Yodeling in the Harz: Anna Koerber conquers the stage at the competition!

Yodeling in the Harz: Anna Koerber conquers the stage at the competition!

A tradition with heart and voice: Yodeling in the Harz Mountains is very popular. Every year, yodelers from near and far gather in Altenau to take part in the Harz yodeling competition. It turns out that yodeling is not just a singing challenge, but also a way to celebrate the community and the region. As ndr.de reports, laypeople, like Anna Koerber from Cologne, are also taking part in the competition to try out yodeling for themselves.

The Oberharzer Heimatbund, which organizes this special competition annually, offers a platform for around 50 participants in various categories. Anna Koerber has prepared for the stage and even has to present herself in traditional Harz costume in order to officially compete. Her nervousness is understandable, after all, she has never performed in such an environment before. Her practice session begins with the sonorous “la-hudi, la-hudi” sounds that she learned from the experienced yodeling trainer Katja Novotny, also known as Jodel-Katja.

A look into the history of yodeling

Yodeling has a long tradition in the Harz that goes back to the 1920s. The first competitions took place in Benneckenstein in 1925 and welcomed the art of yodeling to the Harz Mountains. From 1934 to 1936, the competitions continued in Clausthal-Zellerfeld under the direction of Karl Reinecke, a Harz poet and painter. But after the Second World War the competitions paused. They were only brought back to life in 1947 in the Eastern Harz and in 1949 in the Western Harz, from which the Upper Harz guild in Clausthal-Zellerfeld benefited, as heimatbund-oberharz.de documents.

What is particularly noteworthy is that yodeling in the Harz Mountains originally served as a means of communication among woodcutters, charcoal burners and wood carters. However, the exact meanings of the yodel sounds have largely been lost. It is a mixture of art and tradition that is constantly being revived, especially at the competitions in Altenau, where the participants showcase both their vocal abilities and the joy of making music together.

The competition and its participants

On the day of the competition, the atmosphere is characterized by the anticipation of the participants. Anna Koerber is described as a “natural talent” despite her inexperience in yodeling. Her performance is watched with excitement by the audience. In addition to her nervousness, she encourages her stage fright and ends up on stage to compete in yodeling. Anna put her heart and soul into her yodel text, which has a reference to NDR and the events. An emotional moment for her.

• Anna Koerber erzielt den zweiten Platz in ihrer Kategorie.
• In ihrer Kategorie trat nur ein weiterer Teilnehmer an.
• Die Freude am Jodeln wird von Allen geteilt, die Herzen der Akteure und Zuschauer schlagen im gleichen Rhythmus.

The yodelers not only experience a singing competition, but also a warm community. Yodeling is and remains an integral part of Harz culture and is also enjoying great popularity in the anniversary year. It shows that traditions are valuable and live on through such events - not only in the Harz Mountains, but also beyond.