The melody of the mountains – a declaration of love for “home sweet home“

I press the play button of the new YouTube video which I’ve just received and almost straightaway the first piano notes of the song “Bei dir“ (with you) transport me into another world, where the problems and worries of everyday life can be left behind and the wonderful treasures of nature can be rediscovered in a musical way. The colourful and calming images of nature in the video emphasize the feeling of freedom and lightheartedness, that hold sway by me when I listen to the song. Simply unique!

Now sitting in front of me are two of the three performers of this song - Juliane and Helene – and they’re kind enough to answer some of my questions regarding the origin of this piece of music. When you write your own song, music surely has great importance in your life. How did you get into music and how did you get to know each other? Juliane and Helene look at each other with a smile and answer: “Well, for a start, we’re related.” “I started with recorder lessons, then I was in the children’s choir and dance music group. At the moment I’m a member of a music trio and I‘m studying music at the Mozarteum in Salzburg“, Helene starts.
“I too started off with the recorder and children’s choir“, Juliane gushes, “and played music with my dad and my two brothers and we often performed together. I met Karin, the third person in the group, at school and we’ve been singing together since 2006.“

Juliane, you composed the music and the text to your song “Bei dir“, which is about Salzburgerland. What motivated you to write a song about your home county?

“I don’t just see my home as a place, but also as a feeling I get when I think of my family and my home. Home can be in this sense something very private. It is a term which has given me security during tough times and continues to do so. When I came home after travelling, I realised how really beautiful it is here.“

In the song you sing “with you I feel at home“ – how do you get this feeling, why does Salzburg provoke such a feeling in you?

They both look at each other and answer in unison: “Our parents‘ farms have rooted us with this piece of earth. The nature, the landscape and the people have influenced us and given us this feeling of belonging – here are our roots, here we feel at home. Even though we don’t actually live here anymore, it’s still great to come home. We appreciate our homeland and it will always be a part of us.“

Is it possible to see you live?

“Normally I sing with our trio at Advent events, but this year due to the current situation, it’s all a bit uncertain“, Helene tells me thoughtfully. “I’ll be accompanying the morning mass in the Radstadt Town Church on 24th of December with Karin, that date’s for sure“, says Juliane. “And I always look forward to musical accompaniment at Christenings and weddings“, Juliane adds with a smile.As I’ve already experienced Juliane singing live, I can recommend it – you’re sure to get goose bumps! You can tell these two are rooted to their “home“ and that music is dear to both their hearts. One of their quotes with regard to why they’ve dedicated a song to their homeland, hits the nail on the head: “It’s just simply beautiful here.“ Full stop J

Tips und infos: You’re welcome to give Juliane a call if you want to know more: +43 664 1870877
Photo credits: Juliane Winter, Rosemarie Winter, Andreas Löcker, Christian Fischbacher, Katja Eggenhofer