Letare Germania
Chants for the veneration of St. Elizabeth of Thuringia
Elizabeth of Thuringia (1207-1231) was born as a Hungarian king's daughter and was educated at an early age at Wartburg Castle in Eisenach together with her future husband, Landgrave Ludwig. After his early death in the Crusades, she turned entirely to the care of the poor and died exhausted at only 24 years of age.
She was canonized by Pope Gregory IX as early as 1235 and her cult quickly spread throughout Europe.
The immense popularity of Elizabeth of Thuringia after her canonization can also be seen in the field of poetry and music.
The rhyme office "Letare Germania", which was created in the 13th century to honor her, was spread throughout Europe.
It represents a kind of "synthesis of the arts" in poetic, musical and theological terms and, as a poetic-musical "reliquary," can certainly be placed alongside the sumptuously decorated shrines and images for the veneration of the saint.
In order to let something of this preciousness flash up again, text and music for Letare Germania were newly transcribed from the oldest sources in an extensive research project for this program.
An analysis of the Office shows that it must have been written under the impression of the solemn transfer of Elizabeth's bones on May 2, 1236, at which, among others, Emperor Frederick II was personally present.
Program:
Reimoffizium Letare Germania
6 singers (+ reciter optional)
Smaller to medium church rooms
Performances
- Collegiate Church of St. Servatii, Quedlinburg (2008)
- MDR Music Summer, Wartburg Eisenach (2007)
- Festival RheinVokal, St. Boppard (2007)