Reimlingen: With love, passion and skill: “Orchestra Mondo” in the Kulturstadl

Once again this Saturday evening takes place Reimlingen no free parking space – the Kulturstadl is sold out. The “Orchestra Mondo” is making a guest appearance and it is only logical that at least half of the Rieser world is drawn to this concert evening. “Tango meets Gypsy” is the motto of the four-piece band, with the listener asking themselves over the course of the evening whether something has to meet at all, as the two seem so inextricably linked.

But right from the start: The Tango presents what is probably its most famous piece, Astor Piazzolla’s “Liber Tango”. A brilliant start that gives an insight into the virtuoso skills of the artists gathered on stage. That would be Anja Baldauf on the accordion, Raffael Müller on the guitar as well as the double bass player Dennis Wendel and drummer Stefan Baldauf.

Raffael Müller as a magician on the guitar

The next part takes us to Rome in the 1950s with “Arrive derci Roma” (completely free of schmaltz), announced by the cheerful Anja Baldauf and led by Raffael Müller, who proves to be a true magician on the guitar. Although a guitarist, before the start of the third song he beats the drum for his musical passion: swing – “I found a new baby”. Everyone in the orchestra has the opportunity to demonstrate their skills in a solo part, whereby a real competition seems to develop between the accordion and guitar, the finger movements becoming faster and more sophisticated – how wonderful that there are only winners in such a musical showdown , namely the completely enthusiastic audience.

The following piece offers a little respite: “It was always so beautiful with you,” the title song of a 1950s film. The double bass player Dennis Wendel picks up the bow and a wonderfully melancholic, sombre mood emerges. The subsequent tango “El Choclo” is dedicated to an Argentine red light legend. The double bass, bowed with gravity, opens and the lively accordion leads to the solo part of the guitar, which gives the tango a proper rhythm in a kind of habanera, which is supported both discreetly and precisely by the ever-present drums.

Roma anthem “Gelem, Gelem” is sung

The musical world tour continues to the Balkans, wonderfully introduced through an autobiographical story by Anja Baldauf. The four artists sing the Roma anthem “Gelem Gelem”. Soon now with the melody, which gives this plaintive song just the right amount of heaviness and melancholy. And even though the next title is so completely different, the klezmer number “Bei mir biste scheen” fits wonderfully into the overall repertoire, to which another stylistic element is added with “Bossa Dorada”, which, in secret agent style, is reminiscent of James Bond -Topic creeps in.

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If the Konzertstadel were a gas station, then there would be nothing but super that evening. After the break we continue with the hit from the Ufa film “The Three from the Gas Station”: “Darling, my heart sends greetings to you”. And it becomes almost criminally good when the four of them start what is probably the only Swiss tango, the “Criminal Tango” by the Hazy Osterwald sextet.

But of course there is one person who cannot be missing from a Gypsy concert: the great Django Reinhardt, who has found a worthy disciple in Raffel Müller. The “Swing Guitars” are a highlight of the evening. But in view of the wonderful musicians who perform on stage with so much love, passion and skill, it is difficult to speak of a single highlight. Rather, the entire “Orchstra Mondo” was just another highlight in the Nördlinger Cultural Forum’s series of events.