As of: March 16, 2024, 1:00 p.m
By: Sebastian Grauvogl
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Loves the diversity of church music: Benedikt Meurers on the organ of the Miesbach parish church.
© Thomas Plettenberg
Benedikt Meurers brings a breath of fresh air into Lent – with a large-scale concert.
The choice of music is based on the Passion of Christ.
Miesbach
– At first Benedikt Meurers thought that Lent would make his debut as a church musician in Miesbach a little more difficult.
Above all, the implementation of a large concert did not really seem to fit into the time of penance and renunciation.
But then the 31-year-old had the idea while talking to his wife: Why not focus on the Passion of Christ?
Then it didn't take long before Meurers had made the musical selection: César Franck's work “The Seven Last Words of Jesus”.
On Palm Sunday, March 24th, at 7 p.m., the Passion Concert will take place in the Miesbach parish church - with many local participants, but also professional musicians from Meurer's circle of friends.
Two of them are former fellow students from Munich: Jasmin Binde (soprano) and Lars Tappert (tenor).
Meanwhile, Meurers has been able to recruit an experienced professional musician to play the bass: Thomas Schütz from Prien am Chiemsee.
The soloists receive vocal and instrumental reinforcement from the parish choirs and orchestra.
César Franck's (1822-1890) work also has a personal connection to Meurer.
He has already performed this with his former organ teacher and is still enthusiastic about the “great music,” the church musician enthuses.
Church musician: “The music is worth the price of admission”
Franck was a French composer and organist of German-Belgian descent and is today considered one of the most important French composers, teachers and organists of the second half of the 19th century.
The title, meanwhile, has a close connection to fasting: the “seven last words of Jesus Christ” refer to the words of Jesus after the crucifixion, which are spread across the passion stories of the four gospels of the New Testament.
Since the concert only contains short text passages, Meurers will display accompanying booklets in the church so that visitors can follow the program.
But his choirs also had to adapt to the work first, says Meurers.
Many singers were a little surprised when they saw the tight rehearsal schedule.
“Now everyone is really excited,” emphasizes Meurers.
The singers were particularly impressed by the a cappella movements.
Admission to the Passion Concert on March 24th in the Miesbach parish church is 20 euros (reduced ten euros for schoolchildren, students, trainees and people with disabilities).
Tickets are available at the box office.
In order to be able to finance the fees, which are already rather low given the orchestra's top-class line-up with members from the State Opera, Radio Orchestra, Gärtnerplatztheater and Philharmonic, the church musician is hoping for many visitors.
And he is convinced: “The music is worth the price of admission.”
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