Georg Danzer and the Hammered Dulcimer

Back in the Papierfabrik once again. For me, it’s the best venue in the region between Schwechat and Bratislava. But the reason for my visit on 14th June was different: the programme featured a concert evening with the somewhat dry title “Maria Ma Terzett ft. Ulli Bäer ‘Es woa schee’ A Homage to Georg Danzer”.

Currently, it seems almost fashionable to delve into the songs of the bard Georg Danzer, who passed away in 2007. But there is probably no one who can bring the pioneer of Austropop to life more authentically than Ulli Baer, who shared a friendship and collaboration with Danzer for decades.

Garnished with many personal anecdotes, the audience was treated not only to hits like “Ruaf mi ned au”, “Weiße Pferde” or “Lass mi amoi no d´Sunn aufgeh segn” but also several lesser-known songs, which sometimes offered a touching insight into Danzer’s work and life. This included Ulli Baer also incorporating Hansi Dujmic’s “Die Freiheit” and one or two of his own titles, such as “Alle Lichter” released in 1985, into the programme.

A second compelling reason to attend this concert is the band itself. Alongside Austropop veteran and A3 bandleader Ulli Baer, bassist Mischa Krausz, drummer Christian Einheller, and especially Maria Ma from Tyrol on the hammered dulcimer, ensure a magnificent sound worthy of Danzer. Krausz, now 70 years young, not only played with Danzer, Reinhard Fendrich, STS or Opus, but also with global stars like Jose Carreras. Christian Einheller, long-time drummer for Reinhard Fendrich, not only impresses with a “drum solo” in the form of cheek-clapping and head-tapping.

And then there’s the hammered dulcimer player Maria Zeisler, also known as Maria Ma. She not only transforms the Alpine hammered dulcimer into an instrument of pop music. She intersperses a total of three instrumental original compositions into the programme and receives frenetic applause for her virtuoso to lively numbers.

The last of three encores is “A letztes Liad”. It was indeed to be Danzer’s last song: “i muass jetzt geh, ´s tuat ma lad, es war scheh” (I must go now, I’m sorry, it was beautiful).

A tip for all those who missed the concert: on 21st May 2026, there will be a new edition at the Papierfabrik Klein-Neusiedl.