Schola Tour to Germany 2022

“Woah…” everyone whispered as we wandered into yet another stunning sacred space. This magical moment of discovery in a new and historic place seemed to occur several times a day throughout Schola and Julliard415’s tour to Germany; yet, even as we entered the churches of Lübeck (the Marienkirche is pictured here)  in the final hours of our trip, exploring every corner of a chapel or every stop of an organ, the wonder in everyone’s eyes never faded. Through these experiences, I was reminded of the extraordinary, interdisciplinary mission of the ISM and the magic of witnessing it in action through my first year of study, culminating with the tour itself.

Arriving at one of the many churches we visited felt much like those first days of the fall semester, with a grand impression of where we were and incredible anticipation of what was to come. Looking up at the monumental spire of the Ulmer Münster, knowing that we were about to climb it, was nearly as daunting as the leadup to our first rehearsals with Schola and the Repertory Chorus. Once we moved inside the structure, however, we all had a profound appreciation for the space we were in. Here, as at the ISM, music is paramount, symbolized by the many great organs we explored which often occupy a prominent space up in the loft, closest to God. As I climbed what seemed like endless, winding spiral staircases, these ascents also reminded me of the past year; while I ultimately knew where I was headed, the path upward had some twists and turns, with a few interesting branches off along the way. Though, like the landscape from the Heidelberg Schloss, the view from the top was well worth the steep climb. In reflecting on our experience in Germany and the first half of my studies, I am so appreciative of the space for music and art that is the ISM, for the journey here at Yale, and for the formative musical and personal experiences on tour.

It is said that water is the most destructive force on earth. Working slowly over time, water carves terrestrial markings on our earth’s body. The connective power and lifegiving aspects of water and its ability to restore and activate healing seldom circulate in a discussion.  During our journey throughout Germany, we encountered several bodies of water, such as the Danube in Ulm, Neckar in Heidelberg, the Tiergartengewässer in Berlin,  and the Baltic Sea that seemed to connect us to where we left and places that await us. The lake, streams, rivers, and ponds seemed to accompany us to the Baltic Sea. Similar to the extremities of the smaller bodies of water starting from different locations, all members of Schola and Juilliard415 began their musical journeys at different times from various circumstances. All of our collected experiences led us to Germany — arguably one of the most formative segments of our lives. Our paths joined together to create magnificent music and lifelong friendships. It is no mistake that our journey as an ensemble mirrors several flowing bodies of water, eventually connecting as one larger unit. Thinking alongside poet E.E. Cummings’ work “As Is the Sea Marvelous,” I realize that the marvel of the sea is only possible because of the multiple bodies of water that flow into it. Therefore, every person involved in this performance tour was an invaluable asset to making this journey simply marvelous. 

St. Mary’s Cathedral in Erfurt is a staggering place. No single picture can capture the sense of the space, the sheer volume of Renaissance art which continues to this day to adorn this church to the glory of God. A font from 1467, paintings by Cranach the Elder, an anonymous early example of the Pietà, and so much more that I didn’t know to look for, simply existing in this sacred space.

Just as this art has stood for hundreds of years in places of worship, so have many of the organs we visited. In Lübeck, we traced the steps of Buxtehude and Distler, getting to play the 1637/1638 Stellwagen in the Jakobikirche and the newer Distler organ there, as well as the historically-informed instruments in the Marienkirche, where the organs were destroyed in WWII bombing. In the Leipzig Thomaskirche, one of Bach’s churches, a new organ was built in 2000 by Woehl to be the ideal Bach organ. It was an incredible experience to play this in the place where Bach worked, and the organ really does suit Bach very well. The Thomaskirche also houses a historic Sauer organ (where I am pictured seated), where Karl Straube, the foremost interpreter of Reger, played in the early 1900s. In the Berliner Dom, Domorganist Andreas Sieling showed us an even larger Sauer instrument, which still has historic pneumatic tubing. Another highlight was encountering Rollschwellers for the first time, adapting to short octaves and flat pedalboards, and being surprised by the sounds the instruments made. (The Sauer Schalmeis are strings! Who knew!)

One often hears that an instrument is the greatest teacher, and while we certainly gained a greater understanding through playing them, there’s still so much to learn about touch, registration, space, and much more from these instruments. We’re so thankful we got to run off to these incredible instruments between choral and instrumental rehearsals, and can’t wait for a return visit.