Colmar and music

Venues & Orchestras

History

Ever since its school of singing was founded in 1546, Colmar has led a rich musical life. A great many historically important composers and performers have given concerts at Colmar, such as Sigismond Thalberg and Franz Liszt in 1845 and Clara Schumann in 1862.

The Festival International de Colmar (2-14 July, 2004). www.festival-colmar.com
Founded in 1980, the Colmar Festival appeared within the context of German – French reconciliation. During ten years the Festival was headed by Karl Munchinger, the great German conductor (Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra). By choosing Vladimir Spivakov, a Russian violinist and conductor of international renown, as its Artistic Director in 1989, the Festival immediately became part of the international musical arena, in terms of image and reputation
The choice of a central theme and a particularly original concept has ensured the perpetuity of the Colmar Festival and the annual tribute to a great musician has become its main theme. This concept enables the Festival to approach all repertoires and opens new horizons: tribute to an instrument, a country, a culture... This unusual approach gives unity and special coherence to the Festival’s entire musical program.
Thus, since 1989 Colmar has focused on:

- Glenn Gould in 1989
- David Oïstrakh and the Russian violin school in 1990
- Jacqueline Du Pré and women artists in 1991
- Vladimir Horowitz in 1992
- Yehudi Menuhin in 1993
- Andrés Segovia, classical guitar and Spain in 1994
- Arthur Rubinstein in 1995
- Ginette Neveu and French music in 1996
- Pablo Casals, cellist and composer, in 1997
- Fiodor Chaliapine, Russian singers and music in 1998
- Leonard Bernstein, the art of conducting and American music in 1999
- Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, piano and Italia in 2000.
- Joseph Szigeti, violin and Hungary in 2001
- Jean-Pierre Rampal, wind instruments and French music in 2002
- Krzysztof Penderecki, Polish music and Polish artists in 2003
- Jessye Norman, the United States and American musicians and composers in 2004

The Colmar International Festival has always paid particular attention to support and promotion of young musicians. Each year, Vladimir Spivakov gives a chance to numerous young musicians both from France and all over the world who can perform alongside experienced musicians.

Festival d'orgue St Martin.
Concert from the end of July to end of August

Colmar Jazz Festival. Beginning of Sept
From the first Festival in 1996, many international artists came and have made the success of this event.

All the festival’s concerts will be held against the privileged backdrop of monuments steeped in history, enlightening the city's exceptional heritage

Saint-Matthieu's Church (14th century)
This former Franciscan church, a fine example of the architecture of the mendicant order in Alsace and a Protestant church since the end of the 16th century, has very fine acoustics.

Saint-Pierre's Chapel (18th century)
This Jesuit church was erected in the mid of the 18th century by Jean-Jacques Sarger, an architect from Strasbourg, on the site of the Saint-Pierre Priory, the former heart of the Colmar city.

The Old Customs House / Koïfhus (14th - 15th century)
Completed around 1480, the Koïfhus symbolized the political and economic power of Colmar. This building was used both as a warehouse for merchandise and a customs center where all the roads from Flanders, Italy and Champagne converged.

With their limited capacity, that is to say respectively 200, 345 and 800-900 seats, the Koïfhus, the St. Pierre's Chapel and the St. Matthieu's Church offer the opportunity to attend concerts in truly exceptional conditions.

The Opéra National du Rhin
www.opera-national-du-rhin.com
In 1972 public officials from the three towns of Strasbourg, Mulhouse and Colmar came together to found the Opéra National du Rhin, an intermunicipal organization that is currently the only functioning regional opera house in France in the goal of establishing real centers of operatic art
Colmar is home to the Atelier du Rhin, a center for operatic training that also features research and creativity in the realm of vocal theater. Now a major regional artistic center, the Atelier and its artistic and administrative services are housed in La Manufacture. Since 1998, Colmar has also hosted Les Jeunes Voix du Rhin, a training program for a troupe of young professional opera singers.

Salle du Grillen : This venue is dedicated to contemporary Music.

The Maîtrise de Garçons www.maitrise-colmar.asso.fr
The Maîtrise de Garçons (Boys’ Choir) is unique in Alsace and is today considered one of France’s leading choirs. The Choir consists of thirty boys and twenty men and is conducted by Arlette Steyer, who trained at the Radio France choir school and is a member of Arts Florissants with whom she has made many recordings. The Choir’s repertoire extends from Gregorian chant to contemporary music and includes a wide range of Baroque works. In January 1995, it won the ‘diapason d'or’ (Golden Tuning Fork) for its recording of the works of Palestrina.

The first traces of Colmar date back to 823, when Louis the Pious, son of Charlemagne, drew up an act of donation in Frankfurt on 12 June. The Carolingian monarch gave part of the forest located within the Columbarium, a vast domain that he owned in the region, to the abbey of Munster. The name Colmar is therefore of Roman origin and means dovecote.

Destroyed by a fire in 1106, Colmar extends during the Middle Age and becomes an imperial town in the 13th century. Ladhof, the first port of Colmar, was founded in 1337 at the confluence of the Thur and the Lauch, at the spot where the river Ill becomes navigable. With this construction, Colmar is a thriving and independent town with its own constitution and money.

In 1234, the building of Saint Martin's collegiate church starts, to be finished in 1365. Martin Schongauer paints the Virgin of the Rose Bower for this church in 1473.

During the 16th century, Colmar finds itself in the middle of an intellectual, social and religious upheaval. It becomes a center of Lutheran propaganda, with works of the Farckall print shop. The German writer Georges Wickram, considered to be the originator of the popular novel in German, sets up a reputed singing school (Meistersingerschule) in Colmar in 1548.

The Treaty of Munster in Westphalia gives part of Alsace over to France in 1648. Colmar becomes a « Royal city of France », judicial capital of the province of Alsace. During the Age of Enlightenment many works come out in Colmar as “Alsatia Illustrata” of historian Jean Daniel Schoepflin.

Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi (1834-1904), French sculptor born in Colmar, author of the famous Statue of Liberty, carves several monuments for his native city such as the statue of General Rapp, the Bruat Fountain or the Monument dedicated to Martin Schongauer.

After the French-German war, Colmar becomes German in 1871, and again French in 1918. In 1940, the Germans roll into Colmar and Alsace is annexed. The city suffers from a brutal Germanization and Nazification program. Several monuments are destroyed, for instance the statue of General Rapp and the Bruat Fountain.

On 2 February 1945, the city is liberated after fierce fighting around the « Colmar pocket » . General de Gaulle marches into the city on 10 February, and General Rapp's statue is later restored to its rightful pedestal. In 1946, Colmar is decorated with the Croix de guerre 1939-1946 with bar.

After the war, as part of the decentralization of French theater, the « Centre dramatique de l'Est » is formed in Colmar.

The first Regional Wine Fair is held in the city in 1948. The event will soon become a flagship both for the local economy and for regional tourism.

Architecture & Some Highlights

In the surrounding area

Food

Colmar is what is generally called « a country town »… Marvelously preserved throughout its turbulent history, its historical center still remains intact and is classified as a « protected area ». It offers one of the most important pedestrian areas in Europe where inhabitants and visitors can wander fully enjoying true treasures of historical heritage dated from the Middle Age to the 20th century

The 12th century has left to the city historical center the St. Martin's Collegiate church or the Dominicans Church which are major examples of Gothic architecture in Alsace.

The Pfister House is considered to be one of the oldest in Colmar, built in 1537 by Ludwig Scherer, a hatter, the house is made of stone and wood and has a typical mediaeval design.

Don’t miss the Koïfhus, a beautiful old house with a Gothic architecture.

Built in 1609 for a local merchant, Anton Burger, the Maison des Têtes is a fine example of the German renaissance and owes its name to the 111 grotesque masks or heads that decorate the rich façade.

The French Classicism (17th Century) gives to Colmar nice buildings such as the “Palais du Conseil Souverain” and the “Old Hospital”.

Walking through Colmar’s streets you will be able to discover beautiful signs, colored roofs and the fishmongers district. The fishmongers' and fishermen's guild was once a powerful body in Colmar. Up to the beginning of the 20th century, they would sell their fish, caught locally, on the quay front. This district is now called the “Little Venice”.

The Alsace Wine Road
The Alsace Wine Road winds its way for 170 km through vineyards, Vosges forests, ruins of medieval castles, villages with ancient ramparts, wine festivals, but also traditional old dwellings, Romanesque churches and famous fountains that are the generous legacy of the Renaissance.

Eguisheim
One of the cradles of the Alsace vineyard, this medieval town at the foot of the ‘Three castles’ is built in three concentric circles around its Castle, the birthplace of Pope St. Leo IX in 1002. With its unique complex of 15th-century civil and military architecture, it is a town of ancient half-timbered houses with balconies, oriel windows and pointed gables. Vineyard walk with guided tours and tastings.

Turckheim
This town with plenty to offer the tourist is an ancient Imperial free town (1354). You can see vestiges of its ramparts, the Sainte-Anne church with a porch bell-tower (1190) as well as some fine Renaissance houses (Hôtel de Ville, Hôtel des Deux Clefs). Every evening at 10 PM between May and October, the Night Watchman does his rounds through the town.

Ammerschwihr
Flourishing in the 16th century, this town is rich in medieval and Renaissance architecture. It is also the birthplace of the Confrérie Saint-Etienne (brotherhood of St. Stephen).

Kaysersberg
This ancient free city is a famous tourist town with a distinctive medieval and Renaissance air. A charming town with the ruins of its 13th-century castle, a church from the same period and a fortified bridge, Kaysersberg holds a famous Christmas market every year.

Riquewihr
The pearl of the Alsace region and of the Wine Road, this medieval and Renaissance town is admirably well preserved. The ancient castle of the Princes of Wurtemberg-Montbéliard, today a museum of the history of the postal service, dates from 1539-1540. Riquewihr is remarkable for the ruins of the 13th-century Château de Bilstein, commonly known as “the Bilstein of Aubure”, the ruins of the Château de Reichenstein with its pentagonal tower, the Dolder belfry tower (1291) and its charming little medieval streets. This is also a town famed for its Grand Crus (superior wines), the most well-known of which are the Grands Crus Schoenenbourg.

Capital of Alsace Wines, Colmar is extraordinary both for its wealth of historic buildings and for its age-old tradition of hospitality and the delights of its gourmet foods.
Fine wines and Grands Crus, delicacy and flavor of its culinary specialties, refined by top chefs…
It fully lives up to the regional tradition which makes Alsace France’s most highly rated culinary region.

Starters :
- Foie gras (invented in Strasbourg in 1780)
- Charcuteries: its frying sausages are the oldest; country-style pork liver sausages are eaten on bread; beer sausages, or brawn, delicious pork marrow quenelles or stuffed pork belly and Alsace pastries

- Gingerbread: a traditional Alsace bread

Main dishes :
- Baeckeoffe: a dish composed of three marinated meats and potatoes in white wine
- Choucroute: Alsace’s traditional sauerkraut dish. Depending on the region of Alsace, it is accompanied by smoked pork, smoked bacon, smoked pork shoulder, salted pork chops, smoked duck leg and vegetables.
- Ganzeltopf: a traditional dish prepared like a conserve and simmered in the oven with winter vegetables and a bottle of Sylvaner
- Matelote du Rhin, a freshwater fish stew
- Coq au Riesling, chicken in white wine sauce

Munster cheese :
Invented in the 7th century by the monks of the « Monasterium Confluentes» , in what is now known as the valley of Munster, this is a traditional washed-rind soft cows’ milk cheese.

Desserts :
Kougelhopf: a sweet yeasted bread with raisins macerated in kirsch
Tarte de fromage blanc: a fresh cheese tart with raisins, flavored with lemon and sprinkled with icing sugar after it is baked

Drink

 Festivals, Traditional customs

Things to Do

The vineyard of seven grape varieties
Unlike in other French vineyards, in Alsace it is not usually the ‘terroir’ (soil, topography and microclimate) which gives its wines their name, but the grape varieties themselves. The wines of Alsace come from seven grape varieties: Sylvaner, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Muscat d'Alsace, Tokay Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Noir. Always presented in their typical tall slender bottle, they have to be bottled in the region of production.

Sylvaner: refreshing, light, with a delicate flavor, easy to enjoy. Sylvaner is particularly recommended with sea food, pork and salads...

Tokay Pinot Gris: powerful and round wine, rich, full bodied with the complex flavors, with its long finish it often advantageously replaces a red wine with the white meats and game.

Pinot Blanc : combining freshness and flexibility, well rounded, it is a happy medium in the range of Alsace wines and is harmonized with a crowd of dishes (cold or hot starters, poultry, fish…).

Muscat d'Alsace is dry and different from the other sweet Muscats of southern France.
Its inimitable fruity and its dry and aromatic character at the same time make a marvelous aperitif of it. It is also recommended with asparaguses.

Riesling : acknowledged as one of the finest white wines in the world, the Riesling is dry, delicately fruity with an elegant bouquet of floral or mineral notes.
The Riesling is a true gastronomic wine, perfect with fish, shellfish and seafood but also white meats and of course the famous Alsatian Sauerkraut.

Pinot Noir is the only Alsatian variety of grapes producing either red or rosé wines, characteristically fruity with hints of cherry. It can easily be aged in oak casks.
Is harmonized with poultry, white meat, game and cheese.

Gewurztraminer is worldwide known for its exceptional aromatic characteristics with fruity, floral or spiced notes. Its structure is powerful and round. Ideal as aperitif, but also with exotic cookings (Asian, Mexican, Indian), cheeses and the desserts.

Colmar, symphony of lights...
Colmar was the first town in France to put in place an operation of such amplitude and, in 1997, was awarded the special prize of the “Académie des Arts de la Rue” for its truly exceptional achievement. 900 computer-driven light sources, using the fibre optics cable network, are skillfully distributed throughout the town and thus allow an original light show throughout the year, which varies in intensity and color.

The town is illuminated from nightfall on Fridays and Saturdays throughout the whole year, and every evening during major events marking the life in Colmar : the International Festival, Regional Alsace Wine Fair and Christmas in Colmar.

The magic of Christmas - From November 25 to December 31, 2004
Christmas traditions celebrated in Alsace from Advent to Epiphany, find in Colmar particular sense. The historical center, illuminated and decorated, turns into a veritable open-air theater where the Christmas warmth envelops the heart of the town with many Christmas markets.
Christmas in Colmar is also a multitude of events: exhibitions, conferences, concerts, fairy tales and other open air events which, from Advent to the New Year, punctuate the Festive Season in Colmar.
The place Rapp is usually draped in a playful and fairy tale ambiance : in the midst of a winter wonderland scattered with snowy Christmas trees and chalets, you will be delighted to discover an illuminated ice rink and ski jump.

The Alsatian wine festival. April to Nov.
Each year, along the Alsatian Wine route, many villages celebrate the wine.

Alsatian Wine Exhibitions. Mid-August
Colmar great wine exhibition is organized for 50 years and allows visitors to try and buy the region’s wines during one weeks. Many concerts take place at the same time.

Colmar is also famous for its main museums :

Unterlinden Museum www.musee-unterlinden.com
Located in the former Convent founded in the 13th century by the Dominican nuns, Unterlinden Museum was founded in 1852. Today, it is one of the most prestigious museums in France visited by 350 000 tourists each year.
The Museum is known for its collection of paintings by early Rhenish masters which is one of the most relevant in France. Presented in the chapel, the monumental Isenheim Altarpiece is the striking creation by Matthias Grünewald (for the painted panels, 1510-1516), one of the major works of Western art.

Bartholdi Museum
The house where the famous sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi was born in 1834. The museum is devoted to the life and works of the creator of the Statue of Liberty (New York). Colmar celebrates, this year, the centenary of the death of the sculptor.

Espace Malraux
A center for Contemporary Art, housed in an old sauerkraut factory, the Espace Malraux boasts a top-ranking program of exhibitions.

The «Animated» Museum of little Trains and Toys
www.musee-jouet.com
More then just an exhibition space, the toy museum is an enchanted place where you will discover a collection that is unique, varied and exciting. Enthusiasts and collectors of all ages will be captivated by exhibits such as Cinderella’s Coach, the exceptional collection of dolls, the locomotive Britannia, with a wonderful train network covering more than 1000 meters, and animated displays.

The House of the Alsatian wines www.vinsalsace.com
Colmar is the geographical center of Vineyards and the Alsatian wine Capital. In this house of the Alsatian wines you will find lots of information on vineyards and on the different regional wines.

Hotels

Restaurants  

Web Sites

Hostellerie le Maréchal (4*)
Tel : +33 3 89 41 60 32, Fax : +33 3 89 24 59 40
www.hotel-le-marechal.com
Constructed in 1565 on the fortified walls which encircle the old town (11th century), the «Hostellerie Le Maréchal » welcomes you to the center of the old quarter of Colmar, the «Little Venice». The Restaurant « A l’Echevin » proposes famous gastronomic meals, traditional French Cuisine with regional food.

Hôtel Europe (4*)
Tel : +33 3 89 20 54 00, Fax : +33 3 89 41 27 50
http://europe-colmar.com
High standing Hotel with Gourmet restaurant. Located in the midst of Alsace and from 3 km to the center of Colmar.

Hôtel les Têtes (4*)
Tel : +33 3 89 24 43 43, Fax : +33 3 89 24 58 34
www.la-maison-des-tetes.com
In the heart of the town, between the Dominican Church and the Unterlinden Museum, the Hotel is located in one of the most beautiful and most representative houses of Colmar (17th century). The Restaurant offers regional food.

Hôtel le Clos Saint-Vincent (4*)
Tel : +33 3 89 73 67 65, Fax : +33 3 89 73 32 20
Hotel located in the middle of a vineyard near Colmar. Quiet place, perfect to relax.

Hôtel Saint-Martin (3*)
Tel : +33 3 89 24 11 51 - Fax : +33 3 89 23 47 78
www.hotel-saint-martin.com
In the historic heart of old Colmar, between the Saint Martin Cathedral and the Old Customs House, a hotel set up in an old, tastefully-renovated residence. Louis XVI facade, Renaissance turret.

Rendez-vous de Chasse
7 place de la Gare - Tel : +33 3 89 23 15 86
Gourmet Restaurant. One star in the Michelin Guide. Refined savors, charming and felted environment.

Au Fer Rouge
52 Grand-Rue - Tel : +33 3 89 41 37 24
High gastronomy offering regional and modern cuisine in an old typical house.

Auberge du Père Floranc
9 rue Herzog - Wettolsheim
Tel : +33 3 89 80 79 14
Gourmet Restaurant within the wine route. Regional and own specialties. Closed Sunday evening, Monday and Tuesday for lunch.

Château d'Isenbourg "Les Tommeries"
Château d'Isenbourg - Tel : +33 3 89 78 58 50
Built on 12th and 14th century, this manor with vaulted cellars, is an historical and gastronomic halt on the Alsace wine route.

Le Caveau d'Eguisheim
3 Place du Château St Léon - Eguisheim
Tel : +33 3 89 41 08 89
Regional specialties. Closed Monday and Tuesday.

L'Auberge ‘Au Vieux Pressoir' – Bollenberg
Le Bollenberg – Westhalten
Tel : +33 3 89 49 60 04 - www.bollenberg.com
Restaurant with family atmosphere, with regional specialties. Typical decoration and Alsatian furniture. Nice view on the Vosges Mountain, the Plain of Alsace and the Black Forest. Visit the cellar and try the wines of the Auberge vineyard.

Colmar Tourism Office
www.ot-colmar.fr

City of Colmar
www.ville-colmar.fr

Festival International de Colmar
www.festival-colmar.com

Tourism Information on the Region
www.tourisme-alsace.com

Alsace Wine Route
www.alsace-route-des-vins.com

Maison de la France
www.franceguide.com

Alsace tourism Guide
http://fr.travel.yahoo.com/trguide/europe/france/alsace/index.html

Colmar Pictures
www.virtualtourist.com/vt/1f59f/