Seeds of Sorrow

As the Thirty Years’ War swept through 17th century Europe, it left behind a continent scarred by suffering and destruction. Death and desolation carved deep marks into the soul of society, echoes of which resounded in its art. The music of this era speaks of profound anguish, fear, an agonizing distance from God, and the haunting feeling of abandonment. And though religion may hold less sway in our modern lives, the emotions remain timeless: fear, loneliness, the aching awareness of our own frailty, and a yearning for deliverance, for something greater than ourselves.

The selected works by Hammerschmidt and Vierdanck, much like seeds of sorrow, grew out of the rubble of a shattered world. Yet even amidst the pervasive sorrow and pain, glimmers of hope for salvation begin to stir—an unquenchable longing for peace and joy. The musicians journey through these shifting emotional landscapes, sometimes stripped down to two or three voices, sometimes swelling in full ensemble, oscillating between despair and hope. In this way, they forge a bridge between the language and expression of the 17th century and the hearts of today’s listeners.