KIRCH’KLANG 2026 - Baroque soundscapes - Johann Beer and his time

Baroque soundscapes - Johann Beer and his time
BACH AM ATTERSEE

Friday, August 7, 2026, 7 p.m.
Maria Attersee parish church, Attersee am Attersee

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The evening combines music and text from an era of profound upheaval that had a lasting impact on the Upper Austrian region. Works from the 16th and early 17th centuries make the soundscape audible in which the Peasants' Wars left their mark on Upper Austria - between religious upheaval, social rebellion and the search for a new order.

The focus is on Johann Beer, who came from Attergau and whose musical and literary works bear impressive witness to the tensions of his time. Readings from Beer's autobiographical and literary texts enter into a dialog with the music of his era and open up direct access to the reality of the life of a contemporary Baroque witness.

The Austrian Baroque Company, one of the most distinguished Austrian ensembles for historical performance practice, will perform the musical part of the evening. The texts will be read by Michael Maertens, a multi-award-winning actor with an international stage presence, known for his vivid interpretations of literary texts.

Michael Maertens will read from the following writings by Johann Beer: "Der verliebte Europäer", "Die kurzweiligen Sommertage", "Der politische Bratenwender", and others.

The result is an evening that brings the experience of the Peasants' War period in Upper Austria to life between sound and word.