The Ensemble Polyharmonique consists of renowned experts in 17th and 18th-century music. Together with the music dramaturge Dr. Oliver Geisler, it developed the idea of interpreting Heinrich Schütz’ Auferstehungshistorie in a contemporary manner, staging it as a music film. Encouraged by Schütz’ own phrase, “…das Werck für die Hand zu nehmen…“ (…to take the work in hand), they have found an entirely new approach to this baroque masterwork: today’s viewers are confronted with the ways they deal with doubt, hope, consolation, fear and unbridled happiness. Such new experiences are illustrated by the medium of the music film. The delicate tone of historical instruments, a sumptuous overall sound and touching solo passages, forceful musical imagery and a subtle interpretation of the text – all this makes the film a gripping tale.

In the film, we hear and see Alexander Schneider (alto and primus inter pares) with his Ensemble Polyharmonique and additional vocal soloists from the Early Music scene. Hand-picked musicians accompany them on historical instruments. The music dramaturge Oliver Geisler selected the Zentralwerk Dresden, one of the most intriguing cultural venues in the Dresden neighbourhood of Pieschen, as the location for the shooting. Inside a room with excellent acoustics and a creative, relaxed atmosphere, the epochal work composed by Heinrich Schütz in 1623 is brought into the present day.

With their dance performance, Giulia Russo and Christian Zacharas (Robozee) embody a very special connection between the urban, contemporary dance scene and baroque music. For the viewers, this illustrates the dramatic urgency the biblical story of the resurrection has for our times.

The CentreFilms film team is highly musical, aesthetically sensitive, technically innovative and has a background in hip hop and breakdance. This special perspective onto Schütz’ work and 17th-century music culture contributes to the development of a new kind of visual idiom. State-of-the-art image and stage technology enables the production to transport mystical calm and ecstatic outbursts into our present time, mediated by the special sound of baroque music.

Heinrich Schütz’ Historia der fröhlichen und siegreichen Auferstehung unseres einigen Erlösers und Seligmachers Jesu Christi (History of the Joyful and Victorious Resurrection of our Only Saviour and Redeemer Jesu Christi, or Auferstehungshistorie for short) SWV 50 is one of the most fascinating works of the baroque age. The special aspect was formulated by Schütz himself in his preface to the work, in which he invites a contemporary, experimental approach to his music with the words “… vnd was mehr dergleichen ist“ (…and what similar means there may be). Schütz sets his creation free; he allows us to interpret it and retell it with new means.

It is a quiet, concentrated work with a sophisticated dramaturgy, in which the jubilation of Easter gradually breaks through. The music illustrates the events of the Easter story acoustically and graphically: thus, the listeners can hear the dragging of the stone before Jesus’ grave in rolling eighth-note movements; in the passage “gucket hinein“ (look inside), one can almost hear the physical gesture of bending down to look into a low-lying hole in the rock; the rising vocal line symbolizes the resurrection in the form of a leitmotif. Here, we find musical means of expression which turn the convention of 17th-century music on its head, pointing far into the future. This brings us full circle to the present music film: Schütz’ music is staged within the space, the Auferstehungshistorie visualized by today’s means, and the result is an impressive total work of art.