Rehearsals for this project dedicated to one of the most important representatives of Minnesang: Walther von der Vogelweide (ca. 1170 - ca. 1230)

Extensive collections of his texts survived and were widely propogated over a period of 400 years after his death, but only a few melodies and hardly any historical sources on his life. Walther traveled as an itinerant singer in Austria, Germany (including Passau and Würzburg) and South Tyrol, performing his art at the most influential courts of his time. In his critical lyrics, he provocatively exhorts kings and popes to act honorably. In his Minnelyrik, he formulated a new Minneideal and turned the courtly etiquette that had been praised until then on its head.

EPM has enlisted two renowned experts from the Schola Cantorum Basel, Prof. Marc Lewon and Prof. Baptiste Romain, for the reconstruction of the few surviving melodies and the musical realization. On the basis of the latest research, they, together with director and singer Joel Frederiksen, are reworking the melodies of the Trobadors and Trouvères according to "Walther's method", fitting them to his song texts.

Through blogs, concerts, a CD, and a documentary film, the project illuminates the life of this unique medieval artist through a variety of contemporary media.

BLOG: Walther von der Vogelweide

Musicians: Marc Lewon - fidel, quinterne, citole | Baptiste Romain - fidel, rubeba, pats, bagpipes | Joel Frederiksen - voice, citole

Mit freundlicher Unterstützung durch „Klangwert – Aventis Foundation Ensemble-Förderung“