Limburger Domsingknaben is the name of the boys' choir at the Limburg Cathedral in Limburg, Hesse, Germany. The choir was founded in 1967 by the then bishop of Limburg, Wilhelm Kempf. Its conductors were Hans Bernhard, Mathias Breitschaft, Klaus Knubben and, since 2014, Andreas Bollendorf. The choir's main task is singing in services at the Limburg Cathedral. The choir also performs in other services and performs concerts internationally. The repertoire is from all eras of classical music. They took part in recordings of Mahler symphonies, conducted by Eliahu Inbal and Paavo Järvi, and in the premiere of Kagel's Sankt-Bach-Passion. In their home Musisches Internat, which served as a boarding school until 2007, the boys receive thorough training, four vocal rehearsals per week, individual voice coaching, and instrumental instructions. They study not only choral but also solo parts of the works they perform. Many tours took them to European and American countries. Choir members became soloists or conductors, and formed chamber choirs.
History
The Limburger Domsingknaben were founded in 1967 by Wilhelm Kempf, then Bishop of Limburg. Their home is the, a boarding school in Hadamar, close to Limburg. The first conductor was the former Cathedral Kapellmeister Hans Bernhard. He was succeeded in 1973 by Mathias Breitschaft, who led the choir to 1985. From 1987, Domkantor Klaus Knubben was the chorale conductor, succeeded in 2014 by Andreas Bollendorf who had been a choir member as a boy. The voice coach is Wilhelm Gries. The focus of the choir is to sing in services of the Limburg Cathedral, alternating with the Mädchenkantorei and the Limburger Domchor. The choir also performs in services in and outside of the Diocese of Limburg, and performs concerts internationally. The repertoire of the Limburger Domsingknaben spans eras from Gregorian chant via Baroque music, the Classical period, Romantic music to contemporary music. The choir performs in public yearly about 80 times, including 40 church services, secular concerts and church concerts, appearances on radio and television, and singing for special occasions. The boys rehearse twice a week when they begin, and four times for regular members. They receive individual vocal training that makes them able to also sing solo parts. Beginning in 2007, the Musisches Internat is only used during the day, because full boarding could no longer be offered. It is used for vocal education, instrumental training, and supervised homework, but also for sports and recreation. Concert tours, beginning in 1987, took the choir to U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, South Africa and other, mostly European, countries. As of 2017, the choir traveled on more than 40 tours to 26 countries. The 50th anniversary of the choir was celebrated in 2017. They were acknowledged as ambassadors of the diocese. That year, they participated in Rome and the Vatican in the festival L'arte salva l'arte, presenting Haydn's Die Schöpfung at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, with the Roma Sinfonietta and soloists Mechthild Bach, and, conducted by Bollendorf. Among former Limburger Domsingknaben are tenors, Christoph Prégardien and Gerd Türk, conductors Andreas Bollendorf, and Harald Schmitt, and the musical performer. Around 100 conductors and the members of five chamber choirs are former members of the Limburger Domsingknaben.
