Vokalensemble VIA MUSICA

On a Musical Journey

A choir was founded in Heidelberg in 1991 as a student initiative. 

Co-founder Dr. Ludwig Karl gave the formation its name

Via Musica = musical journey. 

The musical journeys of VIA MUSICA led programmatically through the Western European music nations of England, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany and France with their different characteristics. 

The Via Musica's repertoire focuses on Latin motets, masses and English anthems. Composers who represent this repertoire are T. Tallis, M. Vulpius, T. L. da Victoria, O. di Lasso, G. P. da Palestrina, E. de Brito and their lesser-known contemporaries. 

Via Musica is based on the exemplary English cathedral choir tradition and is to a certain extent committed to historical performance practice. 

The circle closed in 2023/24 with the publication of the two-part essay A Bull, a Byrd, a Tallis | The Fitzwilliam Organ Book, in: Organ, Journal für die Orgel,

1. part 2023/4 & 2. part 2024/01.

The 2. part ist dedicated to Dr Ludwig Karl.

This look at the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book (= FVB), perhaps the most important collection of keyboard music from around 1600, focuses on pieces of music that may have been composed for the organ. The FVB as a source of organ music: an idea that flashes up again and again in various places. A look at the FVB focuses on pieces of music that were possibly composed for the organ - Fitzwilliam Organ Book, an idea that was brought to life by Thomas Tallis, John Blitheman and William Byrd. 

After its first concert series, the choir was reduced to a vocal ensemble so that more demanding works could be performed. In 1995, Via Musica was relaunched in Schleswig-Holstein as a project with two concert series. No further projects are currently planned.

Concerts (selection)

Klosterkirche Lobenfeld

Juni 1992 / Englische und schottische Vokal- und Instrumentalmusik des 16. und 17. Jahrhunderts.

St. Michael Kirche in Weingarten

Juni 1992 / Englische und schottische Vokal- und Instrumentalmusik des 16. und 17. Jahrhunderts.

© Dr. Ludwig Karl

St. Vitus Kirche in Heidelberg 

22. November 1992 / Werke von Byrd, Lasso, da Victoria, Strawinsky, Rachmaninoff, Campra u.a.

St. Albertus Magnus Kirche in Leopoldshafen

15. November 1992 / Werke von Byrd, Lasso, da Victoria, Strawinsky, Rachmaninoff u.a. 

St.-Martin-Kirche Tellingstedt 

Januar 1996 / Weihnachtliche Werke u.a. von Palestrina, Lasso. 

Heide, Kiel, Kappeln, Tellingstedt und Hennstedt

1997 / Konzertreihe mit Werken von Lasso, Byrd, Corteccia, de Brito, Carpentras u.a.