Via crucis
Chamber choir sings works by Franz Liszt as part of the Liszt Biennale Thuringia
The Liszt Biennale Thuringia 2025 has dubbed its state-wide concert series, in which the FRANZ LISZT University of Music in Weimar is also participating, ‘Landscapes of the Soul’.
As part of the festival, the university's chamber choir, conducted by Prof. Jürgen Puschbeck, will sing sacred works by Franz Liszt on Thursday, 5 June at 7:30 p.m. in the Herz-Jesu-Kirche in Weimar. Prof. Martin Sturm will improvise on the Franz Liszt memorial organ. Admission is free!
The concert will focus on Franz Liszt's ‘Via crucis – The 14 Stations of the Cross for soloists, choir and organ’. It is considered one of Liszt's outstanding works of church music from his late compositional period around 1878. ‘Via crucis’ was last performed in 2012 as part of Nike Wagner's art festival ‘pèlerinages’ in a memorable performance in collaboration with director Robert Wilson.
The audience can look forward to ‘contemplation and quiet reflection,’ says one of the initiators of the Liszt Biennale Thüringen, Prof. Dr. Wolfram Huschke.
Other items on the programme for the concert in the Catholic Herz-Jesu-Kirche include Franz Liszt's ‘Ave Maria’ in B flat major, composed in 1842, and improvisations on Liszt themes by Weimar organ professor Martin Sturm. The soloists are Julia Schneider and Elisabeth Apel (soprano), Nolwenn Tilly (alto) and Maximilian Thom (baritone).
The Chamber Choir of the University of Music FRANZ LISZT Weimar consists mainly of students studying music education, conducting and singing. It was founded in 1926 as a madrigal choir by Walter Rein and quickly developed into one of the music university's top ensembles.
Prof. Jürgen Puschbeck has been director of the chamber choir since 1997. Puschbeck was himself a member of the Dresden Kreuzchor, studied in Weimar and became choir director of the Jena Philharmonic Orchestra in 1986. In 1997, he took over the artistic direction of the chamber choir and in 1998 was appointed professor of choral conducting in Weimar.
The chamber choir has accepted invitations to festivals and competitions in Marktoberdorf, Graz, Belfort, Spittal/Drau, Riva del Garda, Tolosa and Tours, among others. Guest performances have taken him throughout Europe, to the USA, Japan and Israel. The choir's repertoire focuses primarily on a cappella literature from the 16th to the 21st century, but vocal symphonies are also an integral part of its repertoire.
The chamber choir has already worked with renowned guest conductors such as Kurt Masur, Fabio Luisi, Helmuth Rilling, Georg Christoph Biller, Ton Koopman, Konrad Junghänel and John Butt.
[28 May 2025]