Final Festival Concert

Herrlich und wohlbestellt
(Glorious and well-ordered)

Hamburg music culture from the 17th-century

European Hanseatic Ensemble
Manfred Cordes, director

Ulrike Hofbauer, soprano
Franziska Blömer, soprano
David Erler, alto
Jan van Elsacker, tenor
Jan Fadri Hofstetter, tenor
Vincent Berger, bass
Johannes Frisch, violin
Katarzyna Cendlak, violin
Hille Perl, viola da gamba
Maria Danneberg, viola da gamba
Hannah Voß, dulcian
Frithjof Smith, cornetto
Noemi Müller, cornetto
Yung-Hsu Shih, sackbut
Christian Traute, sackbut
BJ Hernandez, sackbut
Marcin Szelest, organ


Hieronymus Praetorius (1560–1629)
Herr Gott, dich loben wir à 16

Jacob Praetorius (1586–1651)
Forti animo esto à 8

Johann Schop (1590–1667)
Nun lob mein Seel den Herren à 8 / à 13

Dietrich Becker (1623–1679)
Sonata à 3

Matthias Weckman (1617–1674)
Es erhub sich ein Streit à 14

Christoph Bernhard (1628–1692)
Wohl dem, der den Herren fürchtet à 7Herr, nun lässest du deinen Diener à 15

Thomas Selle (1599–1663)
Vivat Hamburgum à 6
Lobet den Herrn in seinem Heiligtum à 14

The Hanseatic city of Hamburg was a first-rate music city in the 17th century. Thanks to the quick and easy access for merchant ships to England, Spain, Portugal, and the “New World,” Hamburg had long since surpassed the Baltic Sea metropolis of Lübeck (which, however, continued to serve as the “capital of the Hanseatic League”) economically. Just in time for the outbreak of the Thirty Years’ War, the city was protected by extensive fortifications. Hamburg thus provided a safe haven, also for numerous musicians and artists.

The concert program aims to recreate the splendor of Hamburg's early Baroque soundscape and give the following composers a voice. At the beginning of the 17th century we find Hieronymus Praetorius, Cantor at St. Jacobi and member of a veritable dynasty of organists. In addition to numerous organ works, he left behind a large oeuvre of vocal music, reflecting the splendor of Venice, even though he himself never visited Italy. His son Jacob Praetorius, organist at St. Petri, was also musically productive. Thomas Selle taught music and Latin at the renowned Johanneum and, from 1641, as city cantor, was responsible for organizing church music at the city's four main churches at the time, in which he was required to “present music” on a rotating basis. Matthias Weckman later became organist at St. Jacobi. Thomas Selle's successor, Christoph Bernhard, Heinrich Schütz's most important student, lived in the city from 1664 to 1674. Furthermore, works by Johann Schop and Dietrich Becker, members of the famous ensemble “Hamburger Rathsmusik” will be performed.