Quedlinburg Music Summer

Concert of the State Youth Symphony Orchestra Saxony-Anhalt at the Quedlinburg Music Summer in the St. Servatii Collegiate Church

The Quedlinburger Musiksommer is a concert series that has existed since 1981, is mainly located in the St. Servatii Collegiate Church in Quedlinburg and was brought into being in its current form by the church music director (KMD) Gottfried Biller . Markus Kaufmann took over the management in 2017.

history

The starting point was various concerts in loose succession, which from 1981 onwards were combined into the Quedlinburger Musiksommer concert series by cathedral organist Gottfried Biller, brother of Thomaskantor Georg Christoph Biller . Since then there have been various concerts almost every week in the summer months. Starting with 1998, each year has a specific theme.

From August to November 2010 there was an exhibition on 30 years of history in the collegiate church of St. Servatii, the main place of activity.

On October 2, 2010, the organizer Biller received honorary citizenship of the city of Quedlinburg for his musical work and for the revitalization of culture with his choir director activity and many concerts, especially in 30 years of music summer. In December, Biller was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany for the same services .

Founder Gottfried Biller retired in March 2017. His successor was the organist Markus Kaufmann , who came from Lichtenstein in Saxony .

The themes of the concert series

Previous topics were young music in old walls in 2003, Quedlinburg and Eastern Europe followed a year later. The motif of 2005 was Quedlinburg with baroque and symphony , in 2006 Gregorian chant and modernism formed the leading theme. With organ sound and angel singing , 2007 was chosen as the theme, three focal points: Quedlinburg and romanticism as well as the city ​​of strong women and the year of the cathedral treasures were heard in 2008. For 2009 the topic Quedlinburg and Modernism - the 20th Century is selected. For the 30th anniversary of 2010, the concert series from June 12th to September 11th will feature many artists who have already performed once at the music summer.

• 2006: Gregorian and Modernism

The connection between old and new, between tradition and modernity, was made tangible in a variety of concerts. The various facets of Gregorian chant were performed in the opening concert of the Schola Gregoriana Pragense . The Calmus Ensemble attempted a direct comparison of Gregorian chant with Stravinsky and Monteverdi, among others. The concert of the mdr music summer with the chamber choir Tenebrae (Cambridge) was more of a mixture . In contrast, the concert Vor den Bilder Feininger , whose fugue No. 2 was played in modern variations to his pictures, was very modern and connected to Quedlinburg . The final concert had to be canceled due to illness. After the 25th anniversary concert of musica juventa , another anniversary concert was able to close the music summer: The princes performed their special concert acoustically for the 15th anniversary in front of hundreds of listeners on the Open Monument Day ; In addition to well-known songs, old pieces from the Gregorian repertoire were also on the program - appropriate to the location and the motto of the music summer.

• 2007: With angel singing and organ sound

“People's longing for healing and help, beauty and hope, lightness and security is echoed in the pictures of angels.” ( Gottfried Biller ) This foreword to the 2007 program should point to the lightness and the playful program. This was also taken up by the mdr music summer, which again made a guest appearance in Quedlinburg, vocal music from 800 to 1400 was performed under the name Engelssang . Two programs also commemorated Paul Gerhardt , who was born 400 years ago: Prof. Markus (vocals) and KMD Biller (organ) as well as Sarah Kaiser with her band played songs by the hymn writer. Another two concerts were organized by young artists: the European Union Youth Baroque Orchestra under the direction of Lars Ulrik Mortensen played on historical instruments, while the State Youth Symphony Orchestra of Saxony-Anhalt under Heribert Beissel performed their summer program (and were not released without multiple encores) . Before the final concert with Mozart's Coronation Mass ( KV 317) and Bach's cantata BWV 29 , among others , Dirk Zöllner made a guest appearance with his chansons and excerpts from Jesus Christ Superstar

• 2008: Quedlinburg and Romanticism , Quedlinburg - City of Strong Women and For the Year of Cathedral Treasures

Many well-known artists designed the 17 concerts, which had three themes. The Cologne Academy tried successfully to reconstruct the concert of July 3, 1824 (at that time in Quedlinburg under the direction of Carl Maria von Weber ) on the occasion of the 100th birthday of Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock . Veronika Fischer and Gisela Steineckert juxtaposed songs and readings. Gerhard Schöne called his program songs in a fairy tale coat, which was particularly popular with families. The only female brass ensemble in Europe, the Women in Brass, is just as unique as the songs by Gerhard Schöne . The singers of the Quedlinburg Oratorio Choir rated their final concert as difficult, the Paulus Oratorio by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy , which was heard in Quedlinburg just one year after its premiere in Düsseldorf and Birmingham.

• 2009: Quedlinburg and the modern age - the 20th century , patron:

The 29th Summer of Music (June 13th - September 12th) is mainly dedicated to regional artists. There are numerous concerts with (former) Quedlinburg musicians. In order to give young people access to concerts in historic buildings, this time a third of the concerts were free for schoolchildren and students. Highlights include the concerts with Camerata Cologne , ars quitilinga - the re-performance of the piece written on the occasion of the return of the cathedral treasure in 1994 and the concert with Angelika Milster under the theme Classic meets Musical - a church concert . The final concert includes symphonic works by Igor Stravinsky ( psalm symphony and mass), Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy ( The 42nd Psalm ) and Johann Sebastian Bach . The patron was Prof. Dr. Jan-Hendrik Olbertz , then Minister of Culture of Saxony-Anhalt.

• 2010: Anniversary - 30th Quedlinburg Music Summer

The anniversary year (June 12th - September 11th) is intended to attract artists back to Quedlinburg who have already performed once at the Quedlinburg Music Summer. From the large selection of many artists, the main focus was on an exquisite selection: the Bach Orchestra of the Gewandhaus Leipzig opens the season, the Thomanerchor Leipzig gives a special concert with the Biller brothers, the Hilliard Ensemble , Harmonic Brass Munich, Youth Symphony Orchestra Saxony-Anhalt, ensemble amarcord Leipzig, the 12 cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic and the Baroque Orchestra of the European Union will play some of the concerts. In addition, the Quedlinburg oratorio choir and the musica juventa orchestra from Halle (Saale) have again permanent places in the program.

• 2011: Light and portable

The motto 2011 arose from the conditions that are to be expected in the run-up to the music summer: a full closure of the ascent to the Schlossberg for several months. Since only the pastor's stairs are available in this phase, only portable instruments can sound in the collegiate church next to the organ. Therefore, for the opening and closing concert as well as for two further 18 concerts in other churches. Guests were the Munich Bach Orchestra, The Lubbock Chorale with a world premiere of O Magnum Mysterium by Peter Fischer ( USA ), the Dresden Kreuzchor , the Calmus Ensemble Leipzig, the 14 Berlin Flutists as well as OPUS 4 - trombonists of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra . The patron was the Minister of Culture of Saxony-Anhalt, Mr. Stephan Dorgerloh.

• 2012: The organ is a queen

Even in the run-up to the planning for the 2012 music summer, the construction work on the Schlossberg was not yet completed. The organ was chosen to be the main theme as an instrument that was also always present. The traditional organ hike was only one point. As Biller said in his foreword, there was a concert "World Heritage meets World Heritage", where the singing in the style of iso-polyphony from Albania (UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005) in the collegiate church (UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994). Furthermore, the Collegium Canticum Novum celebrated its 30th anniversary, the tragedy Adam by the Quedlinburg writer Klopstock was performed three times and the Berlin Accordion Quartet (BAQ) made guest appearances alongside other local, regional and national artists.

• 2013: VOCALISEN

From June 15 to September 14, the focus was primarily on the works that formed under the term Vocalisen in the mid-18th century and at the beginning of the 19th century. Guests were among others the Meissner Kantorei 1961 and the Andreas Chamber Orchestra Erfurt . There was also a winners' concert from the Saxony-Anhalt state choir competition. The patron was Thomaskantor Biller, who also helped to organize a concert.

• 2014: Un-heard

In the period from June 14 to September 13 old and new works are performed that are modified with means of improvisation, of arranging and switching from instrument clusters and so far hardly he hears- and thus un-ge-stops are . In addition to Ragna Schirmer and the oboe ensemble of the Concert Royal Cologne , planned artists will also be the Dresden Kreuzchor , the latter performing at the Quedlinburger Musiksommer as part of the mdr music summer. The Quedlinburg Oratorio Choir will traditionally organize a concert as a liturgical evening blessing as well as the final concert.

• 2015: remarkable

The opening concert will take place on June 13th with Joachim Schäfer . Other artists in the course of the 16 concerts include: The 12 cellists from Berlin, the St. Thomas Choir from Leipzig and the State Youth Symphony Orchestra of Saxony-Anhalt. In addition to classical concerts, this time there is a series of organ concerts and two events that create a connection to Quedlinburg with the medium of language: one with texts by Johann Friedrich Klopstock, who was born in Quedlinburg, set to music by Georg Philipp Telemann and Johann Heinrich Rolle, who was also born in Quedlinburg . Another concert combines music and language by Alessando Grandi (1586–1630), Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) and Peter E. Rompf (* 1940) with improvisations on pictures by Wilfried Georg Barber . As in previous years, the concert series ends on September 12th with a concert by the Quedlinburg Oratorio Choir.

• 2016: seasons

A total of three anniversaries were celebrated from June 17 to September 10: 35 years of the Quedlinburg Music Summer, 45 years of the Schuke organ in the Quedlinburg collegiate church and 50 years of the Quedlinburg oratorio choir. This was honored with several organ concerts, lectures and the traditional design of the final concert by the oratorio choir. Artists included the Munich Bach Orchestra with the soloist Rebekka Hartmann , The PLAYFORDS , the Saxon Chamber Choir , the Hamburg symphonic wind quintet together with the cellist David Stromberg , the Suffolk Youth Orchestra (royal youth symphony orchestra from England), Anna Carewe with Oli Bott , as well as the Jourist Quartet . At the end the seasons of Joseph Haydn were performed according to the motto . The mayor of Quedlinburg, Mr. Frank Ruch, took over the patronage .

• 2017: Reformation - end and beginning

In keeping with the Luther year 2017 and the change from KMD Gottfried Biller to his successor Markus Kaufmann, the program should represent a change. It starts with the freely compiled oratorio Von Ende und Anfang with works by Johann Sebastian Bach. Conrad Bauer (trombone) will give a jazz and improvisation concert together with Warnfried Altmann (saxophone). With Olja Kaiser the focus is on the harp . The Vocalconsort Leipzig will perform all Bach motets. Julia Botchkoskaia will play the traditional piano evening in the castle museum. One experiment is supposed to be the live accompaniment of a silent film with the organ in the Blasiikirche. The conclusion is a concert with The Moldau von Smetana and a Reformation cantata by the Quedlinburg composer Albert Becker.

• 2018: fraternity

This term should be used to describe the framework of musicians and music. Numerous pairs of siblings will perform, as well as some concerts with music from siblings. The concert series that will take place from June 16 to September 8 will include the Kaufmann brothers (cathedral organist Markus Kaufmann with his younger brother Pascal Kaufmann), Julian and Roman Wasserfuhr, The Twiolins , Sayaka and Yumi Schmuck as well as Sabine and Siegfried Petri. Musically, the cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach and his sons will be discussed in the baroque concert. Martin Brambach and Flautandi Cologne will take up thoughts on the subject of brotherhood . With Beethoven's 5th Symphony , Liszt's Dance of Death and the water games in the Villa d'Este , the summer of music will end on the evening before the Open Monument Day .

• 2019: Klang, Pracht & Gloria

The three-word theme corresponds to the three years of festivities that Quedlinburg will celebrate in 2019 (1100 years of Heinrich I's elevation as king, 30 years of the Peaceful Revolution and 25 years of inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List) and the Saxony-Anhalt Day with the three words World Heritage open to the world Welcome describes. The concerts run from June 15 to September 7 and end, as in previous years, on the day before the Open Monument Day . Artists who have already performed in this context are Harmonic Brass, Prolatio , the Amarcord Ensemble (in collaboration with the mdr Musiksommer) and Alma de Arrabal . In addition to the piece Ars quitilinga , which premiered in 1994 and was written for the Quedlinburg Cathedral Treasure, Thomas König will perform a new piece that will be played with replicas of the historical Renaissance flutes from the Quedlinburg Castle Museum. Furthermore, Martin Strohhäcker , Collegium Canticum Novum and the brothers Markus and Pascal play merchant. With the international choir academy and the wind seminar with Harmonic Brass, there are two concerts, which also have a preparation time in advance with lay musician seminars and perform their works as part of the Quedlinburg Music Summer.

• 2020: visions

The 40th Quedlinburg Music Summer is related to the rededication of the thoroughly renovated Röver organ in the Marktkirche (Quedlinburg) . Due to the construction work on the Quedlinburger Schlossberg, the Marktkirche will also be the main venue in 2020. A benefit concert is planned with Michael Trischan for the 30th anniversary of Lebenshilfe in the Harz district . Other artists are Dorothee Mields , the chamber choir of the Dresden Frauenkirche , Irute and Samuel Kummer . With Martin Thren there is a connection between scientific lectures and music. Karsten Mittag will paint pictures live to the piano. The actor Martin Brambach and the Dresdner Orchester Blechreiz will be there again , musica juventa from Halle (Saale) will give a classic Beatles concert on the occasion of the 60th anniversary . A double concert weekend with the Saxon Symphony Orchestra and the Yokohama Choral Society from Japan will conclude . The concert series is planned from June 13 to September 20, 2020 with a total of 19 concerts.

Artist

The individual concerts are organized by local and regional artists, but also by musicians from all over Germany and other countries. In addition to making music accessible to a wide audience, a wide range of musicians is also offered a place. Local and regional artists alternate with national and sometimes international artists. In terms of music, classical concerts can be heard above all, but there are also jazz , pop and gospel concerts by songwriters and experimental music especially for younger listeners . Some theater projects have also been and are being implemented.

The mdr-Musiksommer (including 2010), the Thomanerchor Leipzig under the direction of the Thomaskantor Georg Christoph Biller , the Landesjugendsinfonieorchester Sachsen-Anhalt (including 2010) and Matthias Eisenberg are regular guest performers as part of the Quedlinburg Music Summer. Well-known artists in recent years have included Angelika Milster (2009), Veronika Fischer (2008), Gerhard Schöne (2008), Sarah Kaiser (2007), the Youth Baroque Orchestra of the European Union (2007, 2010), Worldbrass (2007) , Dirk Zöllner (2007), Calmus Ensemble (2006, 2011), The Hilliard Ensemble (2005, 2010), Jan Garbarek (2005) and Die Prinzen (2006). The Halle orchestra musica juventa under the direction of Matthias Erben traditionally organizes the final concert together with the Quedlinburg oratorio choir under the overall direction of KMD Gottfried Biller.

Venues

In addition to the collegiate church of St. Servatii, the venues are also the baroque hall of the castle museum, the castle hill and the organs in the surrounding villages for the concert . But other venues in Quedlinburg are also used (for example the foyer of the Julius Kühn Institute ).

Support association

The aim of the organizer KMD Gottfried Biller is to offer affordable concerts in the Romanesque collegiate church in summer that include offers for all ages. To support this project, the " Friends of Quedlinburger Musiksommer" was founded in the summer of 2004 . In 2016 it had around 50 members.

Web links

• official page
• private page with current program and review since 2002

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Resolution draft Quedlinburg City Council: Granting of the honorary citizenship of the City of Quedlinburg to Mr. Gottfried Biller (PDF; 24 kB), accessed on October 28, 2010
2. ↑ Prime Minister Haseloff presents the Federal Order of Merit to Gottfried Biller. (No longer available online.) Harzer Kreisblatt, December 22, 2012, archived from the original on March 4, 2016 ; Retrieved March 13, 2013 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
3. ↑ Quedlinburg Music Summer 2009
4. ↑ Foreword by KMD Gottfried Biller on the Quedlinburger Musiksommer 2012, online ( memento of the original from March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.