The heavens tell - The motet in the mirror of the centuries

"Die Himmel erzählen"

The Freiburg Oratorio Choir is organizing a concert entitled "Die Himmel erzählen" - the motet in the mirror of the centuries, with works by Vitry, Dufay, Josquin, Bach, Messiaen, Monteverdi and Schütz, among others, on 5 May 2024 at 7 p.m. in the Sacred Heart Church, Stühlinger church square.

The solo parts will be sung by Katrin Müller, soprano.
KMD Christian Markus Raiser will play the organ.
Bernhard Gärtner is the conductor.

Probably no other musical genre is as old as the motet. In its development from the 13th century onwards, it has produced such a rich treasure trove of compositions of the most diverse kinds across musical epochs and yet its basic form, which developed until around the 17th century, has at least remained similar: A polyphonic vocal piece a cappella with mostly sacred content. Even in the 20th century, this is still the concept of a motet, but now with a strong historical background. Although the development of contemporary music in the 1950s virtually excluded this form of work, composers such as Arvo Pärt, Oliver Messiaen, Charles Stanford and even the "late" Arnold Schoenberg (Op. 50) have explored this genre. The Freiburg Oratorio Choir will attempt an outline of seven centuries of motets under the title Die Himmel erzählen (The Heavens Tell), with works beginning in the 14th century by Philippe de Vitry (isorythmic motet) through Renaissance and Baroque composers to composers such as Oliver Messiaen and Charles V. Stanford. The "solo motet" area is covered by the sporanist Katrin Müller. The program is rounded off with appropriate organ music.