Mass in honor of Saint Hubertus with the Brandenburg Parforcehornbläser Berlin

The custom of the St. Hubertus Mass can be traced back to the Middle Ages. Liturgical music was introduced from the 16th/17th. In the 19th century it was adopted by metal horns, which were also used as hunting instruments at that time. The melodies of the traditional St. John's Mass and many of the fanfares and marches are over 300 years old. Mostly passed down orally, their main areas of distribution were France and Belgium. The first advertised versions were created there at the end of the 19th century.

As a rule, the pieces of music are played on the par force horn in E flat. Its name comes from the par force hunt, in which a pack of dogs pursues the fleeing game. This type of hunting was particularly valued in the 17th century, so a bugle was developed specifically for it that could be heard from very far away. The small pieces of music composed for this purpose are command signals that organized the hunting process and situational fanfares that informed the following hunting party about the course of the hunt. The sound is similar to that of the concert French horn. Externally, the parforce horn is characterized by a very wide winding diameter, which allows the player and rider to carry the horn over their shoulders and thus have both hands available for riding.

According to tradition, Hubertus (655 – 727) was a young nobleman, a licentious and passionate hunter. The killing of game served him as an end in itself and no one could stop him from pursuing his passion uninhibitedly. One day he came across a deer with a glowing cross between its antlers. This incident is said to have made Hubertus realize that hunting cannot be an end in itself, but should be seen as a service to nature with far-reaching responsibility. “Respect for the creature” became part of the behavioral principles of the hunters as fairness. Hubertus dedicated the rest of his life to the church, rose to the position of bishop of Liège and was canonized after his death. On November 3, 743, his remains were brought to Andagium in He was transferred to the Ardennes and the monastery there has borne his name ever since.

The Brandenburg Parforcehornbläser Berlin are a group of hunters, riders and dog people who have been blowing the Parforcehorn in Es for more than 40 years. Inspired by the sound of the horn, they maintain and preserve the customs of hunting with their fanfares and marches.

The repertoire covers all areas that the Parforcehorn has to offer. They play St. John's Mass, on hunts, horseback hunts or hunters' balls and give festive concerts in churches.