Peter Schindler MISSA IN JAZZ - Anniversary Concert: 25 Years of Missa in Jazz

The Heavens of Music
25 Years of Peter Schindler's "Missa in Jazz"

"...these are the heavens of music, not Luther's or the Pope's!" With these words a reviewer described Peter Schindler's "Missa in Jazz" after its world premiere in 2001 at the Leonhardskirche in Stuttgart. Schindler wrote his jazz mass specifically for the Kammerchor Baden-Württemberg and his trio "Pipes and Phones" (organ - Peter Schindler, saxophone - Peter Lehel, percussion - Markus Faller).

The result is a kind of "supra-religious" setting of the centuries-old Mass Ordinary, where modern rhythms and sounds blend with echoes of the many stylistic traditions that have shaped the Mass text over the centuries - Gregorian chant, polyphonic fugue technique, Romantic harmonic structures. The saxophone, jazz's signature instrument, enters into an ideal dialogue with choir and organ. Improvised jazz passages alternate with fully notated sections, while the percussion keeps time and drives the groove throughout.

This deeply personal fusion of virtuoso concert piece and universal credo became a genuine success story in a short time. Countless performances around the world have shown, again and again, that Schindler struck a chord with this work.

For the 25th anniversary, all the musicians from the original premiere have been brought back together. Concerts in Bietigheim, Heidelberg and Stuttgart will feature Missa in Jazz with the trio "Pipes and Phones" (Peter Schindler - organ, Peter Lehel - saxophone, Markus Faller - percussion, joined by Dirk Blümlein - electric bass) and the Kammerchor Baden-Württemberg conducted by Jochen Woll.

Copyright: Peter Schindler