these so called civilized westerns civilisation dates back to 300 or so of years only and now we have the expectation of being rubbed from our rich cultures. like the day their fathers steal the knowledge and translate it in their name not mentioning a referrence and calling it a new knowledge era!!! or a new science!
They pronounce the song's words wrongly,need to be careful when singing a foreign language.They sing 'ala hu' but the correct one 'allah hu'.Double 'L' guys so more deep when pronounce that word.Learn more o.k......
@Oboe0500709 Y yo te contesto en mi idioma materno. En verdad si serás ignorante, bastante es el trabajo de estos niños, como para todavía exigirles pronun ciación. He escuchado algunas canciones de mi país, con un español no muy bueno, pero en verdad eso no me importó. HAY QUE DARLES EL VERDADERO MÉRITO, IGNORANTE...
to gemanrloaks, I have stated my case clearly, and others have made their points, too. I have just one to add. A subtle part of the beauty of the old school WSK was the fact that since the boys were all Viennese or Austrian in origin, they could perfectly match vowels. When a third of the choir come from outside Austria or Bavaria, they cannot master a matching set of vowel sounds without a great deal of work. I have heard several choirs on tour and they do not achieve this difficult standard.
I do agree though that the age old Wiener sangerknaben tradition should not be set aside or at least not modified so drastically in a quest to diversify performance material that the original degree of excellence is lost! What a shame if that is what has happened! I only have a copy of their 'angelic voices' cd, and I think that is a recording by the older choir? Any comments on the evolution of this choir will be greatly appreciated.
I was ASTONISHED to hear the Vienna Choir boys singing this! It's not a 'tribal' or 'cult' song, but a Sufi devotional originally sung as a 'Qawwali' by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.
I can see why people are annoyed by the choir taking on material so alien to western classical singing. However Qawwali or Raags are forms of indo-pak classical singing: very difficult to sing, and greatly appreciated in the subcontinent. In fact, Nusrat Fateh Ali has been called the pavarotti of the east. :-)
Also, singing very complex polyrhythms from other cultures, such as african (I don't know what this is), can help them improve in classical art music such as bach with its polyphony.
Besides, I think this is a "have fun" thing, as opposed to a "for performance" thing.
Wem3, this was recorded for Blue Peter, an education children's program in the UK
firstly, just because the some boys look different, does not mean that those boys have not been in vienna or austria all their lives. Secondly, the boys in the choir deserve to learn about other cultures of the world as much as any other boy in the world. That is not to say that they should stop singing music from the austrian culture. But an occasional foray into other cultures would broaden their horzions and also help them appreciate their own music more.
Why don't those who preach opening to other cultures ever leave their modern cults and try to absorb and endeavour to understand the specific beauty of classical music and of the European regions that gave birth to it? Why has it always to be the other way around?
The beautiful voices of these children are perfectly adapted to the subtle music they sing.
Though I do not disagree that the Vienna Boys' Choir is more suited to classical pieces, I believe that they will never be able to truly improve in their art if they stick to one area, in this case, Vienna music. Music is a universal thing, the whole world enjoys music. How can they call themselves musicians if they do not go out and explore other genres outside their country? Thus I support the Vienna Boys' Choir in experimenting with this kind of music.
I'm sorry, but has it ever occurred to you that the song they were singing was part of somebody else's culture? I greatly admire the Vienna Boys' Choir, and I believe the Choir is grooming its boys to become great musicians with a deep understanding of world music. They are being taught to be the gentlemen in the arts, and gentlemen do respect other people's culture and try to increase their range of knowledge by exposing themselves to this kind of work.
What that does is to thin the local herd, and by that I mean simply that the authenticity of the WSK is lost. How can so many foreign boys possibly understand the traditions of the music they are singing, from the Strauss waltzes (which are being replaced by stupid polkas that are barely sung, but just ripped through with little singing necessary) and the old Austrian folk songs are replaced by the crap we see in this video. Basta! Throw the infidels out of Augarten Palais!
And to you, mister. This has got nothing to do with foreign boys. What the choir sings are entirely up to the directors. Please be more open minded, and accept new kinds of music. Time has moved on, and the Vienna Boys' Choir is still doing old Austrian folk songs and the waltzes. If they have broke out of the time warp by singing new music, you need to do that too. A true artisan is never locked into a style of thinking. He is constantly open to new ideas and is not afraid of change.
I understand your logic in your reasoning. But do you think the local boys understand them truly too? I would think not, not at their age. Until they grow older, perhaps, but not now. Singing brings people together, what gives you the right to, if I may say so, look down on the foreign boys? "the crap" you see in this video is merely a display of the choir's open mindedness, they are not performing this on stage. Do not jump to conclusions.
And for your information, the definition of "infidel" is a person who has no religion or whose religion is not that of the majority. As I have said, singing brings people together, regardless of religion. It has got nothing to do with religion. It is a form of art, open to anyone who wishes to take part in it. It is not up to you to decide who should sing, and who shouldn't. By doing so, it just shows your narrow mindedness and obvious lack of artistic appreciation skills.
Maestrovoci, what they're singing is hardly 'crap'! :O
While they're not doing this wonderful Sufi devotional justice, it looks like they're having fun. I'm sure they'll stick to what they're good at for their concert repertoire.
cabbalistic, crap is in the ear of the beholder! I suggest that it would be better for the WSK to change their choir names. Maybe Lennonchor, Springsteenchor, Dillonchor and Sufichor. Since this thread started, there are signs that the choir is getting back in touch with their heritage, but still need to improve the vocal training. A balance of old and new is always good, but my rant was about throwing out the old entirely. That seems to have been reversed, all to the good. I hope you agree.
Of course this sort of music will sound disagreeable to you! Its roots are alien to your own culture - but that's no reason to call it sh*t! :P
I'm with you on the issue of abandoning the old. In fact, I don't think it's a good idea at all for the choir to make albums like their recent 'vbc goes pop' (it was disturbing), or sing world folk music in concerts (or for albums) if they can't do it well. But this particular performance here seemed to done for fun only!
The fact is that the beloved WSK is dead, at least if one is to believe this is the wave of their future. And if it is, then they are striving to LEAVE Vienna and all that was, in order to become another WORLD choir. I think that is a terrible idea. If globalism strips all well-known and well-established regional choirs of their unique identities, then what do we have left? Already the WSK have choirboys from every continent. (continued)
Can you tell me why you think it's wrong for the choir to be multinational? Don't get me wrong, I'm not starting a debate or anything. :D I mean, why do you think it affects the 'quality' of singing? All the boys are of the same age group and having lived in Vienna about equally understand the significance of their cultural history? If anything,the choice of material sung is dictated by the directors, yea?
I'm new to classical singing, always looking for some insight from the veterans. :D
The problem is neither the multinationality nor the foreign songs. The boys like to sing in other languages even though they don't understand anything. This is pure fun for them.
No, the problem is the living in the "Abendländischen" culture. If you are born in the culture of your country, you sing, speak and act in your own culture, you have your own specific feeling for it. And this is valid to all existing cultures all over the world.
I thought all these boys were born in Vienna. But then, I think even the popular Terry Wey wasn't from Vienna, correct? And he was undoubtedly excellent. :))
I'm afraid I still don't understand the significance of multinational choir members. As long as they're dedicated and talented, it shouldn't matter I think.
Bien d'accord avec toi Surrexit. Même chanter Handel, si tu n'as pas la bonne prononciation anglaise il sera difficile de donner le feeling d'une oeuvre de Handel. Le 'The' se prononce pas de la même façon en amérique comme en angleterre,
Et moi, j'avais eu une discussion au sujet de la désinence allemagne de "a" et "e" dans le "Forelle" de WSK. Au fin, le "a" en anglais était été un "ä" dans la bonne prononciation allemagne. Ca sont des différences évidentes.
Omg what are they singing! It's nasty. Is it some kind of tribal ritual or something. It's horrible yet it tickles me when they stood up to clap and go in circles.
I'm sorry but it's horrible. A little disappointing to hear this. I love the Wiener Sängerknaben. I wish I can have all their songs on my ipod.
Every choir sings songs just for fun, sings they would never perform at a concert... choir's not all about being serious and singing Bach and Mozart...
lead singer looks a little like Prince Harry. yes the choir has been modernized and taken away from the more traditional sounds. the choir leaders have fallen to world peer pressure. the boys though are still just as awesome as previous years. it would be an honour to see, hear and or be one of them still today.
Sorry to say that I have to agree with you. What the once great Vienna Boys Choir does in this film is garbage, and no fault of the kids! Ironically it was Herr Grossmann's daughter Agnes who, as musical director of the Vienna Boys Choir from 1996 to 1998, instituted the changes in the WSK that started their deterioration.
This sucks, and shows the depths to which the WSK have fallen. No slam at the boys themselves - they are helpless to make the changes necessary to return to greatness. Ferdinand Grossmann is spinning in his grave - Hans Gillesberger, too!
cute .. like your clip .. keep it up =)
VideoGameCoupons 1 month ago
Blue Peter is a popular TV programme in the UK for children, and older :)
haccuk 8 months ago
these so called civilized westerns civilisation dates back to 300 or so of years only and now we have the expectation of being rubbed from our rich cultures. like the day their fathers steal the knowledge and translate it in their name not mentioning a referrence and calling it a new knowledge era!!! or a new science!
motsmart 1 year ago
@motsmart hi sicko muslim shit
aldismews 9 months ago
@aldismews
hey satan's shit, how you doin
motsmart 6 months ago
They pronounce the song's words wrongly,need to be careful when singing a foreign language.They sing 'ala hu' but the correct one 'allah hu'.Double 'L' guys so more deep when pronounce that word.Learn more o.k......
Oboe0500709 2 years ago
@Oboe0500709 Y yo te contesto en mi idioma materno. En verdad si serás ignorante, bastante es el trabajo de estos niños, como para todavía exigirles pronun ciación. He escuchado algunas canciones de mi país, con un español no muy bueno, pero en verdad eso no me importó. HAY QUE DARLES EL VERDADERO MÉRITO, IGNORANTE...
jogomez1988 1 year ago
@Oboe0500709 dude, they're like 10 really?
Gernald10 1 year ago 2
to gemanrloaks, I have stated my case clearly, and others have made their points, too. I have just one to add. A subtle part of the beauty of the old school WSK was the fact that since the boys were all Viennese or Austrian in origin, they could perfectly match vowels. When a third of the choir come from outside Austria or Bavaria, they cannot master a matching set of vowel sounds without a great deal of work. I have heard several choirs on tour and they do not achieve this difficult standard.
maestrovoci 3 years ago
I do agree though that the age old Wiener sangerknaben tradition should not be set aside or at least not modified so drastically in a quest to diversify performance material that the original degree of excellence is lost! What a shame if that is what has happened! I only have a copy of their 'angelic voices' cd, and I think that is a recording by the older choir? Any comments on the evolution of this choir will be greatly appreciated.
cabbalistic 3 years ago
Also it's called 'Allah hu' and not tunak tun or whatever.
If anyone is at all interested they can check out the original performance of the great Nusrat Fateh (yep, I'm a fan :)).
watch?v=ZLK8AZx8kXY
cabbalistic 3 years ago
I was ASTONISHED to hear the Vienna Choir boys singing this! It's not a 'tribal' or 'cult' song, but a Sufi devotional originally sung as a 'Qawwali' by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.
I can see why people are annoyed by the choir taking on material so alien to western classical singing. However Qawwali or Raags are forms of indo-pak classical singing: very difficult to sing, and greatly appreciated in the subcontinent. In fact, Nusrat Fateh Ali has been called the pavarotti of the east. :-)
cabbalistic 3 years ago
I believe the song they are singing is "Tunak Tunak Tun," which can be found on youtube.
graey42 3 years ago
Also, singing very complex polyrhythms from other cultures, such as african (I don't know what this is), can help them improve in classical art music such as bach with its polyphony.
Besides, I think this is a "have fun" thing, as opposed to a "for performance" thing.
Wem3, this was recorded for Blue Peter, an education children's program in the UK
contrarymotion 3 years ago
firstly, just because the some boys look different, does not mean that those boys have not been in vienna or austria all their lives. Secondly, the boys in the choir deserve to learn about other cultures of the world as much as any other boy in the world. That is not to say that they should stop singing music from the austrian culture. But an occasional foray into other cultures would broaden their horzions and also help them appreciate their own music more.
contrarymotion 3 years ago
Why don't those who preach opening to other cultures ever leave their modern cults and try to absorb and endeavour to understand the specific beauty of classical music and of the European regions that gave birth to it? Why has it always to be the other way around?
The beautiful voices of these children are perfectly adapted to the subtle music they sing.
palataa 3 years ago
GOOD!
96828282 3 years ago
haha actually...it's a rather strange and startling interpretation of the original. ;)
cabbalistic 3 years ago
Though I do not disagree that the Vienna Boys' Choir is more suited to classical pieces, I believe that they will never be able to truly improve in their art if they stick to one area, in this case, Vienna music. Music is a universal thing, the whole world enjoys music. How can they call themselves musicians if they do not go out and explore other genres outside their country? Thus I support the Vienna Boys' Choir in experimenting with this kind of music.
gemanrioaks 3 years ago
I'm sorry, but has it ever occurred to you that the song they were singing was part of somebody else's culture? I greatly admire the Vienna Boys' Choir, and I believe the Choir is grooming its boys to become great musicians with a deep understanding of world music. They are being taught to be the gentlemen in the arts, and gentlemen do respect other people's culture and try to increase their range of knowledge by exposing themselves to this kind of work.
gemanrioaks 3 years ago 2
What that does is to thin the local herd, and by that I mean simply that the authenticity of the WSK is lost. How can so many foreign boys possibly understand the traditions of the music they are singing, from the Strauss waltzes (which are being replaced by stupid polkas that are barely sung, but just ripped through with little singing necessary) and the old Austrian folk songs are replaced by the crap we see in this video. Basta! Throw the infidels out of Augarten Palais!
maestrovoci 3 years ago
And to you, mister. This has got nothing to do with foreign boys. What the choir sings are entirely up to the directors. Please be more open minded, and accept new kinds of music. Time has moved on, and the Vienna Boys' Choir is still doing old Austrian folk songs and the waltzes. If they have broke out of the time warp by singing new music, you need to do that too. A true artisan is never locked into a style of thinking. He is constantly open to new ideas and is not afraid of change.
gemanrioaks 3 years ago 2
I understand your logic in your reasoning. But do you think the local boys understand them truly too? I would think not, not at their age. Until they grow older, perhaps, but not now. Singing brings people together, what gives you the right to, if I may say so, look down on the foreign boys? "the crap" you see in this video is merely a display of the choir's open mindedness, they are not performing this on stage. Do not jump to conclusions.
gemanrioaks 3 years ago 2
And for your information, the definition of "infidel" is a person who has no religion or whose religion is not that of the majority. As I have said, singing brings people together, regardless of religion. It has got nothing to do with religion. It is a form of art, open to anyone who wishes to take part in it. It is not up to you to decide who should sing, and who shouldn't. By doing so, it just shows your narrow mindedness and obvious lack of artistic appreciation skills.
gemanrioaks 3 years ago 2
Maestrovoci, what they're singing is hardly 'crap'! :O
While they're not doing this wonderful Sufi devotional justice, it looks like they're having fun. I'm sure they'll stick to what they're good at for their concert repertoire.
cabbalistic 3 years ago
cabbalistic, crap is in the ear of the beholder! I suggest that it would be better for the WSK to change their choir names. Maybe Lennonchor, Springsteenchor, Dillonchor and Sufichor. Since this thread started, there are signs that the choir is getting back in touch with their heritage, but still need to improve the vocal training. A balance of old and new is always good, but my rant was about throwing out the old entirely. That seems to have been reversed, all to the good. I hope you agree.
maestrovoci 3 years ago
Comment removed
cabbalistic 3 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Of course this sort of music will sound disagreeable to you! Its roots are alien to your own culture - but that's no reason to call it sh*t! :P
I'm with you on the issue of abandoning the old. In fact, I don't think it's a good idea at all for the choir to make albums like their recent 'vbc goes pop' (it was disturbing), or sing world folk music in concerts (or for albums) if they can't do it well. But this particular performance here seemed to done for fun only!
Also, haha@ sufichor!
cabbalistic 3 years ago
My first comment above stands, unfortunately.
The fact is that the beloved WSK is dead, at least if one is to believe this is the wave of their future. And if it is, then they are striving to LEAVE Vienna and all that was, in order to become another WORLD choir. I think that is a terrible idea. If globalism strips all well-known and well-established regional choirs of their unique identities, then what do we have left? Already the WSK have choirboys from every continent. (continued)
maestrovoci 3 years ago
Can you tell me why you think it's wrong for the choir to be multinational? Don't get me wrong, I'm not starting a debate or anything. :D I mean, why do you think it affects the 'quality' of singing? All the boys are of the same age group and having lived in Vienna about equally understand the significance of their cultural history? If anything,the choice of material sung is dictated by the directors, yea?
I'm new to classical singing, always looking for some insight from the veterans. :D
cabbalistic 3 years ago
The problem is neither the multinationality nor the foreign songs. The boys like to sing in other languages even though they don't understand anything. This is pure fun for them.
No, the problem is the living in the "Abendländischen" culture. If you are born in the culture of your country, you sing, speak and act in your own culture, you have your own specific feeling for it. And this is valid to all existing cultures all over the world.
Surrexit1 3 years ago
I thought all these boys were born in Vienna. But then, I think even the popular Terry Wey wasn't from Vienna, correct? And he was undoubtedly excellent. :))
I'm afraid I still don't understand the significance of multinational choir members. As long as they're dedicated and talented, it shouldn't matter I think.
cabbalistic 3 years ago 2
Bien d'accord avec toi Surrexit. Même chanter Handel, si tu n'as pas la bonne prononciation anglaise il sera difficile de donner le feeling d'une oeuvre de Handel. Le 'The' se prononce pas de la même façon en amérique comme en angleterre,
treblechoir99 3 years ago
Et moi, j'avais eu une discussion au sujet de la désinence allemagne de "a" et "e" dans le "Forelle" de WSK. Au fin, le "a" en anglais était été un "ä" dans la bonne prononciation allemagne. Ca sont des différences évidentes.
Surrexit1 2 years ago
I think it is really unique!! Obviously not the Choir singing at their regular standard, but it is kinda cool!!
Libera36 3 years ago
An indian song?
miroslavklose11de 4 years ago
Omg what are they singing! It's nasty. Is it some kind of tribal ritual or something. It's horrible yet it tickles me when they stood up to clap and go in circles.
I'm sorry but it's horrible. A little disappointing to hear this. I love the Wiener Sängerknaben. I wish I can have all their songs on my ipod.
Danfragola 4 years ago
didn't they just sing that for fun?
Every choir sings songs just for fun, sings they would never perform at a concert... choir's not all about being serious and singing Bach and Mozart...
That's at least what I have experienced.
Appearia 4 years ago
I would never pay to see this choir. Why are they singing african songs or whatever?!?!
crazytomcat 4 years ago
The Vieanna Boys choir, is one of the most popular and best choirs in the world....
If you got the chance to see them, go for it!!!
This was an exclusive Performance, they would show, they doesn´t ever be singing bach, mozart, schubert and so on ..... ;)
Helldragon1302 4 years ago
lead singer looks a little like Prince Harry. yes the choir has been modernized and taken away from the more traditional sounds. the choir leaders have fallen to world peer pressure. the boys though are still just as awesome as previous years. it would be an honour to see, hear and or be one of them still today.
tyler4400 4 years ago
They have changed ALOT
renaissance27 5 years ago
AWFULL!!
DirkWx 5 years ago
I really don't understand why they would sing this piece for a documentary. I definitely doesn't represent a World Reknown Boys Choir.
wgres13 5 years ago
Sorry to say that I have to agree with you. What the once great Vienna Boys Choir does in this film is garbage, and no fault of the kids! Ironically it was Herr Grossmann's daughter Agnes who, as musical director of the Vienna Boys Choir from 1996 to 1998, instituted the changes in the WSK that started their deterioration.
musikview 5 years ago
You are right.Agnes Grossmann as musical director was not good choice.
henys60 4 years ago
and u will be a good choice?
PERFECTxELEMENT 4 years ago
This sucks, and shows the depths to which the WSK have fallen. No slam at the boys themselves - they are helpless to make the changes necessary to return to greatness. Ferdinand Grossmann is spinning in his grave - Hans Gillesberger, too!
maestrovoci 5 years ago