CD 63

Tyrolienne 2

The  siblings  Maria,  Franz, Felix, Josef and Anton Rainer of Fügen in the Zillertal were the  first  group  of Tyrolean national  or  popular  singers known  as  Nationalsänger. The core group, or Ur-Rainer as they were later called, was invited  to  St  Petersburg  by Czar Alexander I as early as in 1822. He had heard their original and ruggedly native song performance on his way through Fügen. The czar died soon after the Rainer siblings had left home and they had to  change  their  itinerary. Traveling  via  Bavaria  and northern Germany, they went as far north as Sweden. They sang not only for kings and princes but also the common people, and their song performances in theaters and concerts halls were  widely  acclaimed.  In 1827 they arrived in London, where they were particularly favored at court. As a result of  this  triumph,  their  song repertoire was fi rst published in London. The editor of this unique collection featuring the original multi-voice parts, but with  piano  accompaniment (the  Rainers  accompanied their songs with the guitar), was Ignaz Moscheles (1794-1870). He was a professor at the Royal Academy of Music in London at  the  time.  Based  on  this edition, another one published in Leipzig is a transcription for solo piano, again arranged by Moscheles, and entitled: Airs tiroliens … chantés de la famille Rainer…. This unusual piece of bravura was recorded for the fi rst time on this CD, as were the other piano pieces and a song number. They all refer in fact or intent to the edition of the Geschwister Rainer’s songs and came to join the repertoire of 19th-century drawing-room music.

Track 2, 2:28
The Tyrolese Liberty. A National Air
Thomas Moore
(1779-1852)

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