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German Version
Missa Gaia
Mon, 6 Nov, 7:30 pm
Fri 10 Nov, 7:30 pm
St. Winfried
(Sträßchensweg, next to the Post-Tower)
Hooray! Our event has been endorsed!
Missa Gaia is unique in interweaving religiousness with world politics and climate issues, and it touches every human being. It would be great if we could contribute a very special element to climate protection in this way.
Choir „Haste Töne“
Youth choir „Right Side Singers“
Christine Heßeler, Soprano
Right Side Band:
Berthold Wicke, pipe organ
Oliver Schnarr, soprano saxophone
Oleh Pryydun, oboe/cor anglais
Thomas Rademacher, cello
Kristaps Grasis, guitar
Wendel Biskup, bass
Martin Hombach, drums
Töm Klöwer, percussion
Hubert Arnold, piano/direction
Missa Gaia – Earth mass
The Missa Gaia (Earth Mass) by the American soprano saxophonist and world musician Paul Winter is woven around Saint Francis of Assisi’s “Canticle of the Sun” and unites various styles of music, from Gregorian to organ music to gospel.
The musical ensemble consists of a choir, a solo voice, a band (including pipe organ, cello, saxophone, oboe, drums, piano etc.) and the members of the audience, who sing along in some pieces. The distinctive feature of Missa Gaia is that the celebration of creation is expressed not only by human but also by animal voices – all of creation is called upon to praise God. The wolf’s howl turns into the Kyrie; in the Sanctus, the whales’ song brings to mind the vastness of the heavens and the earth – and the seas, which are full of the glory of God.
The need to use a CD for the animal voices, which are an essential part of the composition, inspired me to include video sequences as well – videos and pictures demonstrating the beauty, but also the endangerment and destruction of creation.
The result is a touching concert that appeals to all senses and opens people’s eyes – in the truest sense of the word – to the beauty of our planet its worthiness of being conserved.