LANA | MUSIC | FESTIVAL 2026 - Korrnrliadr

An evening of poetry, dialect and music awaits with the Korrnrliadr – songs that tell stories from the Vinschgau Valley and reflect the landscapes and people of the region.

The lyrics originate from the poems of Luis Stefan Stecher, born in 1937 in Laas. With his poetry collection published in 1978, Stecher aimed to create a literary tribute to those who often stood at the margins of society in old Tyrol – independent, freedom-loving outsiders whose lives inspired his verses. His poems were deliberately written in a style reminiscent of traditional folk songs.

Shortly after the book appeared, musician Ernst Thoma began setting several of these poems to music. Born in Stilfser Brücke and now living in Mals, Thoma is a music teacher, choir director, songwriter and theatre author. Through his melodies the poems found a new form of expression, and many of the songs have since taken on the character of modern folk songs.

Since the early 1980s, Martha Rauner, a teacher and passionate singer from Mals, has performed the Korrnrliadr together with Ernst Thoma. In 1998 they were joined by Hannes Ortler, a music teacher from Prad, who enriches the programme with clarinet, flute, ocarina, klavietta and vocals.

In 2000, eighteen of these songs were released on CD. Several pieces – including Unz Wättr isch winti and Mai Maadele mai Tschuurele – have since been interpreted by other musicians and groups and have become widely known beyond the Vinschgau Valley.

The concert at the Lana Library invites listeners to discover these songs live. Poetry, dialect and music come together to create an evening that connects past and present through stories, melodies and shared cultural memory.