There was always something to celebrate in the old Hanseatic cities: birthdays, weddings, inaugurations, graduations, funerals, peace treaties, not to mention the numerous occasions required by the church year. And almost always there was music to accompany them, indeed, it was composed especially for these occasions and probably performed only once – what a pity! For these pieces of “occasional music” were quite in keeping with the times and provided the musicians employed in the Hanseatic cities with a welcome additional income.
The programme of the European Hanseatic Ensemble combines compositions that were written for very specific occasions in Königsberg, Hamburg, Lüneburg and other Hanseatic cities. A historical-musical tour through the year with young vocal and instrumental soloists from all over Europe.
Programme (German only)
Saturday, 31 May 2025, 6 p.m.
Tickets: 16 € / red. 10 € (students and people with disabilities of 50 GdB or more)
Tickets available at the evening box office from 5.30 p.m.
Promoter: Orlando e.V.
In cooperation with Marktkirche St. Georgii et Jacobi
Sunday, 1 June 2025, 6 p.m.: World Heritage Days Bremen 2025
Tickets: 20 € / red. 12 € (students and people with disabilities of 50 GdB or more)
Tickets at all advance booking offices of Nordwest Ticket, online at www.nordwest-ticket.de and at the evening box office from 5 p.m.
Promoter: Orlando e.V.
Kindly supported by Senatskanzlei der Freien Hansestadt Bremen – Bremer Welterbetage 2025, Verein zur Förderung des Welterbes Rathaus und Roland in Bremen e.V. and the Conrad Naber Stiftung.
In cooperation with Ev. Gemeinde von Unser Lieben Frauen
Monday, 2 June 2025, 6 p.m.: Sommerkonzerte
Tickets: 20 € / red. 12 € (students and people with disabilities of 50 GdB or more)
Tickets available at the evening box office from 5 p.m.
Promoter: Orlando e.V.
Kindly supported by OLB-Stiftung
In cooperation with Ev.-luth. Kirchengemeinde Ganderkesee und Schönemoor
Wednesday, 4 June 2025, 7.30 p.m.
Tickets: 20 € / red. 12 € (students and people with disabilities of 50 GdB or more)
Tickets available at the evening box office from 6.45 p.m.
Promoter: Kirchengemeinde St. Cosmae-Nicolai
Kindly supported by the Landschaftsverband Stade with funds from the State of Lower Saxony and by the Hanseatic City of Stade.
A journey through the musical culture of the trading capitals of the early 17th century. The European Hanseatic Ensemble presents splendid vocal-instrumental compositions from Hamburg, Stralsund, Szczecin and Gdansk, among others, in the sound of the early Baroque period. 16 young musicians from all over Europe dedicate themselves to artistic works from the Northern European cultural landscape, which still captivate audiences 400 years later.
Wednesday, 18 June 2025, 7 p.m.
Tickets: 20 €
Tickets available at the evening box office from 6 p.m.
Promoter: Evangelische Stadtgemeinde Stendal
Thursday, 19 June 2025, 6 p.m.
Tickets: 20 € / red. 12 € (students and people with disabilities of 50 GdB or more)
Tickets at the tourist information Wismar, all advance booking offices of Reservix, online at www.reservix.de and at the evening box office from 5 p.m.
Promoter: Orlando e.V.
Kindly supported by Hansestadt Wismar, Bürgerstiftung Wismar and Heiligen-Geist-Kirche Wismar
Friday, 20 June 2025, 7 p.m.: TITANS RISING – Alte Musik am Lietzensee
Admission free, donations welcome
Promoter: Orlando e.V.
In cooperation with Titans Rising Verein für Alte Musik e.V.
Saturday, 21 June 2025, 7 p.m.: Day of Brick Gothic 2025
Tickets: 20 € / red. 12 € (students and people with disabilities of 50 GdB or more)
Tickets will be available soon at St.-Marien-Kirche, at German-Polish tourist information Frankfurt (Oder), at all advance booking offices of Reservix, online at www.reservix.de and at the evening box office from 6 p.m.
“St. Mary’s in the 17th century“ – guided tour (German only) in celebration of the Day of Brick Gothic 2025 for concert and church visitors at 6 p.m. No entrance fee for the guided tour
Promoter: Orlando e.V.
In friendly cooperation with Kultureigenbetrieb Frankfurt (Oder) and European Route of Brick Gothic
Tuesday, 24 September 2024, 7 p.m.: charity concert for the restoration of the Stellwagen organ
Promoter: Ev.-luth. Kirchengemeinde St. Jakobi
Thursday, 26 September 2024, 7.30 p.m.: Heinrich Schütz festival as part of MixTour
Promoter: MarienKantorei Lemgo
In cooperation with Internationale Heinrich-Schütz-Gesellschaft e.V.
Sunday, 13 October 2024, 5 p.m.: Göteborg International Organ Festival
Promoter: Göteborg International Organ Academy
Monday, 14 October 2024, 7.30 p.m.: Göteborg International Organ Festival
Promoter: Göteborg International Organ Academy
Sunday, 2 June 2024, 5 p.m.: World Heritage Days Bremen 2024
Promoter: Orlando e. V. with Senatskanzlei der Freien Hansestadt Bremen
Kindly supported by Senatskanzlei der Freien Hansestadt Bremen – Bremer Welterbetage 2024 and Ev. Gemeinde von Unser Lieben Frauen
Thursday, 6 June 2024, 7.30 p.m.
The concert will be recorded for Deutschlandfunk Kultur.
Free brick Gothic guided tour of Schwerin Cathedral, meeting point: 6 p.m., duration: approx. 1 hour.
Promoter: Ev.-Luth. Domgemeinde Schwerin
Friday, 7 June 2024, 7.30 p.m.
Promoter: Evangelische Kirchengemeinde St. Nikolai Stralsund
Thursday, 8 June 2024, 7.30 p.m.
Promoter: Gesellschaftshaus Magdeburg
“And there came a sound from heaven …” The so-called outpouring of the Holy Spirit, as it is told in the Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament, formed the basis for the Christian festival of Pentecost (= 50 days after Easter). It is hardly familiar to us today. The magnificent church music of the Hanseatic period celebrates the event in numerous colourful compositions and explains the biblical history to the faithful in melodious ways. The multi-faceted programme contains works that were composed in rich Hanseatic cities such as Hamburg, Gdańsk, Stettin and Lüneburg. They reflect the desire for representation of those wealthy trading metropolises.
Works by Crato Bütner, Philipp Dulichius, Andreas Hakenberger, Marcin Mielczewski, Franciszek Lilius, Antonius Mors, Bartholomäus Gesius, Adam Jarzębski, Hieronymus Praetorius, Leonhard Schröter, Johannes Schultz, Thomas Selle, Johann Vierdanck, Johann Julius Weiland, Friedrich Weißensee.
Programme (for concert in Hamburg, German only)
Friday, 17 May 2024, 7.30 p.m.: Göttingen International Handel Festival
Promoter: Göttingen International Handel Festival
Saturday, 18 May 2024, 7 p.m.
Promoter: Hauptkirche St. Katharinen
Sunday, 19 May 2024, 5 p.m.: Musikwochen Weserbergland
Promoter: Musikwochen Weserbergland
There was always something to celebrate in the old Hanseatic cities: birthdays, weddings, inaugurations, graduations, funerals, peace treaties, not to mention the numerous occasions required by the church year. And almost always there was music to accompany them, indeed, it was composed especially for these occasions and probably performed only once – what a pity! For these pieces of “occasional music” were quite in keeping with the times and provided the musicians employed in the Hanseatic cities with a welcome additional income.
The new programme of the European Hanseatic Ensemble combines compositions that were written for very specific occasions in Königsberg, Hamburg, Lüneburg and other Hanseatic cities. A historical-musical tour through the year with young vocal and instrumental soloists from all over Europe.
Programme (German only)
NDR Kultur has broadcast the concert in Lüneburg on 19 October 2023 live and has made the recording available online.
Thursday, 21 September 2023, 7 p.m.: on Pamir Day
Promoter: Orlando e.V.
In cooperation with European Hansemuseum Lübeck, Ev.-luth. Kirchengemeinde St. Jakobi zu Lübeck and Musikhochschule Lübeck and kindly supported by Kulturbüro der Hansestadt Lübeck
Saturday, 23 September 2023, 6 p.m.
Promoter: Ev.-luth. Kirchengemeinde St. Marien Lemgo
In cooperation with MarienKantorei Lemgo
Sunday, 24 September 2023, 6 p.m.: International Music Festival MusicaViva
Promoter: Akademie Forum Artium e.V.
Sunday, 15 October 2023, 7.30 p.m.: Göteborg International Organ Festival
Promoter: Göteborg International Organ Academy
Monday, 16 October 2023, 6 p.m.: Göteborg International Organ Festival
Promoter: Göteborg International Organ Academy
Wednesday, 18 October 2023, 7 p.m.
Promoter: Ev.-Luth. Kirchengemeinde Mölln
Thursday, 19 October 2023, 8 p.m.
Recording of the concert on NDR Kultur.
Free guided brick gothic tour of St. John’s Church, meeting point: 6.30 p.m. in front of the entrance, duration: approx. 1 hour. Registration is requested.
Promoter: Ev.-luth. Kirchengemeinde St. Johannis
Saturday, 21 October 2023, 8 p.m.: Schnitger Festival Groningen 2023
Promoter: Stichting Groningen Orgelstad
In the beautiful season of the year, it was again possible to play music outdoors in the Hanseatic towns of the North. Preferred instruments were of course the wind instruments, weatherproof and clearly audible even through the rustling of the leaves. The programme, performed by members of the European Hanseatic Ensemble under the direction of Detlef Reimers, combines compositions from old Hanseatic cities, intradas and dance pieces. Music is performed on the “classical” instruments of the time: tines, baroque trombones and percussion.
Sunday, 18 June 2023, 11 a.m.: International Festival “Beneath the Maple Tree”
Promoter: European Hansemuseum Lübeck
Towards the end of the Hanseatic period, Gdansk had developed into the most important port on the Baltic Sea. As was customary in the Hanseatic cities, the successful long-distance merchants often steered the political and economic fortunes of their city as mayors or councilmen. Power and wealth brought with them a corresponding need for representation, which was reflected not only in Gdansk’s architecture but also in its art in particular. The magnificent church music created by organists and kapellmeisters at the huge St. Mary’s Church was completely in tune with the times and initially included polyphony of Flemish influence, while in the 17th century Italian influences dominated (multiple choirs, continuo style).
The ensemble performs with a large cast of eight vocal soloists and historical instruments such as cornettos, trombones, violins and viole da gamba.
Programme (for concert in Toruń)
Programme (for concert in Bremen and Ganderkesee, German only)
Deutschlandfunk Kultur broadcast the programme on 26 July 2023 at 8 p.m.
Whit Monday, 29 May 2023, 8 p.m.
Promoter: The Hanseatic History Society
Kindly supported by the Copernicus Association for the History and Regional Studies of West Prussia, the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany – Foreign Office, the Society of Arts and Sciences in Toruń and the City of Toruń
Saturday, 3 June 2023, 6 p.m.: World Heritage Days Bremen 2023
Promoter: Orlando e. V. with Senatskanzlei der Freien Hansestadt Bremen
Kindly supported by Senatskanzlei der Freien Hansestadt Bremen – Bremer Welterbetage 2023 and Ev. Gemeinde von Unser Lieben Frauen
Sunday, 4 June 2023, 6 p.m.: Sommer . Abend . Musik
Promoter: Evangelische Kirchengemeinde Ganderkesee
Kindly supported by OLB Foundation
Evening concert at the 6th International and Interdisciplinary Conference of the Network Art and Culture of the Hanseatic Cities: “Women of the Hanseatic League”.
Works by Lüder Knoep, Johann Vierdanck, Johann Sommer, Johann Schop, Matthäus Waissel and Dietrich Becker, among others. Members of the European Hanseatic Ensemble perform on baroque violins, viola da gamba and lute.
Saturday, 18 March 2023, 7.30 p.m.
Promoter: Network Art and Culture of the Hanseatic Cities,
Ev. Damenstift Kloster Medingen
Celebrating like the old moneybags
In the late Hanseatic period, the pompousness of the citizens was denounced in numerous municipal ordinances and decrees as well as in surviving sermon texts. Wedding festivities in particular were the playground of a growing need for representation among the rich merchants of the trading cities. What is expended in clothing, restaurant and hotel visits, gifts and the destinations of the honeymoon today, was reflected 400 years ago in the number of guests to be entertained, the order of meals, the table decorations, the dress code and the specially ordered music.
For the composers of the time, it was a lucrative sideline to write works for the wedding festivities, some of which were elaborately scored. These numerous surviving so-called occasional compositions show the high level of compositional technique and the stylistic diversity at the transition from the Renaissance to the Baroque period.
Programme (German only)
Programme (for concert in Hamburg, German only)
NDR Kultur has recorded the concert in Hamburg and broadcast it on 20 October 2022 at 8 p.m.
Wednesday, 7 September 2022, 8 p.m.
Promoter: Kirchengemeinde St. Cosmae-Nicolai
Part of Holk Kulturfestival. Kindly supported by the Landschaftsverband Stade with funds from the State of Lower Saxony, by the Hanseatic City of Stade and by the EWE Foundation
Thursday, 8 September 2022, 8 p.m.
Promoter: Evangelisch-Lutherische St. Petri-Kirchengemeinde Buxtehude
Kindly supported by the Landschaftsverband Stade with funds from the State of Lower Saxony and by the EWE Foundation
Friday, 9 September 2022, 8 p.m.
Promoter: Hauptkirche St. Katharinen
Part of the Open Monument Day in Hamburg and in cooperation with NDR Kultur
Sunday, 11 September 2022, 5 p.m.
Promoter: Göteborg International Organ Academy
Part of West Sweden Organ Vision
Monday, 12 September 2022, 7.30 p.m.
Promoter: Göteborg International Organ Academy
Part of West Sweden Organ Vision
For the first time the European Hanseatic Ensemble is performing in a new format and with a more intimate cast of only eight singers, a programme specifically dedicated to the vocal polyphony of the time around 1600. The composers who worked in the Hanseatic cities of Rostock, Szczecin, Gdansk or Königsberg also drew inspiration from the vocal music of Italy and the Netherlands. The works have lost none of their special atmosphere and intensity.
Moderation: Manfred Cordes
Programme (German only)
Wednesday, 22 June 2022, 7 p.m.
Promoter: European Hansemuseum Lübeck
With the musical portrait of the Hanseatic city of Stralsund, the European Hanseatic Ensemble for the first time focuses specifically on works from a single Hanseatic city. With works by Johann Vierdanck, Caspar Movius and Eucharius Hoffmann, the programme spans music from the last third of the 16th century to the late phase of the Hanseatic era.
Vocal soloists and instrumentalists with historical instruments such as cornetto, baroque trombone, viola da gamba, baroque violin, chitarrone and organ will perform.
Programme (German only)
The final rehearsal was open to the public and took place on 3 June 2022 at 8 p.m. at the Stiftskirche in Bassum.
Deutschlandfunk Kultur has recorded the concert in Stralsund and broadcast it on 6 June 2022 at 8 p.m.
Saturday, 4 June 2022, 6 p.m.: World Heritage Days Bremen 2022
Promoter: Orlando e. V. with Senatskanzlei der Freien Hansestadt Bremen
Kindly supported by Senatskanzlei der Freien Hansestadt Bremen – Bremer Welterbetage 2022 and Ev. Gemeinde von Unser Lieben Frauen
Whit Sunday, 5 June 2022, 6 p.m.
Promoter: Orlando e. V.
Kindly supported by Hansestadt Wismar and Heiligen-Geist-Kirche Wismar
Whit Monday, 6 June 2022, 5 p.m.:
20 Jahre Welterbe Stralsund und Wismar
Promoter: Evangelische Kirchengemeinde St. Nikolai Stralsund
Kindly supported by Hansestadt Stralsund – 20 Jahre Welterbe Stralsund und Wismar and in cooperation with Deutschlandfunk Kultur
For Easter – after a seven-week period of asceticism, including musical asceticism – splendidly scored works were allowed to be heard again, and the number of compositions written for the occasion is correspondingly large.
The programme includes works by composers who were active in the economic and cultural capitals of the late Hanseatic period: Andreas Hakenberger, Nicolaus Zangius and Johann Wanning (Gdansk), Hieronymus Praetorius, Thomas Selle and Matthias Weckmann (Hamburg), Marcin Mielszewski (Cracow/Breslau), Philipp Dulichius (Szczecin) and Bartholomäus Gesius (Frankfurt/Oder).
Eight vocal soloists and twelve instrumentalists with historical instruments such as cornetto, baroque trombone, viola da gamba, baroque violin, chitarrone and organ will perform.
Programme (German only)
WDR 3 has recorded the concert in Minden and broadcast it on 22 June 2022 at 8 p.m.
Ascension Day, Thursday, 26 May 2022, 6 p.m.
Promoter: Orlando e. V.
In cooperation with European Hansemuseum Lübeck, Dom zu Lübeck and Musikhochschule Lübeck
Friday, 27 May 2022, 6 p.m.
Promoter: Ev.-Luth. St.-Martini-Kirchengemeinde Minden
In cooperation with Ev.-Luth. St.-Martini-Kirchengemeinde Minden and WDR 3
Saturday, 28 May 2022, 5 p.m.:
42nd International Hanseatic Day Neuss 2022
Promoter: Stadt Neuss – 42. Internationaler Hansetag Neuss 2022
In cooperation with Evangelische Christusgemeinde Neuss and kindly supported by Hansestadt Lübeck
Towards the end of the Hanseatic period, it was the cities of Hamburg and Gdansk from which a sheer overflowing number of great works have emerged. But musical culture also flourished in cities like Lüneburg, Stettin or Stralsund – to name just a few. The first part of this year’s programme of the European Hanseatic Ensemble includes resounding works for important church festivals. But the composers also delivered imaginative works for the wedding celebrations of the “moneybags”, created for a unique occasion but of no lesser quality and tonal variety.
The programme concludes with jubilant music celebrating the conclusion of the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, which was extensively celebrated in many cities after the cruel and depriving years of the Thirty Years’ War. Masters such as Hieronymus and Jacob Praetorius, Thomas Selle, Crato Bütner or Philipp Dulichius are largely unknown today, but they created great compositions that have been waiting to be discovered and revived for centuries.
Programme (German only)
NDR Kultur has recorded the concert in Hannover and broadcast it on 18 November 2021 at 8 p.m.
Monday, 27 September 2021, 8 p.m.
Promoter: Orlando e. V.
In cooperation with European Hansemuseum Lübeck, Dom zu Lübeck and Musikhochschule Lübeck and kindly supported by Kulturstiftung des Landes Schleswig-Holstein
Tuesday, 28 September 2021, 8 p.m.
Promoter: Orlando e. V.
In cooperation with Kulturbüro der Stadt Hannover, Marktkirche St. Georgii et Jacobi and NDR Kultur
Thursday, 30 September 2021, 7 p.m.: “+ HANZA”
Promoter: ORGANy PLUS+
Kindly supported by Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany – Foreign Office
Saturday, 2 October 2021, 8 p.m.
Promoter: Orlando e.V.
In cooperation with Dom St. Petri, University of Arts Bremen and kindly supported by Senatskanzlei Bremen
Sunday, 3 October 2021, 6 p.m.
Promoter: Hauptkirche St. Katharinen
Music by Andreas Hakenberger, Paul Lütgemann, Hieronymus Praetorius, Annibale Orgas, Tobias Zeutschner, Julius E. Rautenstein, Johann Vierdanck, Thomas Strutz, Caspar Movius et al.
During the important church festivals magnificent music was played in all the large churches of the Hanseatic cities. The concert program of this year’s European Hanseatic Ensemble, which will also serve as a first impression of the ensemble on the concert map, includes works from the 17th century from Hamburg and Gdansk for the feast of Michaelmas (29 September).
Although composers such as Hieronymus Praetorius, Thomas Selle, Paul Siefert or Christoph Werner are largely unknown today, they created magnificent compositions that have been waiting to be discovered and revived for centuries.
Programme (German only)
NDR Kultur has recorded the concert in Hamburg, you can listen to the broadcast of 19 October 2020 here.
Opening concert: Tuesday, 29 September 2020, 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Promoter: Orlando e. V.
In cooperation with European Hansemuseum Lübeck, Dom zu Lübeck and Musikhochschule Lübeck
Wednesday, 30 September 2020, 7 p.m.
Promoter: Hauptkirche St. Nikolai
Kindly supported by Alfred Toepfer Stiftung F.V.S. and NDR Kultur
Thursday, 1 October 2020, 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Promoter: Kulturkirche St. Stephani Bremen in cooperation with University of the arts Bremen
Kindly supported by Conrad Naber Stiftung
