The Music of Luxembourg is an important component of the country's cultural life. The new Philharmonie concert hall provides a venue for orchestral concerts while opera is frequently presented in the theatres. Rock, pop and jazz are also popular with a number of successful performers. The wide general interest in music and musical activities in Luxembourg can be seen from the membership of the Union Grand-Duc Adolphe, the national music federation for choral societies, brass bands, music schools, theatrical societies, folklore associations and instrumental groups. Some 340 music groups and associations with over 17,000 individual members are currently represented by the organization. [1]
Music in what is now the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg has a history stretching back to the Gallo-Roman period. The 3rd-century Roman mosaic from Vichten presents excellent representations of the muses Euterpe with her flutes and Erato playing the lyre, testifying to an early interest in music. The 6th-century Latin poet Venantius Fortunatus tells us he was impressed by the music he heard in the region. From the 8th century, the Abbey of Echternach became an important centre for church music. Around the year 900, the abbey produced the Officium Sancti Willibrordi manuscript, one of the first examples of musical notation from Luxembourg. [2]
After the Grand Duchy was established in 1815, interest in music slowly developed across the country, initially with patriotic music played by military bands. In 1842, the Luxembourg Army Band known as the Musique militaries grand-ducale was found in Echternach with some 24 musicians from the battalion stationed there. [3] In 1852, the Société philharmonique was founded in Ettelbrück by the local priest J. B. Victor Müllendorf with the objective of "supporting all types of vocal and instrumental music". [4] On the occasion of the first train from Luxembourg to Thionville on 4 October 1859, the national poet Michel Lentz wrote the words and music for De Feierwon, a patriotic song with the famous line Mir welle bleiwe wat mir sin (We want to remain as we are). [2]
In the middle of the 19th century, music and singing societies became increasingly popular. A series of local composers wrote vocal music and light pieces to be performed by the brass bands and choirs which were also emerging everywhere. They included Joseph-Alexandre Müller, Louis Beicht and Emile Boeres as well as Gustave Kahnt and Pol Albrecht who, apart from being prolific composers, were bandmasters for the Luxembourg Band. [5]
Luxembourg's music and cultural heritage is Germanic. The national music federation is the Union Grand-Duc Adolphe (UGDA); another important institution is the Luxembourg Conservatory of Music with some 2,600 students each year. [6] Annual music festivals include the Echternach Music Festival and the Rock um Knuedler in Luxembourg City. The national radio station, Radio Luxembourg, is listened to throughout Europe. Modern Luxembourg is home to an array of performers with the rise of folk, classical, popular music (pop, rock, hip hop) and electronic dance music (hardstyle, jumpstyle).
The national anthem is "Ons Heemecht" ("Our Homeland"), which was composed and written by Jean-Antoine Zinnen and Michel Lentz. It has been the national anthem since 1895.
One of the most influential and versatile musicians in Luxembourg was Laurent Menager (1835–1902). Often referred to as Luxembourg's national composer, he was also an enthusiastic choirmaster, organist and teacher. In 1857, he founded the national choral association Sang a Klang. His many compositions include choral works, church music, orchestral pieces and operettas as well as music for brass bands and the theatre. [7]
The Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra, originally known as the RTL Grand Symphony Orchestra, was founded in 1933. Since 2005, when the Philharmonie Luxembourg concert hall was opened, the orchestra has had its own home. Recent directors have done much to enhance its image, particularly in regard to 20th-century French music. Opera is frequently performed in Luxembourg City at the Grand Théâtre and in Esch-sur-Alzette at the Théâtre d’Esch as well as at the annual Wiltz festival. [8]
Luxembourg's internationally recognized soloists include violinist Sandrine Cantoreggi, cellist Françoise Groben, pianists Francesco Tristano Schlimé and Jean Muller, and singer Mariette Kemmer. Among its contemporary composers are Camille Kerger, Claude Lenners, Georges Lentz (although he lives mainly in Australia), Alexander Mullenbach and Marcel Wengler. Since 1999, the Luxembourg Sinfonietta orchestra has done much to promote contemporary music, not only by performing Luxembourg works at home and abroad but by organizing annual international competitions for contemporary composers. [8] [9]
The Luxembourg-based ensemble The Art of Music was founded in 1993. With approximately seven members, it specialises in singing Renaissance religious music, with some medieval repertoire as well. As of 2018, it had published 11 CDs.
Jazz is in Luxembourg with artists such as trumpeters Ernie Hammes and Gast Waltzing, pianist Michel Reis and percussionist Pascal Schumacher. [10] Waltzing has gained a name as a composer of film and TV music while Schumacher has performed worldwide with his Pascal Schumacher Quartet. [11] [12]
Serge Tonnar & Legotrip sing in Luxembourgish mainly about small and bigger idiosyncrasies of Luxembourg life and politics. Some albums: Klasseklon, Legotrip, Pärele bei d'sei, and a single: "Wat der Noper seet".
Kate, a five-member indy-folk-pop group (started in 2008, first album in 2010, titled Can't keep Secrets), brought out its second album Life in Stereo in 2012 with a new pianist, Tom.
Luxembourg was a founding participant of the Eurovision Song Contest, and participated every year between 1956 and 1993, with the exception of 1959, but will return to the contest in 2024. It won the competition a total of five times, 1961, 1965, 1972, 1973 and 1983 and hosted the contest in 1962, 1966, 1973, and 1984. The Grand Duchy's last entry was in 1993. Luxembourg's most famous entry is perhaps Poupée de cire, poupée de son, penned by French composer Serge Gainsbourg and performed by the French artist France Gall. Only eight of its 38 entries were performed by Luxembourgish artists. Three of the entries were performed in Luxembourgish: "So laang we's du do bast" by Camillo Felgen in 1960, "Sou fräi" by Marion Welter and Kontinent in 1992, and "Donne-moi une chance" by Modern Times in 1993.
There is a small but active metal music scene, with a handful of bands known to have played various European Metal festivals. [13] Notable is the band Pronoian Made, the first to play gothic influenced metal in the country. [14]
Though formed in London and being labeled a British band, Placebo have close ties to Luxembourg, as two members attended the American School of Luxembourg (now International School of Luxembourg).
In 2002, hip hop group The Gentles (formerly known as: Gentle MC's) was formed in Petange and they performed lyrics in Luxembourgish, German, French and English. In 2003, they released their debut single "Firwat" as a campaign against drunk driving in Luxembourg and reached the local radio charts. The song was also recorded in English, titled "Why", and released in 2004. The group's album Gentle Attitude was released in 2005, additional with two singles "Empfäng der deen Toun?" and the French title "L'abandon de nos familles". [15] [ circular reference ]
On 10 October 2018 rapper Turnup Tun (real name: Tun Tonnar) - son of musician Serge Tonnar - released his song "FCK LXB", [16] a political statement against right-wing politics in Luxembourg (see Politics of Luxembourg). The song sparked controversy national and the rapper had to face court in March 2019, following complains by right-wing politicians. In the song, Turnup Tun takes aim at several politicians, including Fred Keup, Joe Thein and Tom Weidig, a candidate for the ADR (Alternative Democratic Reformparty) in the 2018 election in Luxembourg who later became a member of the Chamber of Deputies. [17] He also named Daniel Schmitz, an online personality known for his xenophobic statements. Keup, Thein and Schmitz pressed charges for slander and feeling personally offended by the song's lyrics, which goes: "Féck de Fred Keup (...) Féck de Joe Thein (...) Féck den Dan Schmitz" (translated: "Fuck Fred Keup (...) Fuck Joe Thein (...) Fuck Dan Schmitz"). [18] [19] [20]
"Ons Heemecht" is the national anthem of Luxembourg. Written by Michel Lentz in 1859 and set to music by Jean Antoine Zinnen in 1864, it is performed at national celebrations, while the royal anthem, or, more accurately, the grand ducal anthem, "De Wilhelmus", is performed at entrances or exits of members of the Grand Ducal Family.
Jean Antoine Zinnen was a Luxembourgish composer, best known for the Luxembourgish national anthem, Ons Heemecht.
Prince Félix of Luxembourg, Prince of Bourbon-Parma and Prince of Nassau is the second son of Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, and Maria Teresa, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg. He is currently fourth in the line of succession to the throne of Luxembourg.
Luxembourg has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 38 times since its debut at the first contest in 1956. The current Luxembourgish participant broadcaster in the contest is RTL Lëtzebuerg (RTL). The nation participated in all but one event between 1956 and 1993, only missing the 1959 contest. After finishing among the bottom seven countries in 1993, Luxembourg was relegated and prevented from competing in 1994. The nation declined to return to the contest in 1995, and would make no further appearances over the next three decades. The country returned to the event for the first time in 31 years in 2024.
The 12 cantons of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg are subdivisions at the first level of local administrative unit (LAU-1) in the European Union's Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics for Eurostat purposes. They were subdivisions of the three districts of Luxembourg until 2015, when the district level of government was abolished. The cantons are in turn subdivided into 100 communes.
Georges Lentz is a contemporary composer and sound artist born in Luxembourg in 1965 and that country's internationally best known composer. Since 1990, he has been living in Sydney, Australia. Despite his relatively small output and his reclusiveness, he is also considered one of Australia's leading composers. His music is inspired by the starry night sky in the Australian Outback and by Aboriginal art.
The culture of Luxembourg refers to the cultural life and traditions of Luxembourg. Most citizens are trilingual, speaking French and German in addition to the Germanic national language of Luxembourgish. Although its contributions to the arts are not largely known outside its borders, Luxembourg has a rich cultural history, especially in music, painting and photography. Its evolving museums, concert halls, theatres and galleries testify to its citizens' growing appreciation of culture.
The Grand Ducal Police is the national police force of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The police is under the control of the Minister for the Interior of Luxembourg, although they operate in the name, and under the ultimate control, of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg. Day-to-day executive control is exercised by the Director-General of the Grand Ducal Police. The Grand Ducal Police has existed in its current form since 1 January 2000, when the Grand Ducal Gendarmerie was merged with the police service.
The Philharmonie Luxembourg, also known officially as the Grande-Duchesse Joséphine-Charlotte Concert Hall, is a concert hall located in the European district in the Luxembourg City quarter of Kirchberg. Opened in 2005, it now plays host to 400 performances each year.
Alexander Mullenbach is a Luxembourg pianist, composer and conductor. Since 2002, he has been director of the International Summer Academy at the Mozarteum in Salzburg.
Pascal Schumacher is a Luxembourgish jazz musician, composer and percussionist who has founded a number of groups including the Pascal Schumacher Quartet. He also plays and composes classical chamber music.
The Union Grand-Duc Adolphe is the umbrella organization for music interests in Luxembourg, representing choral societies, brass bands, music schools, theatrical societies, folklore associations and instrumental groups. Covering some 340 societies, it has over 17,000 individual members.
The Luxembourg Military Band, known locally as the Musique militaire grand-ducale, was founded in 1842 and has been a major contributor to Luxembourg's musical heritage. In addition to official performances for the Grand-Duke, the national government and the Luxembourg Army, the band frequently gives concerts in and around Luxembourg City.
Luxembourgish art can be traced back to Roman times, especially as depicted in statues found across the country and in the huge mosaic from Vichten. Over the centuries, Luxembourg's churches and castles have housed a number of cultural artefacts but these are nearly all ascribed to foreign artists. The first examples of art with a national flavour are paintings and maps of the City of Luxembourg and its fortifications from the end of the 16th until the beginning of the 19th century, although these too were mostly created by foreign artists. Real interest in art among the country's own citizens began in the 19th century with paintings of Luxembourg and the surroundings after the country became a grand duchy in 1815. This was followed by interest in Impressionism and Expressionism in the early 20th century, the richest period in Luxembourg painting, while Abstraction became the focus of art after the Second World War. Today there are a number of successful contemporary artists, some of whom have gained wide international recognition.
The literature of Luxembourg is little known beyond the country's borders, partly because Luxembourg authors write in one or more of the three official languages, partly because many works are specifically directed to a local readership. Furthermore, it was not until the 19th century that the literature of Luxembourg began to develop in parallel with growing awareness of the country's national identity following the Treaty of Paris (1815) and the Treaty of London (1867).
The history of rail transport in Luxembourg began in 1846 and continues to the present day.
Marc Demuth is a Luxembourg jazz musician who has founded different jazz bands. He is also a composer and he plays double bass and electric bass.
Princess Stéphanie, Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, is the wife of Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume, the heir apparent to the throne of Luxembourg. She became engaged to the Hereditary Grand Duke on 26 April 2012 and married him, in a civil ceremony, on 19 October 2012, followed by a religious service the next day. The couple have two sons, Prince Charles and Prince François.
Joe Thein is a Luxembourgish politician and former councillor.
Tatsiana Zelianko is a composer and pianist. Originally from Belarus, she was trained at the Academy of Music in Minsk where she obtained a Master's in instrumental performance (piano) and graduated as a piano teacher and chamber artist. She then worked at the Philharmonic of Brest, Belarus, as a concert pianist.