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Confessiones - Bekenntnisse

Artist AGvH Jazz Sextet
Title Confessiones - Bekenntnisse
Release Date Monday, July 20, 2015
Genre Jazz > Instrumental
Copyright © primTON
Country GERMANY

Promotion Text

Confessiones - Bekenntnisse

At first glance, on may assoziate the title of this CD, Confessiones - Bekenntnisse, with the same-titled autobiographical work by Aurelius Augustine, written between AD 397 and AD 398. In spite of the apparent focus in the personal confessions of the Late Ancient bishop on the errors and misconducts of his youth, in the Confessio (i.e. Confessions), Augustine writes especially about the „common praise of God, the common confession of the faith introduction in the Reclam edition of this work. The meaning of Confessiones - Bekenntnisse also resonates in the lyrics of the songs, anthems and hymns of the Reformation Era, to which Martin Luther is inextricably linked. This theme ist similarly reiterated in the hymns composed in the 1930s and 40s within the community of the Confessing Church, which was based on the Barmen Declaration of 1934. The idea of juxtaposing the two areas of old and new – the nearly 500-year-old chorals and hymns from the Reformation period and the chorales and hymns from the 1930s and 40s – on what circumstances did these hymns come to be, and what purpose did they serve? For both Martin Luther and his supporters during the Reformation period, and also for the Confessing Church during the Nazi dictatorship, courageous commitment to the Word of God as sole authority was of utmost importance. Bearing in mind the enormous pressure imposed on the individual and the community, what could encourage them more to express and confess their faith than singing together, simultaneously praising and worshipping God and Christ? Martin Luther, who deemed music to be the „most precious gift of God“ to mankind, was the first person to acknowledge the very central role that congregational singing played in the church service. I selected 6 old hymns and chorals that originate on the one hand from the liturgical repertoire of the Lutheran church service (Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr, Christe, du Lamm Gottes and Verleih uns Frieden gnädiglich), and on the other hand refer to significant events within the liturgical year (Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ – Christmas, O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden – Passion/ Holy Week, and Christ ist erstanden – Easter). In contrast, the other seven hymns are selected from the collection of the Confessing Church and are divided thematically into hymns of the courageous public confession of faith (Wir glauben Gott im höchsten Thron, Es mag sein, dass alles fällt, Gottes Wort ist nicht gebunden and Es ist ein Wort ergangen), and also hymns of a rahter personal confession of faith (Er weckt mich alle Morgen, Gelobt sei deine Treu and Die Nacht ist vorgedrungen). What is new, as compared to the previous CD, is that we have expanded from a quintet to a sextet. The three-man wind section opened up new, unimagined possibilities for me with the arrangements. For me personally, it seems that with the present instrumentation I have indeed found my „dream team“. Due to the unusual presentation of these hymns and songs through jazz arrangements, I hope that a new approach is opened up for the listeners of this CD to the classical hymns of the Reformation Churches and their confessional tradition. [Albrecht Gündel-vom Hofe]

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Promotion plan

30.07.2015 21 Uhr Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtnis-Kirche Berlin: "In spirit" Piano-Duo Aki Takase and Albrecht Gündel-vom Hofe
30.07.2015 9 p.m. Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtnis-Kirche Berlin: "In Spirit" - Piano Duo Albrecht Gündel-vom Hofe and Aki Takase
09.08.2015 6 pm Ev. Johannes-Kirche Berlin-Lichterfelde: Sacred Concert - Uwe Steinmetz (sax) and Albrecht Gündel-vom Hofe (organ)
26.09.2015 4 pm Jazz-Familienkonzert mit AGvH Jazz Ensemble, Ev. J.S.Bach-Gemeinde Berlin
06.11.2015 7.30 pm Colors of Jazz, Ev. J.S.Bach-Gemeinde Berlin
28.05.2016 4 pm Jazz-Familienkonzert mit AGvH Jazz-Ensemble, Ev. J.S.Bach-Gemeinde Berlin
11.09.2015 20 Uhr Ölberg-Kirche Berlin mit Uwe Steinkmetz (saxes, orcan): HeyMania - Jazz Reflections

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