Alphorn goes classic - Festive Summer Concert with Brass and Organ

Brass instruments and organ ring out brilliantly and surge with majesty. Their combined sound carries the audience into another realm entirely. Every concert-goer knows that moment: a reverent hush, and then this divine music rises through the harmony of trumpet, trombone, organ and the resonant space of the church.

The summer trumpet gala at the Wallfahrtskirche Weggental in Rottenburg am Neckar has become a cherished annual tradition. On Sunday, 9 August 2026 at 18:00, the concert will be performed for the first time by the renowned Swiss trio: Prof. Claude Rippas (Zurich) on trumpet/flugelhorn, John Loretan (Winterthur) on trombone/alphorn, and Dieter Hubov (Arbon) on organ. A highlight of the evening will be John Loretan's virtuoso playing on the alphorn - an instrument he has introduced to churches and concert halls across Europe over recent years, drawing unanimous praise from audiences and critics alike.

About the Wallfahrtskirche Weggental: nestled in an idyllic landscape of gardens, orchards and fields, this pilgrimage church built in 1682 lies in the Weggental valley on the edge of the historic cathedral city of Rottenburg am Neckar. Its early Baroque architecture and remarkable stucco work in the interior are considered particularly worth seeing. The pilgrimage to Our Lady of Sorrows dates back to 1517, flourished in the 17th and 18th centuries, and the stream of pilgrims and worshippers continues to this day. The first chapel was consecrated in 1521; the present church was built between 1682 and 1695. A redesign followed at the end of the 19th century, and a renovation in the 1960s. In 2014, organ builder Thomas Jann from Laberweinting-Allkofen installed a new organ, with the specification designed by the retired cathedral organist of Rottenburg, Prof. Wolfram Rehfeldt.