The Fiakerlied, the song of the coachmen, is such an ur-Viennese song, it is considered by many a folk tune. Actually, its composer, Gustav Pick (1832-1921) grew up in the small Hungarian town of Rechnitz and came to Vienna in 1845. He became a bank clerk and composed in his free time. Only after he had retired in 1865, was the Fiakerlied was sung for the first time. During a benefit concert in 1865, it honored the 100th anniversary of the Coachmen’s Guild. The song became an unofficial Viennese anthem and made Pick a household name overnight. |
