Summer of Culture: Johannes Gärtner, "The Moon Has Risen"

In his program “Der Mond ist aufgegangen” (The Moon Has Risen), Johannes Gärtner explores the life and work of the poet Matthias Claudius (1740–1815), whose famous evening song remains one of the best-known songs in the German language to this day.

Claudius, editor of the “Wandsbecker Bothen,” was regarded by many of his contemporaries as an unusual character. While Europe was marked by political upheaval, he wrote texts full of humanity, faith, humor, and depth. His works continue to move readers today through their timeless language and their connection to life’s great questions.

The evening centers on the evening song “Der Mond ist aufgegangen.” The individual verses serve as the guiding thread for a literary and musical journey through Claudius’s life and work. Humorous, lyrical, political, and contemplative texts reveal the various facets of this North German poet and open up new perspectives on his work.

The program is complemented by musical interpretations of the famous evening song in various arrangements, as well as other compositions from his era. The result is an atmospheric evening that blends poetry and music, lightness and depth, bringing to life the timeless power of Matthias Claudius’s words.