Bach Christmas Cantatas
I’m enjoying Berlin’s holiday celebrations. Last night it was Bach Christmas Cantatas performed by the Cathedral Choir led by cantor Tobias Brommann at Berlin Cathedral on Museum Island.
More senior musicians from the Baroque Orchestra must have attended another gig last night, as there were noticeable mistakes and rolled eyes all around… A first, as other musical performances I’ve attended in Berlin were 100% perfection.
Cathedral Choir
The Cathedral Choir and soloists were excellent:
Berlin Cathedral History
The Cathedral was once the court church of the Hohenzollern, who lived in the city palace on the other side of River Spree. The basilica cathedral has a Sauer organ, the largest of the ‘late Romantic period‘. The beautiful octagonal sermon space includes a marble altar with mosaics and statues.
Berlin Cathedral suffered severe damage during the World War II. Restoration by the German Democratic Republic (GDR) began in 1975 and completed in 1993 – four years after the Berlin Wall fell. Restoration is ongoing.
Dommuseum includes drawings depicting the Cathedral’s history. The climb to the dome follows a “lavishly decorated Imperial staircase” and ends with a panoramic view of Berlin – another beautiful memory!
Attending this concert must have certainly got you in the Christmas mood, even if it was a little off the mark on the night. I do hope you have an enjoyable Christmas Day. I know what it feels like to be alone and away from everything that seems familiar on such a special day. I’ll be thinking of you xxx
Thanks Gwen – for your thoughtful email. Yes, it’s a bit lonely if you think about it too much, but I’ve spent many Christmases away from the familiar and try to just forget myself and get into what’s happening where I am. Last year it was snorkeling in Seychelles with complete strangers – interesting day. I’m going on a tour of the Berlin TV Tower this afternoon and will have dinner at my favorite jazz club tomorrow. Surprisingly Christmas Day is hopping in Berlin with lots of activities to choose from. Hope your celebration is wonderful! xo
I’m off to “channel” my Italian genes, which were only discovered later in life. But it’s going to be very weird, as there will only be seven of us. Still! We’ll manage to have several conversations going at once. And it’s an eating marathon . . . :-) But I’ll do my best, LOL.