Tölzer Schützenmarsch

“Cheerful gunfire resounds in the beautiful valley of the Isar river”. This is the first line of the lyrics of the “March of the Tölz Marksmen” which many people declare to be one of the “Bavarian anthems” together with the “Bavarian Defilé March”. Anton Krettner, the man behind this sparkling march, which has remained popular since its first performance, was far more than a composer “only”.

In his arrangement, Siegfried Rundel paid attention to the origin, the nature and the environment of this march in an exemplary way: As stated previously, the “March of the Tölz Marksmen” actually is no original piece for band to start with. Its folksong nature, which was always underlined by singing words which are full of pride for one’s home area, now becomes clearly apparent. It thus testifies to the fact that this march is not only praising the city of Bad Tölz, it rather goes beyond community limits and makes it the true and unrivaled march of the Bavarian Oberland.