Cantata in tempore belli

In light of the global political situation, it is impossible for me to create a purely abstract and ‘beautiful’ work. The horrific wars of our time and the unspeakable suffering of so many individuals leave me no other choice than to transform war itself into a theme. In times when voices in our own nation also demand that we again become ‘proficient in war,’ it is all the more important for me to compose a passionate appeal for peace. Alongside texts from the Bible and poetic fragments by Hölderlin, Logau and Matthias Claudius, the pacifistic appeal: ‘Say no!’ by the Hamburg poet Wolfgang Borcher – who died far too prematurely – plays a central role. May this cantata offer us consolation and act as a call for peace.
Jörg Widmann