The men’s chorus at the Essen Haus Oktoberfest earlier this year.
In 1852, a group of German Americans gathered here and began to sing. More than a century and a half later, the storied Madison Männerchor will hold its annual Christmas concert and dinner on Dec. 15.
Männerchor (pronounced men-er-KOR), or men’s choruses, were not uncommon in immigrant communities. However, Madison’s is the second oldest in the country, after one in Columbus, Ohio.
“It comes from a German tradition where after work the men in the community would stop at their bars and what not, and they would have these four-part choral songs,” says conductor Garrett Debbink, who also teaches music at Jefferson Middle School.
The laborers celebrated fellowship with food and good beer. The German word for such a convivial atmosphere is gemütlichkeit; think of the UW Memorial Union Rathskeller, with its murals set to music.
Debbink says the music is generally easy to learn, and focused on songs about nature and “quite frankly, talking about how much they love beer and drinking. Everyone picks a part where their voice falls into place and they can hit all the notes. And then you just have fun.”
Longtime member Paul Hartwig says the chorus provides community for the men who participate. “We’re a bit unusual in that after our rehearsals we always have some beer and sausage, and we interact socially,” says Hartwig. “My wife sings in a church choir. It’s a little bit different,” he says, laughing. “You sing and then you leave.”
Madison’s Männerchor’s founding conductor was Francis Massing, a native of Prussia. He was an attorney who also served as sergeant at arms for the Wisconsin Assembly. The state was only four years old.
“The earliest concerts,” recalled The Capital Times in 1923, “were joyously attended by the many who loved the concord of sweet sounds.”
Like many Old World customs, männerchor has become increasingly rare — even in the Old World.
“The average Joe on the street — it’s not really a thing anymore,” says Debbink, referring to the tradition drying up in Germany and evolving here. “We don’t have the people working nine to five and drinking and just carrying on like that anymore. We’ve kind of tried to evolve and sing songs that are not as German, and be more inclusive of people who maybe just want to join our community choir.”
The choir remains open to men only, although Hartwig says it is always looking for new singers. “You don’t have to have German ancestry.”
Oddly, männerchor may be surviving, just under another name. “Last year on social media I saw circulating a thing called Beer Choir,” says Debbink. The organization sponsors chapters nationwide, sells merchandise and even has its own hymnal.
“It’s almost like a pop-up kind of thing,” says Debbink. “They show up at a bar, bring some music, and all sing together. It’s kind of comical to us, because we’ve been doing that for more than 150 years.”
In fact, in 1887, Madison mover and shaker Col. William Freeman Vilas entertained President Grover Cleveland and the First Lady at his lavish Madison home. The Männerchor stopped by with a moonlight serenade. The guests “both seemed highly pleased and the President announced from his place on the main porch that he too, was a member of a singing group — the Buffalo Liederkranz,” according to the group’s official history. “Col. Vilas, not to be outdone, also announced that he, too, was an associate member of the Madison Männerchor.”
It truly is a small männerchor world, says Debbink. “I’m marrying someone in June, and I found out that my fiancée’s great great grandfather was in männerchor. It’s little things like that, that really bring home that this is a part of Madison.”
Madison Männerchor presents its Christmas concert and dinner at Turner Hall, 3001 S. Stoughton Road, on Dec. 15 at 3 p.m.
