Church music by Italian opera composers of the 19th century: While opera was clearly at the heart of music in Italy – it was the only way to achieve national renown – church music was certainly more present in the daily lives of the people. Most churches maintained choirs and orchestras, performing pieces written by professional church music directors, who also raised the next generation of musicians and composers.
If today – 1700 years after the creation of the Nicene creed – we intensively study and listen to its settings, then this is perhaps less as an aural manifestation of the Christian faith or an attempt to distinguish “true” religious tenets from false or different beliefs. Instead, the focus today is more on the musical exploration of various urgent questions facing humanity that transcend all religions and denominations, and which have been rendered into sound by composers throughout the ages: Why am I here? What is guilt and what is redemption? What will happen after my death?
It was not until the beginning of 1944 that he managed to find words, if not yet sounds, for the “et in terra pax”. It was Kaminski’s fervent wish to complete the mass: He wanted “to be able to finish these two works [Die Messe deutsch, Das Spiel vom König Aphelius]; then, as far as a human being can say, I will wave a confident farewell to this world when the hour comes.”
Personal, anecdotal, informative, and full of conviction: we reveal our Bach highlights for the anniversary year!
Carus editor Guido Johannes Joerg sheds light on an impressive church music tradition: Italian church music of the 19th century.
Denis Rouger explains why Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem is exceptional in more ways than one.
Renowned Bach expert Prof. Christoph Wolff explains why 1723 was a turning point in J.S. Bach’s creative and compositional career.
Find out how Georg Philipp Telemann responded to the Lisbon earthquave of 1756 with his solemn and magnificent Donner-Ode.
Martin Dücker is unable to choose just a single “Favorite piece”, but he looked in the “Freiburger Chorbuch” for inspiration, a book which is dear to him (in the sense of valuable, worthy – the Latin word is carus). It is also suitable for that desert island … Piece no. 95 in the collection, “O Jesu, all mein Leben bist du” by Anton Heiller (1923–1979), lingers on the mind for a long time.
The Te Deum is an early Christian hymn based on a combination of biblical quotations. Discover how composers including Mozart, Mendelssohn, Bruckner and Verdi have set this timeless hymn.
(c) Arne Morgner, Oelsnitz/Vogtland, Germany