Die Einheit wächst im Gesang: Orgelkonzert mit Singstunde

The text documents a musical worship service according to the Herrnhut model, combined with an organ concert: five choral adaptions for organ from five centuries, adapted by composers who each belong to a different denomination than the creator(s) of the original hymn, are contrasted with song verses of differing provenance. The latter are chosen according to the textual or melodic motif of the organ piece and pursue the given theme in a loose series of associations and catchword connections. In doing so, the songs that are meant to be sung together combine important works from Protestant and Catholic traditions – well-known works as well as those that, perhaps, still need to be discovered, from different eras and countries – and thus represent an ecumenical unity crossing denominational, temporal and regional borders. The chorals range from Resonet in laudibus from the Late Middle Ages to newer songs like Ich steh vor dir mit leeren Händen, Herr (Huub Oosterhuis), from the choral adaptation from Elias Nikolaus Ammerbach’s Tabulaturbuch to Siegfried Reda’s Marienbilder. The work is consistently sung with cast roles – single solistic singers (with or without instrumental accompaniment), small groups/schola and all together, so that everybody alternately becomes a listener and a performing singer.