Bertouch / Theile / Vierdanck: Sacred Music [Baltic Sea]

The Baltic Sea, the “Mediterranean of the North,” had for centuries been an important, unifying route for travel and trade. In his hometown of Lübeck, Thomas Mann saw the northern sister of Venice. The same is true for music. Lübeck and Venice are distinguished by the fact that both cities once held outstanding importance as musical centers. As early as the 17th century, regular “evening concerts” were held in Lübeck’s St. Mary’s Church. The cultural unity of the region is particularly evident in the 17th century: court musicians, town musicians, and other musicians came predominantly from German-speaking areas. In Denmark and Sweden, German musicians were regularly hired to provide music for court festivities and special occasions. The composers represented here—Vierdanck, Theile, and Bertouch—all began their musical careers in the Saxon region and spent part of their adult lives in the Baltic region. Thus, they can be considered representatives of an entire group of musicians from this period and region.