Bordesholm Lament of the Virgin Mary
BORDESHOLMER MARIENKLAGE 1476
„Kölner Version“
ARS CHORALIS COELN
Dir. Maria Jonas
Voices:
Stefanie Brijoux, Maria Jonas, Uta Kirsten, Pamela Petsch, Christine Wehler, Cora Schmeiser
Flutes:
Lucia Mense
Fiddel and Bells:
Susanne Ansorg
Conception:
Maria Jonas
Selection of texts:
- Thomas Höft (Version 2008, Psalm)
- Maria Jonas (Version 2008, Festa paschalia)
- Cora Schmeiser (Version 2009, Schleswig Holstein Musikfestival)
The famous „Bordesholmer Marienklage " (The Bordesholm St. Marie’s
Lament”) is dedicated to the impressive personalities of the three
Maries in the Gospel of St. John. In the Passion episode, observing
the crucifixion, Mary, Mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and Mary
Cleophas most touchingly sing their grieve. In the small Northern
German town of Bordesholm, this scene has been transformed into an
affecting piece of music.
This North German lament is the first liturgical passion play in
German to characterize the feelings of the women in an expressive
music. At the same time in other regions of Germany similar laments
were developed, all featuring the same basic structures, partly even
using identical song material. It is interesting to take a close look
at the various regional influences and the resulting variations.
From the preserved description of the premiere we know that texts in
a medieval Low German were recited between the songs. In our "2009
Cologne version", the original verses have been substituted by other
texts in contemporary German:
- poems from the Argentine Liberation theology (Ernesto Cardenal and
others) / performed at PSALM STYRIARTE, Graz in 2008
- St. John’s Gospel for Good Friday / performed at FESTA Paschalia,
Cologne in 2008
- the poetic cycle "Mirior de peine" (Henri Ghéon 1875-1944 )/
performed at the SCHLESWIG HOLSTEIN MUSIC FESTIVAL, Bordesholm in 2009
The basic idea when creating the "Cologne version” of the St. Marie’s
Lament was to keep the form flexible. This allows us to customize our
performance to the particular conditions of every single concert. We
respond to the demands of the ecclesiastical year, to the
opportunities of the specific venue and – when performing in
non-German speaking countries – we use texts and poems in the
respective national language.
Our artistic focus is solely on the three grieving women, represented
by a schola of female singers and musicians. St. John and Jesus do not
occur and so the original passion play turns to be one great lament of
the Maries – but also a compelling praise of the three women.
