The Original Elbe Musikanten German Band takes its name from the Elbe River, Germany's second largest river. The river itself originates in the Czech Republic. “Elbe Musikanten” literally means “Elbe (River) musicians.”
Die Elbe Musikanten is a 12-piece horn-band (no guitars, no keyboards) with a German-singing female vocalist. This year (2018) is our 24th year of playing together as a band. We specialize in Oktoberfest and Gemütlichkeit music. We also play 1920's, 30's, 40's and 50's German Big Band and German pop music (no American rock, American pop or American country music - we do, however, play the American and German national anthems when appropriate). We play waltzes, polkas, ländler, foxtrots, songs and folk songs, German drinking songs and German pop oldies. All of our music is written, arranged, published in and purchased from Germany and the countries near Germany. The band was founded by a German musicologist from Hamburg (living in Richmond at the time) who trained the band to play this music authentically. We have over 500 pieces of music in our repertoire so we can play most requests. We can easily play a four hour event without repeating a piece. Our music is singable and danceable. We play recorded music during our set-up/break-down and during our breaks, so the music never stops while we are there. Band members arrive in a recognizable costume and provide some decoration (Bavarian and German flags and stand decorations) for the immediate stage area.
Elbe Musikanten was founded by Herr Andreas Marx, who had in 1991 moved to Richmond from Hamburg, Germany. In the beginning, the band provided Central Virginia with traditional wind music from the Czech and German Elbe river regions. Soon, however, requests were made to perform at local Oktoberfest parties and the band expanded its repertoire to include Bavarian music, even though the Elbe River does not flow through Bavaria. Unfortunately, Herr Marx returned to Germany in 2007.
Although, the Original Elbe Musikanten German band specializes in Oktoberfest music, it is available for any event. The band has played for numerous other German festivals, birthday parties and other private parties, church events, and more. For further details, please contact us (see the "CONTACT US" page of this web site).
