Concerts

The Baltic Sea region has long been a place that provoked relations on various levels: state, commercial, political and, very importantly, cultural. One of the most prominent, yet somewhat forgotten in our times, Baltic pilgrims was Johann Valentin Meder.

Johann Valentin Meder (1649-1719) was a German composer, organist, and singer. Meder was born in Wasungen, Thuringia to a musical family with his father and four brothers all being organists or Kantors. Very important points during his musical life were Hamburg, Copenhagen, Lu?beck, Reval (now Tallinn, Estonia), Danzig (now Gdansk, Poland), Königsberg (now Kaliningrad, Russia) and Riga (now in Latvia). His musical life path is a brilliant expression of the idea of the unity of the Baltic States.

Looking at Meder’s journey the Hanseatic idea is easily seen. It was a union of cities that had a purely practical dimension that brought people together on many levels. Today's countries, whose cities were united by the Hanseatic League several centuries ago, and which are located in the Baltic Sea region, can also draw on the idea of unity and various forms of cooperation. The Meder project is an ideal expression of cooperation and exchange of experience on a cultural stage.

Johann Valentin Meder is an emblematic figure for building cultural bridges between the Baltic States. The project of resurrecting Matthäus-Passion by Johann Meder performed by artists from Poland (Wroclaw Baroque Orchestra), Estonia (Collegium Musicale), and the soloists originating from the other countries of the region ideally realizes the idea of cultural cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region - it is an opportunity for meetings, exchange of experience and creating new quality in the contemporary culture drawing on tradition (early music) and artistic international exchange.

In the Matthäus-Passion Johann Meder becomes a continuation of the tradition of oratorio-passion music, which was brought to perfection by Johann Sebastian Bach. Meder's Passion was probably composed in the early 18th century (1701). The entire composition is transparent in its form, however, saturated with great emotions and contrasts that allow the listener to be enthralled.

Cast:
3-3-2-2-1 in strings, 2 oboes, 2 flutes, organ, lute.
Total: 17 orchestra musicians
SATB choir: 12 choristers
SAATB Soloists: 5 soloists

Artists:
Isabel Jantschek-Schicketanz - Soprano
Florian Sievers - Tenor
Martin Schicketanz - Baritone
COLLEGIUM MUSICALE
WROCLAW BAROQUE ORCHESTRA

Premiere: Spring 2022