This is what it's about:
Since the 14th century, tower musicians in Basel have played from above to mark important events. On May 17th, at 17:00, before the Eurovision Grand Final, we want to continue this tradition in a special way. The Stadtposaunenchor Basel, a group of amateur musicians who perform on historical brass instruments, will play Eurovision songs with a historical and ceremonial flair from the Münster tower. The Stadtposaunenchor usually plays chorales and psalms from several centuries, and every saturday at 17:00 they perform the «Vesperblasen» at the Basler Münster. Read more about us on our website, instagram or facebook (@turmbasler).
Our project is special because:
Eurovision and early music might not seem like an obvious combination, but that’s exactly what makes this project exciting. The ceremonial and solemn character of the renaissance will give well-known ESC songs an entirely new sound—one that fits both the historical setting of Basel’s Münsterplatz and the celebratory atmosphere of Eurovision. To achieve this, we are working with professional musicians trained in historical composing styles, who will adapt Eurovision songs into renaissance-style pieces to be performed by the Stadtposaunenchor. Curious how this might sound? Watch the video above to hear clips from Alexander Paine’s chorale version of the Eurovision classic «Dschingis Khan» (Germany 1979) and Phillip Boyle’s canzona-version of «Run Away» (aka «Epic Sax Guy») (Moldova 2011).
This is what we need backing for):
We want to fairly compensate the composers for their work. Based on the Swiss musician union SONART guidelines, each arrangement costs 550 CHF. To create a full set of six pieces, we need 3’300 CHF. We have set the minimum to 1’100 CHF, equivalent to two arrangements. For every further 550 CHF raised, we can commission one arrangement. Help us celebrate Basel’s long-standing tradition of tower music and Eurovision and in a new and creative way. We appreciate your support!
