CHORWERK RUHR / Florian Helgath

"In Peace" - Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Poulenc, Hessenberg

"In Peace"

Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Three Psalms op. 78
Francis Poulenc Figure humaine
Kurt Hessenberg O Lord, make me the instrument of your peace

"Peace": One cannot ask for it often enough! The prayer of Francis of Assisi, according to which we can all see ourselves as "instruments of peace", was impressively set to music by Kurt Hessenberg (1908-94) and, as always, we can expect a rich and sonorous interpretation from CHORWERK RUHR. Also from the 20th century is Poulenc's (1899-1963) seminal, double-choir motet Figure humaine, which is based on poems by Paul Éluard (1895-1952) and was written during the Nazi occupation of France. From images of darkness and death, the call rises to the heavens at the end: Liberté.