As long as I live in my prime, I shall serve the mighty king of Love in deeds, in words, in songs, in harmonies … (Claudin De Sermisy)

We celebrate the end of the year together with the soprano Sophie Klussmann and Hopkinson Smith. With Renaissance music from France, Italy and England, they take us on a rollercoaster of emotions: from tears of joy for the new to sorrow for things past.

These emotions are best interpreted in song: The frottole emerged as a sign of local identity in Italy, the chansons were revived in France, and England was the land of songs. The most prominent composers were Tromboncino, De Sermisy and Dowland, and their songs have been immortalised in numerous collections. For contemporaries, poetry was the soul, music only the body. A profound experience.

Sophie Klußmann – soprano
Hopkinson Smith – lute