Munster Valley. More than 140 Alphorns will sound simultaneously this weekend for their international meeting.

This is a spectacular, unprecedented event, to which the collective of horn players from the Munster Valley is inviting them. These horn lovers decided, at the beginning of last year, to bring together their three local groups (the Echo of the Two Lakes, from Soultzeren, the Echo of Gaschney, from Stosswihr and the Menschtertaler alphorn blaser, from Munster) to orchestrate this international meeting of "mountain megaphones".

Their gathering will feature some 140 musicians from all the surrounding valleys and mountain ranges, as well as those from further afield. The local players' stated ambition is to "promote" their favorite instrument, but also to showcase "all facets" of this ancestral and heritage art, since each ensemble brings its own uniqueness. The approach, of course, has attracted a lot of attention under the ridges, with strong support from the municipalities of Soultzeren and Stosswihr.

The program starts this Saturday, September 13th with groups that will perform from 3 p.m. throughout the valley: the Cheese House in Gunsbach, the retirement homes of Munster, the farm inns (Glasborn, Forlet, Musmiss, Buchwald, Strohberg, Kahlenwasen, Rothenbrunnen, Uff Rain, Gaschney, Schiessroth, Trois Fours, and Strohberg). The concert ends in the Soultzeren village hall with a (full) meal but a common bell ringing open to the public at 6:30 p.m. and from 9 p.m.

The following day, Sunday, September 14, some groups will take part in religious services in the valley, while others will go to the villages. Starting at 11:30 a.m., a large musical meal, by reservation, will be held in the Stosswihr village hall, with some local specialties, from roïgabrageldi to siaskass. At noon, the bell ringers, spread across three sites on the heights, will respond to each other, for a concert with the feel of a summit.

This XXL meeting, set to be repeated, ends in apotheosis at 4 p.m. in the Stosswihr village hall with the final concert of all the bell ringers. Barring any defections, there will be precisely 143 of them. For the occasion, they will perform, in a world premiere, two pieces, Petite Vallée and Stosswihrer Klang , specially composed by Jean-Marc Meyer to engrave this event in memories and on music sheets.

Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 September. Reservations for Sunday lunch in Stosswihr: 06 72 26 52 96 and also, snacks on site.