On the road: Ansingen and other processions of pueri cantores in Tyrol between the late Middle Ages and the modern age

Abstract

In Tyrol, between the late Middle Ages and the modern era, children from church schools were the protagonists of processions and public singing, which were an integral part of religious and civic life. Numerous sources, such as liturgical books, travel chronicles and school regulations, testify to the central role of children’s singing in celebrations and processions, including those held for the Feast of the Holy Innocents and the Kinderbischof tradition. Ansingen, a form of extra-liturgical public singing performed by children and teachers to collect offerings, was of particular importance. The 1424 regulations of the Bolzano school describe in detail the procedures, routes and financial management of these performances, particularly during the Christmas period. The repertoire consisted of liturgical music and vernacular songs, including polyphony. Ansingen also provided support for poor schoolchildren. Over time, the repertoire expanded, but the Church intervened to regulate it, seeking to shield it from the influence of Protestantism.