After his second visit to Venice in 1628, Heinrich Schütz was greatly impressed by the (religious) music of Claudio Monteverdi. The latter showed how to reinforce the content of the text through music, thus bringing out the human affects in all their clarity. This technique is clearly reflected in Schütz’s Musikalische Exequien. The funeral music for Prince Heinrich II is among the most intense mourning music of the 17th century and a milestone in the Baroque era. Lionel Meunier and Vox Luminis are particularly attached to the work. Their 2012 recording was awarded “Recording of the Year” by Gramophone and ensured their international breakthrough.

Artistic director Lionel Meunier selected the iconic motet Media Vita of Sheppard, extremely moving music here flanked by two pieces written for 40 a capella voices. Writing for 40 voices implies a series of logistical and technical challenges. Tallis and Striggio probably met in London in 1567. Tallis’s monumental 40-voice work, Spem in alium, was probably inspired by the example of Striggio. Whereas Striggio’s composition Ecce Beatam lucem was probably designed for semicircular performance, Tallis had designed his music to be heard ‘in the round’, with the listener seated within the circle of performers. The music seems as such to ‘rotate’ around a circle. 

Artistic director Lionel Meunier selected the iconic motet Media Vita of Sheppard, extremely moving music here flanked by two pieces written for 40 a capella voices. Writing for 40 voices implies a series of logistical and technical challenges. Tallis and Striggio probably met in London in 1567. Tallis’s monumental 40-voice work, Spem in alium, was probably inspired by the example of Striggio. Whereas Striggio’s composition Ecce Beatam lucem was probably designed for semicircular performance, Tallis had designed his music to be heard ‘in the round’, with the listener seated within the circle of performers. The music seems as such to ‘rotate’ around a circle. 

Zum Dank besteht Anlass! Nach einer Pandemie, nach Verwundung und Genesung und: dass wir in Freiheit feiern dürfen. Zum Beispiel ein Fest, ein Beethovenfest! Die neue – ehrwürdig alte und nun frisch renovierte – Spielstätte, das Bonner Münster bildet den Rahmen für ein Programm am Vorabend der Eröffnung des Beethovenfestes, das weit über individuelles religiöses Bekenntnis hinausgeht. Vokal- und Instrumentalmusik, Klage- und Dankgesänge vom 17. Jahrhundert bis zu Zeitgenössischem lädt uns zu gemeinsamem Empfinden ein, in dem sich »Alle Menschen« wiederfinden mögen. Eine besinnliche Voreröffnung als musikalischer Ausdruck von allem, was uns verbinden kann.