05.12.2011

Cabaret artist Matthias Brodowy has composed a song for the cathedral

Hildesheim (bph) “Before You, a thousand years are like a single day, and the rose has only been in bloom since yesterday”. A verse from the Bible, plenty of Diocesan history and even more expression: the well-known cabaret artist Matthias Brodowy has incorporated all these elements into the cathedral song which he has donated to the Cathedral Construction Society and the Diocese of Hildesheim. The song has now appeared in different versions on CD and bears the title "Tausend Jahre wie ein Tag" (A Thousand Years are like a Single Day).

Matthias Brodowy performs his cathedral song at the grand piano of the Episcopal Vicariate General. Standing behind: Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Hans-Georg Koitz (left), Dean of the cathedral and principal of the cathedral renovation, and Dr Konrad Deufel, chairman of the Cathedral Construction Society Foto: bph

Enlarge image. In the year 815 the Diocese of Hildesheim was founded by Louis the Pious, and the foundation stone was laid for a cathedral still in existence today; a building which was destroyed and then rebuilt many times and which is being comprehensively renovated for its 1,200th anniversary in the year 2015. Brodowy, a celebrated cabaret artist and talented musician, was inspired to turn this fascinating history into a three-verse song with an expressive refrain. It can be heard in three different versions on the new CD: with piano accompaniment, with orchestra and an a-cappella version by the Hildesheimer group “Fivestyle”. The piano solo “Windhauch” (“a breath of wind”) also draws inspiration from the song; and of course a cabaret artist must include a spoken text. In his “Gedankenspiel" (“musings”), Brodowy ponders, for example, if it would still be possible to build a cathedral today, on account of so many enraged citizens…

When listening to the song, one can feel that the composer and cabaret artist has put a great deal of dedication into creating his work, it is almost a love song, "I have many memories associated with Hildesheim Cathedral" Brodowy explains, "as a child I was amazed at the thousand-year-old rose; as an altar server I took part in the Chrism Masses; sometimes I came into this house of God with joy, and sometimes with sadness. The song was created from personal experiences such as these, and is dedicated to my father Jürgen Brodowy, who died in 1994 at far too early an age."

The idea for the cathedral song came into being at a Cathedral Construction Society festivity in summer 2010. In the ensuing months it was recorded and mixed. The Cathedral Construction Society covered all costs and Matthias Brodowy, as well as the other musicians, waived their fees, meaning that all proceeds from the CD can flow directly into the cathedral renovation. For Dr Konrad Deufel, Chairman of the Cathedral Construction Society, it represents “an outstanding sign of civic dedication” and Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Hans-Georg Koitz, Dean of the cathedral and therefore principal of the cathedral renovation, is enthusiastic: “it is splendid that, after 1,200 years, our cathedral now has its own hymn".

The CD, which has a total playing time of around 22 minutes, can be purchased in the office of the Dombauverein (Cathedral Construction Society), in the cathedral shop next to the 1,000 year-old rose tree and via the cathedral renovation Internet shop “domsanierung-shop.de”. The Decius bookshop as well as selected bookshops in Hanover will also soon be stocking the CD. The price of 8.15 Euro recalls the year the Diocese was founded.

Information:
Matthias Brodowy: CD “tausend jahre wie ein tag“
Available at the office of the Dombauverein (Cathedral Construction Society), Domhof 2, 31134 Hildesheim,
at the cathedral shop or at www.domsanierung-shop.de,
or at the church stall in front of ka:punkt (Grupenstraße 8) at the Hanover Christmas Market 2011,
Price: 8,15 Euro