The “musica pro pace” concert series stages performances of compositions that musically express the loss and suffering of war, or people’s longing for peace.
These prestigious concerts – sold out year after year – are immensely popular among music-lovers, and have been a valuable addition to cultural life in the City of Peace. The diverse programs and their virtuoso staging attract a great deal of media attention each year. National and international broadcasting companies have recorded some of the concerts and have broadcasted them several times. Rarely performed works or “forgotten” pieces of music are staged in addition to very well-known compositions. Quite often, spectacular rare pieces are performed, which enables the audience to rediscover the work, thus reinvigorating the piece and inspiring the audience.
One component of the repertoire is 20th century works. But the Renaissance and the Baroque era are also represented with major compositions. During the concerts, listeners discover paths to music that are especially touching, taking an emotional and impressive approach to exploring the topic of war and peace.
Musicologists and composers share their expertise with the audience, explaining the historical context of the origin, the musical qualities, and the message conveyed by the individual works. Since its establishment, the series of concerts has been a central element of the Osnabrück Peace Forum. The programs are devised by Dr. Stefan Hanheide, apl. Professor of historical musicology at Osnabrück University.
The idea behind the “musica pro pace” concerts was to mark Osnabrück Peace Day, held annually in remembrance of the proclamation of the Peace of Westphalia from the steps of Osnabrück Town Hall on October 25, 1648.
In den 1930er Jahren etablierten sich in Europa Diktaturen, welche die Befürchtung eines neuen Weltkrieges wachsen ließen. In Literatur, Kunst und Musik kam diese Sorge in vielen Werken zum Ausdruck. Das Konzert stellte daraus eine Auswahl von fünf Werken für Chor a cappella vor.
Die drei Werke des Konzertes stehen in Bezug zum Jahr 1918, das das Ende des Ersten Weltkrieges markiert. Der Pianist Ludwig Wittgenstein, der im Kriegsdienst seinen rechten Arm verlor, nutzte das große familiäre Vermögen, Klavierwerke für die linke Hand in Auftrag zu geben. Es entstanden vor allem Kompositionen u.a. von Prokofieff, Hindemith, Korngold, Britten und, als bekanntestes, Ravels Klavierkonzert. Diese Auftragswerke Wittgensteins zeigen, wie er sich der Kriegverwundung moralisch entgegenstellt und die eigene künstlerische Beeinträchtigung überwindet.
