12. January 2022
Book launch: Sound book “Being on the road under the stars”
Ancient music and thoughts on pilgrimage between space and time
The sound book thematizes the myth of the paths of the pilgrims of St. James, who in their search for the way in foreign lands sometimes also oriented themselves to the Milky Way, which points in the night sky in the direction of Spain. The thoughts and texts contained in the book are intended as a musical and poetic source of inspiration for all those who set out - even in everyday life - to pause and let themselves be accompanied joyfully between the times on the path they have chosen for themselves or on which they have been called.
In the Middle Ages, the Milky Way was regarded as a cosmic guide to the yearning destination of Santiago de Compostela. A network of “Starry Paths” created by countless feet across today’s Europe commemorates the search movement of St. James pilgrims who traveled along the stars in the direction of Spain to the tomb of St. James.
Under the title “Starry Path/
It has been handed down that the medieval pilgrims communicated not only through language, but also through their rituals. Music and dance played an important role in this. In many cases, this music was an expression of the pilgrims’ devotion to the divine, which was revealed to them along the way in the holy places.
Against this background, together with the Akademie für Alte Musik im Saarland (Academy for Early Music in the Saarland), the idea has arisen to create a “sound book” to reflect the theme in a poetic way with music from many centuries. Members of the Academy’s Artistic Advisory Board have compiled a selection of musical works, most of which have been recorded especially for the project. Texts and photographs refer to this music and in interaction allow a deeper access to the central ideas that the project wants to convey.
This sound book is the result of an intensive collaboration between the Akademie für Alte Musik im Saarland and its musicians and the Regionalverband Saarbrücken. Through the power of music and imagination, we want to make a poetic contribution that mediates between times and invites us to pause and reflect. If possible, the sound book will also be performed in the coming year as part of concert readings in medieval churches along the Sternenweg.
Mechthild Blaumer and Peter Michael Lupp
Excerpt from the CD
6. Passacaglia “Guardian Angel Sonata”, part 2, settings of Psalm 91, 11-12
Played by Mechthild Blaumer
7. Psalm 91, 11-12
Spoken by Katharina Bihler
8. Gregorian Chant Angelis Suis
Sung by the Schola Vocanto
Sources of supply
The sound book is currently available from:
Academy for Early Music in Saarland, akademie@alte-musik-saarland.de
Mechthild Blaumer, mechthildblaumer@web.de
Tourist Info Saarbrücken Castle, Tel. 0049 681 / 506-6006, touristinfo@rvsbr.de
Price: 18,- €
Further information: Peter Michael Lupp, Cultural Officer Regionalverband Saarbrücken, peter.lupp@rvsbr.de
Imprint
Publisher: Academy for Early Music in Saarland in cooperation with the Regionalverband Saarbrücken
Conception: Mechthild Blaumer, member of the board of the Academy for Early Music in Saarland, and Peter Michael Lupp, Cultural Officer of the Regional Association of Saarbrücken
Music selection: Mechthild Blaumer, Bernhard Stilz
Sound engineer: Robert Foede
Sound engineer: Thomas Becher
Preface, poetic texts, photographs, cover picture “La Voie Lactée”: Peter Michael Lupp
Introduction, texts to the music: Mechthild Blaumer
Design: Elke Birkelbach
A production of Saarländischer Rundfunk, Saarbrücken, 2021
