The alphorn is a wooden trumpet up to four meters long, which is very popular in the alpine countries. Most of the time she served the shepherds to communicate over miles and miles of distance. Alphorn in the rhon? The alphorn was also widespread in the low mountain ranges in past centuries. But as is so often the case, some things are forgotten with modernity. When ingrid schubert from geroda learned to love the sound of alphorns during a vacation in 1993, she brought three of these giant instruments with her to rhon. Together with friends she founded the "rhoner alphornblaser and made this instrument popular again in this country. With the "rhon alphorn fair" in the evangelic church in geroda she put on her efforts a small sign.
"Alphorn fairs are more common elsewhere, but not yet in the rhon", she explains. "Because the alphorn is becoming more and more popular here in rhon, i thought it would be something for us." It found a way out with the gauaschach composer erich weber. At the suggestion of ingrid schubert, weber had already composed various pieces for the christmas concert of the "rhoner alphornblaser" composed. For him it was a challenge to compose new melodies for alphorns, which are suitable for the performance at church services. Spiritual texts were added by erich weber to match the respective title, which can be incorporated into the service independently of the liturgical process. Because the texts are ocumenical, this mass was suitable for both catholic and protestant masses and word services. The composer succeeded with his melodies and texts, because they reflect a down-to-earth culture and piety that went to the heart. The alternation between alphorn, organ and flugelhorn duo made the mass so appealing.
Pastor carsten friedel, who left the church the next day, led the service. He said: "the alphorn mass is a special farewell gift for me. It is a different form of the mass than usual." Already the beginning with the gloria by the alphorn blowers (ingrid schubert, wolfgang, fella and reiner morshauser) was a brilliant start. This was followed by a joint interlude between alphorns and organ (gerald benisch). With the melancholy song "take your time, when a song sounds" the sangerfreunde from burkardroth (elisabeth henneberger, wilhelm schubert, sigrid and christoph vierheilig, monika and emil muller) accompanied ingrid schubert on the zither and elisabeth henneberger on the guitar. In between songs were sung by the congregation and the alphorn musicians played the prelude, interlude or postlude. Waldemar danz and ludwig knuttel rounded off the soft sound of the alphorns with their flugelhorns during some melodies. Atmospheric prayers and texts recited by sigrid and christoph vierheilig.
Especially the well thought-out melody sequence of the different instruments, paired with appealing texts and the commitment of the participants made this mass so unique, that the listeners at the end paid homage to the composer and the participants with standing ovations. Emil muller, deputy district administrator, took the opportunity to bid farewell to pastor friedel on behalf of the district and to convey his best wishes for the work in the new parish.