Saturday 21 November 2026, 5.15 pm in front of Schloss Mirabell (Mirabell Palace): the first notes of our Advent music, Christmas brass music in the open air, come from the Bürmooser Blechbläser. For years the ensemble from Bürmoos, a village in the Flachgau north of Salzburg, has played in Advent at our Salzburg Christmas market at Mirabellplatz (Mirabell Square); in 2026 they play on three Saturdays. Here we tell you where the Bürmooser Blechbläser come from and when you can hear them.
What are the Bürmooser Blechbläser? The Bürmooser Blechbläser are an Austrian brass ensemble from Bürmoos in Salzburg’s Flachgau, led by Christina Stöger. Their tradition goes back to the years between the wars; as far as we know, they used to be known as the Bürmooser Turmbläser. In Advent 2026 they open our Advent music in front of Schloss Mirabell.
All the dates for the Advent music are further down.
The Bürmooser Blechbläser in Advent 2026
In 2026 the Bürmooser Blechbläser play three times in front of Schloss Mirabell, always on a Saturday at 5.15 pm (as of our programme of 2 November 2026):
| Date | What’s on that day |
|---|---|
| Sat 21 Nov 2026, 5.15 pm | first date of our Advent music 2026 |
| Sat 12 Dec 2026, 5.15 pm | a Saturday in Advent |
| Sat 19 Dec 2026, 5.15 pm | last Saturday before Christmas |
You hear them right in the middle of the market, and entry is free. If you’d like more brass music afterwards on one of these Saturdays, our article on Turmblasen and Advent music in Salzburg shows you the way to the Turmblasen (brass music played from the city’s towers) on Residenzplatz.
Where does the Bürmooser Blechbläser tradition come from?
The tradition of the Bürmooser Blechbläser goes back to the years between the wars, “when people played for the farmers in Advent in return for small gifts”. That’s what it says on our home page, and the Salzburg Festival describes the ensemble in almost the same words.
An article by Anke Eder in the SalzburgerLand Magazin tells more. There the custom is called “Kletzi-Kletzi-Spielen”, a Christmas Eve custom of musicians playing “Silent Night” (“Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht”) from house to house in return for food. It was a time of poverty and hunger. On Christmas Eve, musicians went from house to house in small groups and played the song for people. As thanks, they were given food. According to the article, musicians of the Trachtenmusikkapelle Bürmoos (the Bürmoos traditional brass band) carried on this tradition for decades.
The song was first performed in the Flachgau: “Silent Night” was heard for the first time in Oberndorf on Christmas Eve 1818. More about it, and what’s on in the city on 24 December, is in our article on Christmas Eve in Salzburg.
From the church tower to the Salzburg Festival
According to the SalzburgerLand Magazin, 24 December is the most important day of the ensemble’s year. In the afternoon, after the children’s Christmas Eve service (Kindermette), the musicians play from the tower of the Catholic church in Bürmoos. Only on this day do they play “Silent Night”, in memory of the Kletzi-Kletzi-Spielen. The magazine calls the ensemble the Bürmooser Turmbläser – as far as we know, its former name.
The Trachtenmusikkapelle Bürmoos also lists a Turmblasen for 24 December 2026 in its calendar. It doesn’t give a time for 2026.
They play brass instruments: the SalzburgerLand Magazin names flugelhorn, tenor horn and tuba. According to the article, you hear traditional Advent songs as well as modern and well-known Christmas songs.
Today, according to our home page, the ensemble provides the music for “numerous church, public and private occasions”. The Salzburg Festival adds: celebrations “from Vienna to Basel”. In 2024 the Bürmooser were on the programme of the Salzburg Festival opening celebration, there under the name Bürmooser Turmbläser.
Turmbläser or Blechbläser?
Earlier articles, such as the SalzburgerLand Magazin and the Salzburg Festival in 2024, call the ensemble “Bürmooser Turmbläser” (tower musicians). On our programme and on their Facebook page they’re called Bürmooser Blechbläser (brass players) today, while the page’s web address still carries the old name. In both cases the ensemble is led by Christina Stöger. So a lot suggests it’s the same ensemble, but the ensemble itself hasn’t confirmed this to us yet. You’ll find the Bürmooser on their Facebook page.
How long have they played at Mirabellplatz?
The Bürmooser Blechbläser have been playing at Mirabellplatz since at least 2019. The SalzburgerLand Magazin lists three performances at the Advent market in front of Schloss Mirabell for 2019, each at 5.15 pm for half an hour. They’re also in the 2024 and 2025 programmes, and in 2026 it’s three Saturdays again.
On our home page it says they create a pre-Christmas mood with “cheerful and contemplative Christmas pieces”. Our tip: come a few minutes before 5.15 pm and get something warm for your hands at one of the huts first.
Christmas programme
In 2026 the Bürmooser Blechbläser and six other ensembles play in front of Schloss Mirabell on 20 days. All dates are in our programme.
Who else plays in front of the palace
Besides the Bürmooser, six other ensembles play in front of Schloss Mirabell in 2026, from trombone quartets to a wind quintet. We’ve sorted who plays when by ensemble in Advent music at Mirabellplatz: the wind ensembles. The Weisenbläser of Postmusik Salzburg – wind players performing traditional Alpine melodies – have a portrait of their own too: their roots lie in the Christmas wind music (Weihnachtsblasen) played at post offices.
Frequently asked questions
On Saturday 21 November, Saturday 12 December and Saturday 19 December 2026, each time at 5.15 pm in front of Schloss Mirabell. On 21 November they open our Advent music.
Very probably. Older articles call the ensemble Bürmooser Turmbläser, with the same leader as today, Christina Stöger. Their Facebook page is called Bürmooser Blechbläser today and still carries the old name in its web address.
A custom from the years between the wars in Bürmoos: on Christmas Eve, musicians went from house to house in small groups, played “Silent Night” and were given food in return. According to the SalzburgerLand Magazin, this gave rise to the Bürmooser’s Turmblasen.
According to the SalzburgerLand Magazin, from the tower of the Catholic church in Bürmoos, in the afternoon after the children’s Christmas Eve service. The Trachtenmusikkapelle Bürmoos also lists the Turmblasen for 24 December 2026, but doesn’t give a time.
No. The Advent music plays right in the middle of our Christmas market in front of Schloss Mirabell, and entry to the market is free.
Brass instruments. The SalzburgerLand Magazin names flugelhorn, tenor horn and tuba.
Sources
Retrieved on 2 November 2026: Christmas market at Mirabellplatz: programme 2026 · home page of the Christmas market at Mirabellplatz (ensemble text) · SalzburgerLand Magazin: Die Bürmooser Turmbläser (Anke Eder, dates as of 2019) · Salzburg Festival: concert by the Bürmooser Turmbläser, 2024 · Trachtenmusikkapelle Bürmoos: dates · Facebook page of the Bürmooser Blechbläser · programmes “Adventmusik vor dem Schloss Mirabell” (Advent music in front of Schloss Mirabell) 2024 and 2025