SACRED MUSIC AT HAUPTKIRCHE ST. PETRI, HAMBURG St ...

SACRED MUSIC AT HAUPTKIRCHE ST. PETRI, HAMBURG
St. Petri is the oldest of the five principal churches of Hamburg. This venerable building,
situated in the centre of the city next to the market and the town hall, was first officially
mentioned in records in 1195. Sacred music has been a distinguished tradition in this fine
building, with its four naves, going back for many centuries. Indeed, a cantor of St. Petri was
officially documented as early as 1517. During its long history many famous organ builders
and church musicians have worked here including Telemann and C.P.E. Bach.
Johann Sebastian Bach’s St. Matthew and St. John Passions, Christmas Oratorio, motets,
masses and cantatas, are central to the work of the HAMBURGER BACHCHOR ST. PETRI. The
Choir also performs many other well known works such as Mendelssohn’s “Elijah” and “St.
Paul”, Brahms’s and Mozart’s Requiems, and some rarely heard compositions such as the
oratorios of Herzogenberg and “L’Enfance du Christ” of Berlioz. A cappella repertoire is also
important to the Hamburger Bachchor, covering a wide range from the late renaissance,
through the most important German motets of the romantic era, including those of
Mendelssohn, Brahms, Wolf, Bruckner and Reger, to the 20th century composers like
Britten, Duruflé and Martin. Unusual for Germany is the Choir’s interest in English choral
music. The Hamburger Bachchor is well known for the quality and variety of its singing in
church services. The procession of the robed choir at the beginning and the end of the
Sunday services, the singing of Gregorian Introits, and of varied motets and cantatas, make
the services in St. Petri particularly uplifting experiences. There are also many highlights
during the year, including the Easter Eve Celebration, the Christmas Midnight Candlelight
Service, and the St. Ansgar Vespers, which has been presented for more than forty years by
choirs representing three different denominations. The Choir regularly makes concert visits
abroad and has performed in England, France, North and South America, Japan and Egypt.
New members are always welcome. Anyone interested should be able to read music and
have choral experience. A successful audition is a prerequisite for membership.
The FREUNDESKREIS DER KIRCHENMUSIK AN DER HAUPTKIRCHE ST. PETRI helps
underwrite the expensive performances of major works, and is always grateful for new
members. (Contact: Tina Krahl, Tel. 040 / 85 40 29 43)
THE COLLEGIUM VOCALE ST. PETRI was founded in 2000 by retired members of the
Hamburger Bachchor. Led by Cornelius Trantow the choir performs a wide range of
demanding works in its concerts. (Contact: Elke Wulf, Tel. 0 41 03 / 8 21 07)
The COLLEGIUM MUSICUM ST. PETRI is the string orchestra of the parish. This ensemble
consists of professional and qualified amateur musicians, and accompanies most of the
oratorio concerts and cantata services of the Hamburger Bachchor. The orchestra also gives
its own instrumental concerts. (Contact: Ulrike Scheld, Tel. 040 / 550 61 36)
The KINDERCHOR ST. PETRI gives children from the age of five the opportunity to sing in one
of three age-appropriate groups. They are led by Sabine Paap, who studied church music and
extended her knowledge of children’s choirs under Rolf Schweizer, Karl-Peter Chilla,
Reinhold Wirsching and Gerd-Peter Münden. (Contact: Sabine Paap, Tel. 040 / 85 18 79 77
and kinderchor@sankt-petri.de)

St. Petri has three ORGANS from the workshop of Rudolf von Beckerath. The present main
organ has four manuals, 66 stops and 4,724 pipes. It is one of the largest and most beautiful
sounding organs in Hamburg. It can be heard during services, the weekly “Hour of Church
Music” and the summer series of international organ concerts. The restoration and
extension of the present organ was completed in 2006 by Alexander Schuke Orgelbau,
Potsdam. The two smaller organs were also recently renovated by Hans-Ulrich Erbslöh.
KMD Thomas Dahl was appointed DIRECTOR OF MUSIC of St. Petri in 1996. He studied
sacred music, composition, music pedagogy, organ and musicology in Hamburg, Stuttgart,
Paris and Chicago (organ with Wunderlich, Laukvik, Bezler, Roth and Rübsam; conducting
with Vetter, Kurz and Wolf).
The post of ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR OF MUSIC changes hands every two years and has
been filled by Friederike Spangenberg since September 2009. She is currently studying
church music at the Hamburg School of Music (organ with Jan Ernst, improvisation with
Rainer Michael Munz, conducting with Hannelotte Pardall).
For information about musical events please take a look at the annual music schedule, the
regular parish letter “Mittendrin”, or the websites www.sankt-petri.de and
www.hamburger-bachchor.de. Further information about the music schedule, or about
participating in the music program at St. Petri, is available from the church office. (Tel. 040 /
32 57 40-0, email: info@sankt-petri.de).