“Stop the War”: A Sacred Music Concert Event with Ensembles and Vocal Soloists in Town Church.

Under the motto “Open up and become light”, a concert event took place in the town church last weekend, which delighted the numerous friends of sacred music who came. The Müllheim Chamber Choir, the Dreiland Symphony Orchestra, the brass ensemble “Senza Legno” and the vocal soloists Lena Geiger (soprano) and Luca Festner (tenor) performed selected church music under the direction of Albrecht Haaf. The focus of the events was the premiere of the great Composition “Stop the War” by Albrecht Haaf. It was the biggest project that the Chamber Choir has ever put together.

The brass ensemble opened with a performance of a setting of Psalm 19 by Benedetto Marcello in an arrangement by Keith Snell. The wind music streamed down from the organ gallery in majestic soundscapes and put the audience in an expectant mood.

When Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy performed Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy’s setting of Martin Luther’s text “Verleih und Frieden graciously”, choir, orchestra and wind instruments united in an intensive musical prayer whose urgency one could not resist.

The premiere of Albrecht Haaf’s latest composition “Stop the War” for solo tenor, choir, orchestra and brass was undoubtedly the highlight of the program. The masterful work, presented in the magnificent interaction of all participants, made the topicality of the topic clear in a startling way. An iridescent orchestral introduction escalates into mysterious and powerful sound cascades. A menacing, distant thunder from the percussion symbolized the danger of war. The bloodcurdling, desperate cry “Stop the War” intoned by tenor Luca Festner and the choir made the hearts of the listeners tremble. A short episode with peaceful, comforting sound images was again thwarted by the thunder of cannons and gun salvos. Ringing like shattering ice evoked all the wonderful bells made into cannons in wars past. It was as if the war in Ukraine with its machinery of destruction suddenly touched the gates of the city church.

Haaf’s highly dramatic composition combines the fear of war and the longing for peace in a tense construct of minimalistic but haunting text passages and overwhelming tonal power. Festner’s tenor strong, confident tenor echoed through the nave like the thunderous voice of the Last Judgment. The apocalyptic nature of the music was underscored by the menacing brass accents. Choir and orchestra allowed the deep cracks to resound that cause war and peace, fear and confidence in people’s minds. A stroke of genius from master composer Albrecht Haaf!

The following three choirs from Mendelssohn’s oratorio “Paulus” seemed like an oasis of peace after this brilliant performance. “Open up and become light”, “See what love the father shows us” and “Wake up, the voice calls us” formed a light-filled consolation song with their wonderful interpretations. And the wind performance of the 91st Psalm also hinted at hope: “For he commanded his angels”, played on the organ gallery, made one think of heavenly music.

The concert came to a worthy conclusion with the performance of Mendelssohn’s psalm setting “How the Deer Cries for Fresh Water”. Choir, orchestra and conductor once again demonstrated their congenial collaboration. Soprano soloist Lena Geiger was the perfect cast for the arias and recitatives. Her radiantly clear timbre was convincing both in the pleading and in the joyful passages.

The audience in the town church rewarded Albrecht Haaf and the ensemble with standing ovations lasting several minutes for the performance.