Interview
Simon Halsey on the premiere of “Weltethos” by Jonathan Harvey Simon Rattle conducts “Weltethos” by Jonathan Harvey and Hans Küng
“There will be no peace among the nations without peace among the religions.” – This basic principle of the Swiss theologian Hans Küng also forms the basis of his libretto to the choral work Weltethos. The piece is set to music by Jonathan Harvey – in the words of Simon Rattle, “probably the most spiritual of our British composers”. Weltethos was given its premiere in this concert under the direction of Simon Rattle.
According to Hans Küng, the political and ecological challenges of the future are to be mastered only with a basic consensus spanning all cultures. Weltethos is the vision of this arrangement, based on the common values of the world religions. These are conveyed in texts about Confucius, Moses, Mohammed, Buddha and Jesus as well as Hindu writings. The result should, according to Küng, be no “religious potpourri”, but a universal message of nonviolence, justice, truthfulness and partnership.
Composer Jonathan Harvey’s knowledge of Indian, Chinese and Arabic music uniquely prepared him for this project. Harvey was a good friend of the Berliner Philharmoniker and the Rundfunkchor Berlin ever since the musicians gave the German premiere of Harvey’s Madonna of Winter and Spring under Rattle’s direction in 2006.
Berliner Philharmoniker
Sir Simon Rattle
Dale Duesing
Rundfunkchor Berlin
© 2011 Berlin Phil Media GmbH
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