Give us a try!
Are you a MAN who loves to sing? In the shower? In your car?
Are you a man over 16 who loves to sing and enjoys fellowship with other men?
Come be a part of the Cold Spring Area Maennerchor
to see what you are missing!
WHERE: ROCORI HIGH SCHOOL CHOIR ROOM
WHEN: Wednesday Evenings, September to May
TIME: 7:00 P.M.
NEED a ride or have questions, call 320-428-9024
About Us
Our history
It is 1937. The world is still in the throes of the great depression. Jobs are slowly becoming more available in the United States.
Other governments are slowly getting in position to, ultimately, join forces. In China there are occupation troops in place from Japan. In Europe the NAZI party is consolidating its strength and starting activities that will ultimately cause it to be regarded with great horror. In the United States the political position is one of isolation from the problems looming on the world horizon. It is difficult enough to feed the populace when unemployment is still over 20%.
In this climate a group of men get together in Cold Spring, Minnesota for the sake of discussing politics, the economy and just some general fellowship. Most of them are still unmarried and quite happy to just have a good job. One of their interests is wine tasting. After all these men grew up during prohibition and now they were able to acquire these beverages again. So an interest in the wines of their ancestral countries was one they all shared. These men begin to meet once a month for some wine tasting and singing. The group grows in size and their singing becomes more organized.
These activities begin to be known among their other friends. One of the men's fiancee (later his wife) is a school teacher. She is preparing a program with her students and feels that it may be nice to have the men sing some of their songs at this program. Under the direction of Mr. Glanville Smith this is done much to the satisfaction of all of the members. The old songs such as Home on the Range, Holy God We Praise Thy Name and Viva l'Amour are among the variety of music used in those first activities.
Encouraged by this activity the group gains more members during 1938. One of the original members was Ted Krebsbach. Currently Ted Krebsbach is still singing with the Maennerchor - of course he is the son of the original member.
By the autumn of 1938 one of the first members started to get the group more properly and officially organized. This man was Maurice O'Connor. In September of 1938 a name was selected for the group. After considering Cold Spring Singverein (Singing Society) and Maurice's Glee Club; the name Cold Spring Glee Club was selected. The first singing outing was for Christmas. Twenty-seven members were involved in this first public presentation.
Sometime during the first few years the name of the group evolved to Cold Spring Men's Chorus.
In May of 1939, the first official concert was presented. Fathers of other current members were in this program. One was Nick Terhaar, father of Jim Terhaar, who until recently was a member of our Bass section. Another was Alphonse Fuchs, father of John Fuchs, a former member of our Baritone section. These men were charter members of the original chorus. That same year a Christmas "Beanfest" Party was organized. It met with such success that this same event was performed for 12 years.
The war years suspended many of the singing activities. After this time the group had serious difficulty getting revived on a regular basis even with annual Christmas Concerts.
In 1973 under the guidance of Mr. Jay Engel the group reorganized. It has never looked back. To help remind many members of their Germanic heritage the name of the organization became "The Cold Spring Area Maennerchor."
In 1981 the Maennerchor joined the Associated Male Chorus's of America. This provided a regular opportunity to sing with other choruses from the upper Midwest. It also included the annual challenge to learn new music for use at a regional concert called The Big Sing. This event brings together up to 13 similar choruses for a common concert and participation in a group of hundreds of voices. These events provided the first opportunities to sing with international groups and also to perform internationally in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Big Sing events are still an annual affair. The Maennerchor hosted this event in Cold Spring, Minnesota in April, 2007, and again in April, 2014, concluding with a 300 voice massed choir concert to be held at the Abbey Church at St. John's University.
Over twenty years ago the Maennerchor organized and participated in its first European Tour and concert trip. This trip started in Germany, went to Austria, Switzerland, on to Paris and back into the western part of Germany by way of the Black Forest and Rhine River.
Five years later the Maennerchor again ventured to Europe visiting and singing their way across the United Kingdom.
Annual events for the Maennerchor that have developed during the last two decades include Spring Dinner Concerts and occasional German Songfests with other Minnesota choruses, all the while singing for area civic and health care organizations. In the mid 1990's Christmas concerts were re-started and have again become an annual event.
The first eighteen singing seasons of this new millennium has seen the Maennerchor enjoying their third European trip. Concerts in Germany and Austria were capped by the opportunity to sing at a Papal Audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. Equally thrilling was singing for evening Mass in St. Peter's Cathedral.
In 2017, members of the Maennerchor joined other male choruses from Minnesota and around the United States to perform a cantata at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
Membership of the Maennerchor over its 80 plus years has fluctuated from a dozen to over 50 members. Joining the group has always been a combination of loving to sing and the camaraderie of being with men of similar interests.
We have the good fortune of having a new director beginning in January, 2020. Ms. Jody Martinson, has graciously agreed to be our new director. Jody Martinson is from Saint Cloud, Minnesota. Prior to Jody, our long time director, Mr. Tim Jarnot returned to the chorus as our director for two years. During the four years that Tim was retired, the chorus was directed by Chris Jacobson for two seasons, and prior to that by Roger Towler for two seasons.
The group has also been blessed with many fine accompanists. At this time our Accompanist is Lisa Drontle and our Assistant Accompanist is Jillian Rebe.
Our Repertoire
Over the years the Maennerchor has maintained a music library. Songs collected span more than a century over two continents. The list is extensive and now exceeds 400 songs. There are folk songs, show tunes, rousing drinking songs, many pieces of religious music, songs of the Christmas season and several pieces that can only be called patriotic. It includes enough German language music to allow presentations at German music festivals. During several European trips and during visits by German Männerchor groups, it has always been satisfying to be able to deliver a favorite piece of music in their language. Our repertoire includes, but is not limited to the following:
Christmas
Adeste Fidelis
Angels We Have Heard on High
Ave Maria (Biebl)
Calypso Noel
Caroling, Caroling
Deck the Halls
Halleluiah Chorus
Joy to the World
Kling Glockshien Kling
Night of Silence
Rejoice and Sing Noel
Stille Nacht (Silent Night)
The First Noel
West Indian Christmas Carol
We Three Kings
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
White Christmas
German
Auf Wiedersehen
Bier Her
Bergvagabunden
Du, Du, Liegst mir im Herzen
Edelweiss
Ein Prosit
Im Himmel Gibts Kein Bier
In München Steht ein Hofbrauhaus
Mein Hut
O, Du Lieber Augustin
Rosamunde (Beer Barrel Polka)
Schnitzelbank
So Ein Tag
Big Sing
How Can I Keep from Singing
Impossible Dream
River in Judea
The Awakening
The National Anthem (Star Spangled Banner)
What Do You Do With a Drunken Sailor?
Others
Aura Lee
Blue Moon
By the Light of the Silvery Moon
Grace
Hush! Somebody's Callin' My Name
Let There Be Peace on Earth
Oklahoma!
Sentimental Journey
Sweet Georgia Brown
The Auctioneer
The Best of Doo-Wop
Three Russian Folksongs
Our members
Officers, Directors and Membership for 2021-2022
Board Term Expiration Dates Shown in Parentheses
- President:
Gregg Roelike
(May 2024) - Vice President:
Tom Jonas
(May 2024) - Treasurer:
Steve Minter
(May 2022) - Secretary:
Dan Grube
(May 2022) - Past President:
Steve Minter - AMCofA Governor:
Weldon Wilson - Additional Board Members:
Marv Rothstein (May 2022), Weldon Wilson (May 2024), Art Kuechle (May 2023) - Director:
Jody Martinson - Assistant Director:
Mary Middendorf - Accompanist:
Lisa Drontle - Asst. Accompanist:
Vacant - Performance Manager:
Dan Grube
Maennerchor Members:
Tenor 1:
Duane Kuss
Steve Larson
Chad Middendorf
Tenor 2:
Michael Heinen
Tom Jameson
Dan Patton
Marv Rothstein
DeLane Ruegemer
Baritone:
Jim Dwyer
Paul Elwell
Amby Giesen
Art Kuechle
LaVern Maile
Jeff Rieffer
Gregg Roelike
Melvin Torborg
Bass:
Dan Grube
Tom Jonas
Ralph Klassen
Bill Koltes
Nick Koop
Steve Minter
Marvin Salzer
Weldon Wilson