Leipzig University Choir
| Leipzig University Choir | |
|---|---|
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| Seat: |
 Leipzig / Germany
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| Carrier: | University of Leipzig |
| Founding: | 1926 |
| Genus: | mixed choir |
| Founder: | Friedrich Rabenschlag |
| Head : | David Timm |
| Voices : | 100 ( SATB ) |
| Website : | unichor.uni-leipzig.de |
The Leipzig University Choir (LUC) is a mixed choir with around 100 students from all disciplines at the University of Leipzig . Founded in 1926 as the Madrigal Circle of Leipzig Students , it has had its current name since 1938.
history
On the evening of June 17, 1926, Friedrich Rabenschlag founded the Madrigal Circle of Leipzig Students (MLS) in his student room in Leipzig's Bachviertel on the second floor of the house at 11 Moschelesstrasse . From then on, the small amateur choir mainly performed a cappella works from the Renaissance.
When Rabenschschlag was appointed cantor of the St. Pauli University Church in 1933, the University Church also became increasingly the place of activity of the Madrigal Circle. The Madrigal Circle and the University Choir came together more and more frequently for joint projects, so that in 1938 the two choirs merged to form the Leipzig University Choir . The university choir took over the function of a church choir.
Friedrich Rabenschlag himself directed the university choir until 1962. On November 27, 1962, he gave up the direction of his choir due to illness. His successor was Hans-Joachim Rotzsch , who after his appointment as Thomaskantor in 1972 led the choir until 1973. During his term of office, the ideologically motivated demolition of the art-historically irreplaceable university church on May 30, 1968, with which the choir lost its traditional place of activity. On December 19, 1973 Max Pommer was appointed conductor of the Leipzig University Choir. Under his direction, the choir devoted itself primarily to a lively historical performance practice , but also performed works by Paul Dessau and Alfred Schnittke .
In autumn 1987 Wolfgang Unger took over the artistic direction of the choir. There were some innovations under Unger. From autumn 1989 the choir sang again for the first time in the academic church services in St. Nikolai . In 1991, Wolfgang Unger, a university music director at the University of Leipzig was again appointed, the last university music director was Friedrich Rabenschlag. Also in 1991 the support group Leipziger Universitätschor e. V. To its 65th anniversary and in memory of Frederick Rabenschlag the choir led the at November 22, 1991 Requiem in D minor (K. 626) by Mozart on. On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the demolition of the University Church and Augusteum , the choir organized a memorial concert in the Gewandhaus on May 26, 1993 , which was also the last public concert by Thomas organist Hannes Kästner before his death. Wolfgang Unger led the choir until his untimely death in 2004.
Since February 2005 the choir has been under the direction of university music director David Timm .
Regular performances of Bach's oratorios are just as much a part of the choir's program as the a cappella music of the Renaissance and Romantic periods, as well as the development of contemporary compositions. One of the highlights of the concert year is the performance of a Bach Passion during Passion, a funeral mass on Eternity Sunday, and Bach's Christmas Oratorio every year at Christmas time. The concerts of the university choir have been held in St. Peter's Church since 1993 .
Direction of the choir
- 1926–1962: Friedrich Rabenschlag
- 1962–1963: Christoph Schneider (ad interim)
- 1963–1973: Hans-Joachim Rotzsch
- 1973–1987: Max Pommer
- 1987-2004: Wolfgang Unger
- 2004–2005: Ulf Wellner (ad interim)
- since 2005: David Timm
Concert highlights of the choir
- May 22, 2007: Richard Wagner, concert performance of the "Meistersinger von Nürnberg" (Schauspielhaus, Leipzig)
- March 31, 2007: Johann Sebastian Bach, "Markus Passion" (Thomaskirche, Leipzig)
- March 15, 2007: Giuseppe Verdi, "Messa da Requiem" ( Seville Cathedral / Spain )
- November 26, 2006: Giuseppe Verdi, "Messa da Requiem" (St. Thomas Church, Leipzig)
- July 14, 2006: Carl Orff, "Carmina Burana" (Federal Administrative Court, Leipzig)
- November 20, 2005: Johannes Brahms, "A German Requiem"
See also
literature
- Manuel Bärwald: The Leipzig University Choir in the past and present. Investigations into the origins, developments and traditions in the context of his choir director. In: Eszter Fontana (Ed.): 600 years of music at the University of Leipzig. Studies on the occasion of the anniversary. Stekovics, Wettin 2010, ISBN 978-3-89923-245-5 , pp. 349-3365.