Tuet auf die Pforten

For the first time Louis Lewandowski will sing in one of Potsdam’s most important buildings: the Protestant Church of St. Nikolai. The enormous dome, inspired among other things by St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, forms the characteristic centre of the city.

Over the course of its history, the impressive interior has been repeatedly adapted to improve acoustics. Listeners will be able to see this for themselves at the pre-opening concert of the Synagogal Ensemble Berlin, which will perform pieces from the new album “Tuet auf die Pforten” for the first time in this impressive building.

Particularly well-known and popular pieces by Lewandowski as well as compositions from the inauguration ceremony of the New Synagogue on Oranienburger Strasse in 1866, where Lewandowski’s music was performed exclusively until the end of the 1930s, will be on display.

When the Foundation New Synagogue – Center Judaicum celebrated the 150th anniversary of the inauguration with a big celebration in 2016 and the liturgy of that time and other pearls from Lewandowski’s work were performed, the idea was born to record them for a new album. “We are very happy that this idea of Nils Busch-Petersen and his wife, Ulrike Busch-Petersen, was not only brought to us, but could also be realized with the ideational and financial support of the Louis Lewandowski Festival,” says Regina Yantian, director of the Synagogal Ensemble Berlin.

In addition to pieces from the inauguration ceremony, works will also be heard that are not only known exclusively in the Jewish context. Small jewels were recorded for the first time, which can never be heard in the normal cycle of worship services.

More from Magazin 2017

AN UNBROKEN LEGACY


Two months after the liberation of Berlin two hundred people gathered for a memorial service in the British sector of Berlin, in the cleaned-up ruins of the Pestalozzistrasse Synagogue. In a letter, an American GI describes this service to his wife, saying it was “impressive in the extreme,” “everyone wept,” and “one of the men switched back on the Eternal Light.” The ceremony began with Lewandowski’s setting of the Shehechiyanu, a blessing to celebrate special occasions and to give thanks for unusual experiences, then chanted by 73-year old Chief Cantor Leo Gollanin (1872 – 1948), who had survived the war in Berlin.

Read More

Dr.-Gideon-Joffe,-Vorstandsvorsitzender-der-Juedischen-Gemeinde-zu-Berlin

Dr. Gideon Joffe | Vorsitzender der Jüdischen Gemeinde zu Berlin


It is largely thanks to the great reformer of synagogal music that the traditional Jewish prayer service took on a new form.

Read More

Louis´ Lab 2017

Louis´Lab 2017


At last year’s festival, a concert of a different kind took place for the first time with the support of the mayor of Treptow-Köpenick, Oliver Igel.

Read More

Michael Müller | Regierender Bürgermeister von Berlin


I would like to welcome all musicians and guests to the 7th Louis Lewandowski Festival.

Read More

Nils Busch- Petersen | Festivaldirektor

Nils Busch-Petersen | Festival director


Liebe singende und lauschende Teilnehmende am 7. Louis Lewandowski Festival, seienSie herzlich willkommen!

Read More