10. August 2022
Music accompanies him on his life path: Born in Schwanenstadt in 1952, grew up in Desselbrunn, Josef Habringer studied theology after the Petrinum in Linz, but also singing pedagogy – first at the Mozarteum, then at the Bruckner Conservatory, later at the Musikhochschule in Vienna Lied and Oratorio. In 1978 he began as a pastoral assistant at the Catholic University Community (KHG) in Linz and worked in the church music department before becoming cathedral conductor in 2006. As early as 1978 he founded the KHG Choir, which was later renamed Collegium Vocale, and he directs the vocal sextet Voices. After around 1,000 masses, which he organized in Linz Cathedral, the bustling cathedral conductor bids farewell to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary — musically, of course.
VOLKSBLATT: How do you feel about your last trade fair?
JOSEPH HABRINGER: Being the cathedral conductor is a very nice job that I have filled with body and soul. On the one hand I feel great gratitude, on the other hand also melancholy. But at some point it has to come to an end, I will be 70 in September and the successor is well arranged.
To say goodbye, on August 15th I will be doing one of my favorite masses, the Nelson Mass, which is actually called Missa in angustiis, meaning a mass in troubled times. Haydn wrote them when Napoleon was approaching. It also fits in well with our times.
Does singing run in your family?
We sang a lot at home, also in polyphony. In the Petrinum I was in the choir, later I was allowed to sing in the cathedral choir through my music teacher Hermann Kronsteiner when I was a boy, it was a great honor at the time. All of this has had a very strong impact on me.
With your training you brought with you a special aptitude.
Coming from the liturgy and bringing that in and being able to coach the choir on the vocals wasn’t a disadvantage. If someone asked me what my instrument is, I would say it’s the choir. I really like working on something with people, the common ground was always important to me. As a church music consultant, I have looked after many church choirs in the country and made many contacts. That’s why my choirs are still working well, although it’s not that easy with the youngsters these days, especially with the men.
How do you take stock of your time as cathedral conductor?
The cathedral choir has grown to 60 members in my time. This was partly possible thanks to my second choir. The orchestra consists of professional musicians from the Bruckner Orchestra and music school teachers. We have a pool of around 200 to 250 addresses.
It was very nice that I had so many opportunities to play different things in the cathedral — from Gregorian chant to early music, from a cappella to large orchestral masses — and was not subject to any restrictions by the cathedral priest or the bishop. I did almost all the Mozart masses, as well as the great Haydn masses, Schubert and Bruckner, of course. I was allowed to play all facets of church music in the cathedral, including the so-called neo-spiritual song or spiritual gospels, everything had a place in the cathedral. In the course of redesigning the sanctuary in the cathedral, we also improved the acoustics. And there were highlights outside of the liturgy, such as a danced version of “Creation” and, in the Capital of Culture year 2009, Bruckner’s “Te Deum” with 1000 participants. But the most important thing for me was always the Sunday and holiday liturgy. I have the feeling that we have a “consistent audience” that also comes for the music.
What relationship have you developed with Mariendom?
It’s a touch of home, as far as one can talk about it, because the cathedral is not homely. But he has something fascinating because of his size, because of the light. When you put music in the room, you often don’t know whether it is still lingering or is no longer audible. There is such a gradual transition, for me it is such an image that time and eternity somehow merge. Music can make it possible to step out of everyday life into another world.
How did you experience the Corona period?
Despite all the difficulties, we were always able to maintain operations, except during the complete lockdown. In part, the cathedral choir performed the mass with only four singers and four instrumentalists. We rehearsed the whole time in the cathedral to be able to keep our distance. That was difficult because it’s very cold there in winter and the acoustics are overly reverberant. We hardly had any failures and never a cluster. However, many visitors to the Mass missed the fact that they were not allowed to sing themselves.
Speaking of singing: it has noticeably decreased in our society. What are people missing out on?
Singing is something that is very good for you and that creates tremendous community. That’s what makes choirs. Connections are created through the music, making music also has a lot to do with social behavior: you have to contribute yourself, but also listen to the others. Being in a choir used to be a fixed point for many, but young people in particular no longer want to commit themselves to something.
What was particularly dear to you during this time?
The high festivals, of course, where you also work with an orchestra: All Saints’ Day, All Souls’ Day, for example with the great requiems by Mozart, Cherubini or modern music by John Rutter. In terms of content, it’s the Mozart masses, the great Haydn masses, which I love very, very much, and of course Bruckner, the D minor and the E minor. The latter belongs to Linz Cathedral because it was written and premiered for the inauguration of the front part, the Votive Church.
What is the importance of music in the liturgy?
The liturgy would be very poor if there were no music. What would Christmas be without music, without “Silent Night” sung together, which is so emotionally anchored in people. I have made it a tradition in the cathedral that the original version for two male voices and guitar is always played at the end of mass. Some people came especially for that. The music also has great emotional power in the context of the proclamation and it can be very comforting where the word quickly comes to an end.
When you were young you were a “Jedermann” caller.
As a member of the radio choir in Salzburg, I had to go to the casting. Then I was allowed to call out from the tower of the Franciscan Church four years in a row. Back then, Curd Jürgens was Jedermann and Senta Berger’s paramour, Maximilian Schell came later. The latter even climbed the tower with me.
How are you going to get involved in music in the future?
I will definitely continue with the Collegium Vocale and the Voices. It might be wiser to take a break from the cathedral for a while. It’s like an old farmer who has to hand over and draw a proper line. There are church music construction sites where one can “make oneself important” in the future. As a visitor, I remain loyal to the cathedral, this is my home parish, to which I am and will remain connected.
Interview: Melanie Wagenhofer