Plectrum Musicum – Peaceful Takeover: Italian musical culture meets German compositional art | zamus: early music festival 2026

From 27 May to 27 May Germany / Köln

Primary Colours

Charlotte Nachtsheim – soprano
Karoline Echeverri Klemm, Zora Janská – violin
Bianca Cucini – viola da gamba
Andreas Westermann – harpsichord
Andrew Burn – dulcian, conductor

Following the Peace of Westphalia, cultural life in the Holy Roman Empire experienced a new heyday. Thus, the melodically elegant and contrapuntally clear trio sonatas of the Venetian composer Giovanni Legrenzi spread rapidly from southern Germany to Hamburg. Philipp Friedrich Buchner, organist in Frankfurt and later Kapellmeister in Mainz, spent time in Venice during the 1640s. His collection ‘Plectrum Musicum’, published in 1662, translates Legrenzi’s musical language into a German idiom. The variety of instruments – violin, viola da gamba, bassoon and continuo – reflects the exchange between Italian musical culture and German compositional art. After fleeing Leipzig, Johann Rosenmüller worked for decades as a musician in Venice, and his works combine Venetian lightness with German compositional art.

Sonatas and vocal concertos by Giovanni Legrenzi, Johann Rosenmüller and Philipp Friedrich Buchner.
Concert introduction at 6.15 pm for both concerts of the evening

Single ticket: €22/€14
Combined ticket €29/€19 with Cassandra’s Voice
Plus advance booking fees

Tickets available online via zamusfestival.de and zamus.de, by telephone on +49 221 9874 38 21 (Mon, Wed, Fri 10:00–14:00) and in person at the Neumarkt theatre box office (Mon–Sat 10:00–18:30, ticket hotline +49 221 42 07 6000 or via tickets@theaterkasse-neumarkt.de)

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Plectrum Musicum – Peaceful Takeover: Italian musical culture meets German compositional art | zamus: early music festival 2026

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