Schmidt: Das Buch mit sieben Siegeln

In the 1930’s, Europe was in desperate need of both hope and solace. Horrific events on an unimaginable scale were on the horizon. During these uncertain times, the Austrian composer Franz Schmidt was working on his most ambitious composition, entitled The Book With Seven Seals, which was based on the words of the Biblical Revelation of John. It is an extravagant work that portrays an impressive range of moods and emotions from apocalyptic force and otherworldly beauty to catastrophic upheaval and serene contemplation, despair and optimism, oppression and hope, as well as containing both sacred and deeply human elements. It is also one of the most powerful choral-symphonic works of the late Romantic period in Austria and Germany. This concert by the choir and orchestra of St Michael’s Church offers a rare opportunity to experience this impactful testimony to a decade of turmoil and imminent disaster.