Günther Mittergradnegger | Composers

Guenther Mittergradnegger was an Austrian choir director and composer.

He attended the Klagenfurt Conservatory and studied folklore and musicology at the University of Vienna. In 1964, he completed this studies with a doctorate PhD.

Guenther Mittergradnegger was a teacher and founded the Madrigal Choir Klagenfurt in October 1948, made up of young Carinthian teachers, including students from the Klagenfurt educational institute. He directed the choir until 1974. The choir's repertoire spans literature from Gregorian chant to contemporary music. But above all, folk songs and the Carinthian songs in particular. Mittergradnegger soon established the choir as one of the most famous ensembles in the Carinthian and Austrian choral landscape and also undertook numerous tours abroad (1951 Italy, 1953 Wales, 1964 Finland, 1972 Soviet Union). The choir won numerous prizes in competitions.

The Carinthian dialect poet and Protestant pastor, Gerhard Glawischnig, stood at Faaker See in 1956 and was homesick for "his" Längsee near St. Veit, his home. He wrote his sorrow from his soul, and the words for a song were born that would become one of the most important Carinthian songs. In 1957 Guenther Mittergradnegger composed the melody for this text, and "Is schon still uman See" was born.