The symposium brings together scholars from interdisciplinary fields such as philosophy, theology, religious studies and musicology. It aims at addressing the reasons for the reinterpretation of the Händel Messiah within the composition of the opus “King of Kings” by the Frankfurt choir Junge Kantorei. The speakers of the symposium will therefore give insights to the meaning of prophetism within diverse traditions and the prophets’ usage of written and musical traditions. Besides, the symposium questions challenges prophets were facing within the society as also their claims for exclusiveness.
Jonathan Hofman from the Junge Kantorei will give an introduction to “King of Kings”, together with Cluster Director Prof. Barbara Mittler and former Director of the Musikwissenschaftliche Seminar Heidelberg, Prof. Silke Leopold, which will reflect the opus as a dialogue between religions. Prof. Mittler will also give a talk on „Höhere Kraft ist kraftlos: Nicht-Wissen, Autorität, Prophetie und Weissagung zwischen Chan und Dao“. She thereby focuses on CHEN Cheng-wen compositions that are integrated into the concert and his combination of the Händel Messiah with Taoist and Chan-Buddhist texts.
CHEN Cheng-wen from Taiwan provided jointly with Ali Gorji from Iran the new compositions and re-interpretation of Händels Messiahs for the “King of Kings”. Both composers will participate in the final round-table before an open rehearsal of the concert. Further speakers at the symposium are Prof. Frederek Musall, Dr. Elke Morlok and Prof. Hartmut Leppin, who will discuss the different images and roles of prophets.
The symposium will take place at Frankfurt University at the Casino Building, located on the Campus Westend. The rehearsal to the concert will be conducted in the Festsaal of the Casino.
The concerts, that the symposium provides the scientific context to, will take place at Frankfurt University on May 20, and at Heidelberg University at the Neue Aula on May, 21. Alongside CHEN Cheng-Wen und A. Gorji, Prof. Silke Leopold will introduce the concert in Frankfurt, and Prof. Barbara Mittler will give an introductory address for the concert in Heidelberg.
You will find more details on the symposium here.