded around 1854 by Wilhelm Speidel, which lapsed after he left for Stuttgart in 1857. The tradition of performing large sacred choral works was continued by Johann Friedrich Dieffenbacher, organist at Ulm Minster, until his death in 1882. In 1889, Johannes Graf was appointed organist at Ulm Minster. He assembled a choir of 320 singers that performed Mendelssohn's Elias on 29 June 1890 to celebrate the completion of the Minster tower. Following this success, Graf recommended founding a new Ulm association for classical church music. In December 1890, the Verein für klassische Kirchenmusik was established with Karl Weitzel, rector of the higher girls' school, as its first chairman. The first performance took place on 14 December 1890 in the Dreifaltigkeitskirche, featuring Bach's cantata Bleib bei uns and Handel's setting of Psalm 100. After Johannes Graf suffered a stroke in 1916, Eugen Breining, organist at the Dreifaltigkeitskirche, took over temporarily. In 1919, Fritz Hayn became conductor. Hayn, who had led the Ulmer Liedertafel since 1912, united both choirs for a performance of Brahms's German Requiem in memory of the war dead, continuing a tradition of collaboration that began in 1893 with Haydn's The Seasons under Graf. After Hayn also became Minster organist in 1923, he became a defining figure in Ulm's musical life until his retirement in 1956. During the Nazi era, freedoms were restricted as concert life fell largely under the control of the Kraft durch Freude organization, and concert leadership had to be shared with municipal music director Karl Hauff. On the initiative of Ulm's mayor Friedrich Foerster, a Städtische Chorvereinigung (municipal choir association) was founded. After assurances that Hayn would remain musical director, the association joined and relinquished independent activity. On 6 December 1937, Hermann Grabner's choral work Segen der Erde was performed under this association. Subsequently, performances of Haydn's The Creation under Hauff and Brahms's German Requiem under Hayn were planned. In February 1938, Mayor Foerster ordered the cessation of rehearsals under Hayn for the German Requiem. This led many choir members to stay away in protest, causing the municipal choir association to dissolve, and in autumn 1938 the association resumed independent activity with a performance of the German Requiem. After Karl Neufischer became chairman in 1939, the association was renamed Oratorienchor Ulm, as its repertoire extended well beyond classical church music. The first public appearance under the new name was on 14 January 1940 with Haydn's The Seasons. Because the association consistently refused to sing at Nazi events, municipal subsidies were cut, causing financial difficulties. Nevertheless, in its 50th anniversary year, two further performances were made possible through a successful donation campaign. A performance planned for Good Friday 1943 was... [text truncated in source]. The choir continued after World War II and remains active today, performing regularly in Ulm with professional orchestras and soloists. It has premiered nine contemporary choral works and maintains a repertoire that includes both sacred and secular oratorios.

• 2026

  Planned Christmas concert on 6 December at Pauluskirche featuring Rutter's Magnificat and Puccini's Messa di Gloria.

• 1940

  First public appearance under new name on 14 January with Haydn's The Seasons.

• 1939

  Renamed Oratorienchor Ulm under chairman Karl Neufischer.

• 1938

  Resumption of independent activity in autumn with a performance of Brahms's German Requiem.

• 1937

  Performance of Hermann Grabner's Segen der Erde under the Städtische Chorvereinigung.

• 1919

  Fritz Hayn becomes conductor; unites choirs for Brahms's German Requiem.

• 1893

  Performance of Haydn's The Seasons under Johannes Graf, beginning a tradition of collaboration with other choirs.

• 1890

  Founded as Verein für klassische Kirchenmusik in December; first performance on 14 December in the Dreifaltigkeitskirche.

Traditional amateur oratorio choir with a focus on classical and contemporary choral repertoire, performing with professional musicians.

• Choral concerts

  Regular performances of oratorios and choral works in Ulm.

• World premieres

  Nine world premieres of contemporary choral works.

1. 1Oratorienchor Ulm e.V. official websiteoratorienchor-ulm.com
2. 2Oratorienchor Ulm - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Oratorienchor Ulm - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org