International Bandonion Festival Carlsfeld

Carlsfeld — where the Bandonion was born

Anyone who thinks the Bandonion — the soul of Argentinian tango — was invented in Buenos Aires is mistaken. Its roots lie in the Ore Mountains: the precursor instruments were developed in the small mining settlement of Carlsfeld (now a district of Eibenstock), before Heinrich Band further developed the instrument into its current form in the Rhineland in the mid-19th century. The Bandonion made its way to Argentina with East German emigrants — and became the epitome of an entire musical culture there.

Germany's most important Bandonion gathering

Since the mid-1990s, the Bandonionverein Carlsfeld e.V. has organized the International Bandonion Festival annually — now in its 32nd edition. It is Germany's most important Bandonion gathering and one of the most significant dates on the international Bandonion scene. Bandonion players from Germany, Argentina, Uruguay, France, Italy, and many other countries travel to Carlsfeld to play together, give concerts, and preserve the instrument's heritage.

Two venues steeped in tradition

The concerts take place in two venues with special historical and acoustic qualities: the Trinitatiskirche Carlsfeld — Saxony's oldest surviving round church — and the 'Grüner Baum' community center in the village center. Both spaces offer an intimate atmosphere for the concerts, allowing the nuanced timbres of the Bandonion to truly shine.

Tango, Folk Music, Classical — the breadth of repertoire

The repertoire ranges from Argentinian tango (with works by Astor Piazzolla at its center) to Ore Mountain and North German folk music traditions, as well as classical music and contemporary compositions. Bandonion solos, Bandonion ensembles, duets with piano, guitar, violin, and vocals — the festival showcases the full spectrum of the instrument.

Eibenstock, Carlsfeld, and the Upper Westerzgebirge

Eibenstock is located in the Erzgebirgskreis district in the Upper Westerzgebirge, in close proximity to the Czech border. Carlsfeld is a district of Eibenstock and lies about 800 meters above sea level — one of Saxony's highest settlements. Visitors to the festival should plan a stroll around the Trinitatiskirche and through the village center of Carlsfeld, or perhaps a hike in the Eibenstock forest.