Music

Indispensable

Music only used to be present on the fringes of Imst’s Fasnacht, for some time the Bürgermusik (local brass band) was even forbidden to partake. And so only small bands accompanied the procession. Today the opposite is the case – the Imst brass band is an integral part of Fasnacht. Most preparations before Schemenlaufen are top secret, and this is also how the costumes for the musicians are selected. In one year they are disguised as scare crows or gardeners, in another as mountain guides or something of the kind. A special year was 2009, when the band was wearing original 19th century costumes from all parts of Tirol in remembrance of 1809, the year of Andreas Hofer’s uprising against Napoleon.

Legendary hymn

The musical highlights of Fasnacht are:

• The beginning of the procession in Obermarkt (upper market square)
• The break during the procession near Johanneskirche (St. John’s church). While the participants are resting, the band plays to entertain the spectators.
• The concluding Schlusskroas (final circle) in town square.

The central piece of music is the extremely popular Fasnachtsmarsch (march), which is sung by young and old alike with much enthusiasm. It was composed by the elder Franz Treffner: Die Fasenacht, die Fasenacht,     (Fasnacht, Fasnacht,)Die weard hålt von die Imschter g’måcht.     (is made only by the people of Imst.)Und kannt ma nimme Fåsnåcht gia(h)n,     (If we couldn’t go to Fasnacht anymore,)nå war döis Leb’n nimmer schien!     (Life would lack its beauty.) The locals’ enthusiasm for their Fasnacht couldn’t be described more aptly.