Rheingau
19 to 23 June 2025
Little German Band and Dancers in Keidrich, Germany
On Thursday, Julie and Anthony hopped a train from Heidelberg to the Frankfurt Airport to meet the Little German Band and Dancers and catch up with old (and new) friends from Germany.
Our host Werner picked us (and a half dozen LGB&Ders) at the Frankfurt Airport and bussed us to our respective host families in Ober and Nieder gladbach (up in the hills behind Kiedrich).
Our wonderful hosts were Werner and Silvia. We stayed in their son’s apartment on the top floor of their beautiful house in Niedergladbach.
Frank and the Major
That evening, our hosts presented us a wonderful kickoff dinner. As is the German tradition, the Kiedrich Mayor (Winfried Steinmacher the tall one, that looks like a Mayor) gave a speech in German. LGB&D patriarch Frank ad libbed the translation. Hilarity ensued. We caught up with our local hosts and ate the (yummy and plentiful) food, beer and wine well into the evening.
The next day, our hosts treated the LGB&D to a tour of an incredible gothic structure, St Valentine Church (completed in 1493).
St Valentines boasts one of Germany’s oldest playable organs, which was refurbished in the 1850’s in Brugge. Julie and Anthony saw the building where it was refurbished on our visit to Brugge. Unfortunately, there was no time for Cy to play for us.
Refurbishing St Valentine’s Chuch and organ was financed by English Baronet Sir John Sutton in the mid-1800s. Sir John relocated to Kiedrich and became a local hero.
There were four intricate alters in the St Valentine’s Church.
The Choir at St Valentines keeps alive a local dialect of the Latin Plainsong (as sort of Gregorian chant), a musical tradition in Kiedrich since 1333.
Text and music for Plainsong. In Latin, of course.
After our enlightening tour of St Valentines, our hosts lead us up to the Scharfenstien Castle Tower (built in the early 12th century) which overlooks the town. It is a short, uphill walk through the local vineyards.
After a picnic lunch at the tower, we head back down into Kiedrich for a tour of the Wilhem Weil Winery.
The LGB&D contingent hold the distinction of being the most Americans in the winery on a single tour.
Saturday morning Julie, Anthony, Werner and Silvia were enjoying a leisurely breakfast when an alarm sounds in the town. Before the second siren, Werner was up and out the kitchen door. It turns out that Werner is the fire captain in Niedergladbach, and the siren indicates a serious emergency. A motorcyclist had hit a truck and then hit a tree. Werner and Silvia feared the worst. Fortunately, the motorcyclist survived, not sure about the bike.
Silvia drove us to Renate and Thomas’ new house for lunch. We stayed with Thomas and Renate back in 2007. Phillip was staying there and two of his German translator friends were visiting. Before lunch, we stopped off at Schloss Vollard for drinks ….
Julie, Silvia and Renate
The Rhine
That evening the LGB&D were honored to be opening up for the Kiedrich KCV Big Band at their 25 Anniversary Party.
A local Oberkrainer band started out the festivities. These guys were in North Carolina and saw the LGB&D play at a NC Oktoberfest. They know a lot of the songs we play.
Thomas, Renate and Julie
The Brookhaven Gang
The Arz Brothers and Julie and Anthony
Fellow Clarinetist, Bill and Anthony dancing to the KCV Big Band. The KCV are a real party band, rocking out to pop tunes and big band standards.
Sunday! Who doesn’t love a parade? In Bad Vilbel
It was so hot!!
We were dropped off around 11:30 to line up for the parade.
Our groupies. They look happier. In the shade.
Cherished South Park Character?
2:30 PM. LGB&D hiding from the sun, waiting for their turn to march.
3:40 PM, LGB&D are about halfway done with the 2+ mile parade route (plus walking to the bus). Phillip looks as happy as we all feel to be marching in the heat.
Our Parade Route, more or less.