FREIBURGER ZEITGEISTLITERATURE (Satis Shroff)

WINTER IDYLL IN THE SCHWARZWALD (Satis Shroff) Autumn has retreated, The windows are decorated, With mistletoes and pine cones. An icy wind is blows outside, Causing a tin angel to swing wildly in the balcony. The snow flakes change direction, As the wind from the Vale of Hell whips them. A snow storm in the Schwarzwald. * * * Inside the house emanates A sweet smell of apple-cakes, Biscuits in the form of stars And crescent moons, With chocolate and roasted nuts on top. Tea and Linzertorte are served in the warm Stube. The warm glow of the candles, The sweet aroma of mixed spices, Float to your nostrils, From the Glühwein in a pot: Cardamom, Gewürznelken, Anise, brown sugar and cinnamon-sticks. Baked cheese stars rubbed with parmesan, Sesame, coriander, mustard-flower And pumpkin seeds. The smell of Hokkaido pumpkin in apple-vinegar, With mustard seeds, black pepper corns And ginger roots. Salmon baked in dough, With chi...

FREIBURGER ZEITGEISTLITERATURE (Satis Shroff): Voices from the Dreisam Valley (Satis Shroff) : VOICES FROM THE DREISAM VALLEY (Satis Shroff) The concert began with Andachtsjodler, A song from South Tyrol in 1820s, Was rendered b...

VOICES FROM THE DREISAM VALLEY (Satis Shroff) The concert began with Andachtsjodler, A song from South Tyrol in 1820s, Was rendered by the men’s choirs From Kappel and Sankt Peter. Followed by ‘O Heiland, reiß die Himmel auf,’ An archaic advents song printed In 1622 in Würzburg. Rorate coeli de super, Et nubs pluant justum. The men’s choir Oberried sang:’Macht hoch die Tür’ A song composed in East Prussia in the 17th century. ‘lift up your heads, ye might gates,’ The English version by Catherine Winkworth, Of the original by Georg Wissel (1590-1636). ‘Trostet mein Volk’ sand the men from Kirchzartener, A spiritual cantate composed by Roman Zybal. The Gesangverein Ebnet and the mixed choir Zarten Sang Wolf Biermann’s ‘Ermutigung’ from 1965, Composed by the poet in times of Stasi terror. Biermann dedicated the poem to his friend Peter Huchel Who was isolated and kept under watch by the secret police. Johann Friedrih Reicherthardt’s ‘Heilige Nacht’ Was also sung by the choirs f...