Mozart in the Open Air and Buxtehude et al in the Cathedral

The choir, with the orchestra under a canopy, and two soloists lower standing right.

Saturday was a lovely day, not a day with  a temperature of 33c as predicted, but one of 25c, just comfortable enough for wandering and discovering corners of Braunschweig I didn't know exisited.  Not that I got very far, as I discovered two places that I already know extremely well!   In the Cathedral Square I came across a rehearsal of Mozart's "Mass in C Minor," a great work which I have sung on several occasions.   The soloists, choir and orchestra were performing in the hot midday sun, many without wearing hats,  and I hoped that they all had plenty of water to drink.  The sound in the open air was wonderful, and once again "Henry the Lion's" monument found itself at the centre of the action.  

The opera "The Bartered Bride" has its first performance tonight in this open-air theatre, and on Sunday evening the Cathedral choir, and the orchestra and choir from the City Theatre will perform here and play, "Haendel meets Mozart."    Haendel's "Ode for St Cecilia's Day,"  is the second work in the concert, and I have a dim and distant recollection of having sung part of this work at sometime in my choral life.

Henry the Lion left, and Matilda of England his wife, lie in supine stateliness in the Cathedral, with the organ in the background and a rose window above.  Every Saturday at 12 noon, a short service takes place, accompanied by an organ recital.  The congregation above are waiting for the service to begin, and to listen to the following programme of organ works:

  Prelude in D minor  -  Dietrich Buxtehude  (1637 - 1707)

Andante with Variations in D minor  -   Felix Mendelssohn  (1809 - 1847) 

 Three Choral Preludes  -   Sigried Karg-Elert  (1877 - 1933)

Of course as soon as the first loud note is played on the organ, the Cathedral walls resonate with the sound, and oh how powerful it is!   I hang on every note, hoping that it will never fade away.   In my next life I shall come back as an organist, concert soprano, pianist, bi-lingual novelist, painter, violinist and brain surgeon!   Some hopes!  It was an interesing morning, and I also photographed some art installations which are dotted about the city, and about which I will tell you more in another blog.