For most the music performed at A Night at Oktoberfest brings to mind a big party, tons of tourists, and a great pretzel recipe. For me, family comes to mind.
Like many Canadians my family origins are that of settlers. A few generations ago my family came from various countries in Europe and the UK, and in 1929 my great grandmother left Thierham, Germany with two small children to join her husband and brother-in-law in Saskatchewan. She would have come earlier, but having been pregnant with my grandfather (my Poppa) she was not allowed to travel.
Though he spent the majority of his life in Canada, Poppa was very proud of his Bavarian/German heritage. After retiring from the Air Force he began travelling to Germany fairly frequently to visit family. Every trip he would bring home a stein, several rolls of film full of photos from his travels, lots of stories and new music.
All my life I’ve heard stories of those crazy Bavarians and the many visits back and forth between Germany and Canada. It was a journey I hoped to make with Poppa before he passed and someday I plan on travelling there with my mom. For now, I can enjoy the memories he shared by looking at old photos and listening to the music.
Oh the music! Apparently as a child I would return from weekends with my Poppa having a whole new arsenal of Bavarian folk tunes under my belt. We would listen to those records and tapes on repeat for hours on end. Maybe that was the foundation for my love of german Lieder?
Now that vinyl is cool once more, I have a record player of my own and I’m able to revisit some of Poppa’s much loved records. While the music brings back all kinds of memories, it’s the album covers that make me laugh. These are a few of my favourites.
Gathering in person is not an option currently, but I hope that experiencing live music at the same time brings us all closer together. So send a note to your loved ones, enjoy our Night at Oktoberfest and may the music bring you much Freude.
Ein Prosit my friends!
Megan – Director of Marketing & Communications