Romanischer Sommer 2025 - Verleih uns Frieden gnädiglich

In the organizer's words:

"With the sacrifice of many millions of souls/ the Christian war" laments the Nuremberg composer Erasmus Kindermann in the preface to his collection Musicalische Friedensseuffzer. His compositions and those of his contemporaries were written under the traumatizing impressions of the Thirty Years' War and its devastating consequences in the 17th century. Entire regions were devastated and depopulated, the survivors weakened, famine and epidemics prevailed. Already 100 years earlier, at the time of the Peasants' Wars, Martin Luther had so impressively set the longing plea for peace based on the Gregorian antiphon from the 9th century in words and music in his chorale Verleih' uns Frieden gnädiglich (Grant us peace graciously ), which spread in numerous compositions by his contemporaries up to Johann Sebastian Bach and into our present day. Johann Philipp Krieger's psalm setting, which is performed twice in this program to commemorate the 300th anniversary of his death, illustrates the struggle for peace and the plea to God for support. Finally, Erasmus Kindermann's songs, which he published as Musicalische Friedensfreud after the end of the war in 1650, rejoice in the euphoria of peace.

From hand axes to nuclear weapons of destruction: Warlike conflicts are as old as mankind itself. Especially in 2025, 80 years after the end of the war, these texts and music illustrate in their permanent topicality that peace must be negotiated and won again and again.

With works by Balthasar Resinarius, Hans Leo Haßler, Johann Sebastian Bach, Erasmus Kindermann, Johann Philipp Krieger, Michael Praetorius and others.

Performers:

Magdalena Harer, soprano

Hamburg Council Music
Christoph Heidemann, Iris Maron, baroque violins
Ulrich Wedemeier, lute
Anke Dennert, harpsichord/organ
Simone Eckert, viola da gamba and conductor

Box Office and advance booking 25 euros (reduced 15 euros)

Price information:

VVK and Box Office 25€ / reduced 15€