KARL JENKINS
THE ARMED MAN – A MASS FOR PEACE
“Better is peace than always war”—these words from the final piece of Karl Jenkins’ work The Armed Man – A Mass for Peace carry a powerful message. No, Karl Jenkins was not naïve. He was well aware that wars cannot be ended with music or mere wishes. But if those who refuse to tolerate war stop expressing their convictions, violence will have no enemies left. Even the simplest belief holds weight in the face of war. And yes, that is why it cannot be sung or said often enough: “Better is peace than always war.” The opposite of war is not necessarily peace, but perhaps it is liberation.
To mark the 80th anniversary of Germany’s liberation from the Nazi dictatorship by the Allies on May 8, 1945, the symphonic wind orchestra Koninklijke Sophia’s Vereeniging from Loon op Zand (Netherlands), together with studiosi cantandi Berlin and the Tonkollektiv of the Berlin University of Applied Sciences, will perform THE ARMED MAN – A MASS FOR PEACE on April 29 at 7:30 PM in the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church.
It is one of the few works that one might wish would lose its relevance. Jenkins dedicated his Mass for Peace, which premiered on April 25, 2000, at the Royal Albert Hall in London, to the victims of the Kosovo War.
The opening of the work is striking: before the Christian God is traditionally asked for mercy in the Kyrie, the ARMED MAN can be heard marching in L’homme armé, and in Call to Prayers, a muezzin testifies to his faith. Jenkins’ musical plea for peace unfolds in the various facets of horror and hope, from Angry Flames to the chime of the Millennium Peace.
We warmly invite you to experience Karl Jenkins’ Mass for Peace in the unique international collaboration of three musical ensembles at the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church.
PROGRAM
Richard Strauss: From “Four Last Songs” TrV 296 No. 4 “Im Abendrot”
• Duration: 10 min
• Instrumentation: Orchestra
• Soloist: Josephina Louise Hoogstad
Co Vergouwen: “Variation XVI C”
• Duration: 7 min
• Instrumentation: Orchestra
• Synthesizer: Co Vergouwen
Sir Karl Jenkins: “The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace”
• Duration: 80 min
• Instrumentation: Choir, Orchestra
• Soloist: Josephina Louise Hoogstad
Ticket Prices: €31 / Reduced €18
Free seating
Where does the event happen? Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche, Berlin
When does the event happen?
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