„Stimmen der Natur“
"Artists such as Bach and Beethoven built churches and temples up on the heights. I wanted to build homes for people, in which they feel happy and at home."
— Edvard Grieg
As in previous years, we would like to align our 2027 events programme with an overarching theme. Under the title "Stimmen der Natur" (Voices of Nature), we devote ourselves to the many-sided relationship between music and nature – as a source of inspiration, a place of longing and an artistic counterpart.
Two anniversaries provide the starting point for the theme. In 1877 – exactly 150 years ago – Edvard Grieg, plagued by the noise of the big city, retreated to the seclusion of the Hardanger Fjord in western Norway. Amid the breathtaking landscape, he built a composing hut that he affectionately called "Kompost". We also want to connect this theme to the Beethoven anniversary. Works such as the Pastoral Symphony exemplify his artistic engagement with landscape, atmosphere and the relationship between people and the environment, which would go on to shape many generations of music history.
Nature was an inexhaustible source of inspiration not only for these two composers. How did composers encounter nature? Where did they live and work? How did landscapes, seasons or experiences of nature influence their artistic work? What role do images of nature play today – in times of ecological crises and new perspectives on the environment and sustainability?
We welcome proposals for concerts, performances, readings or interdisciplinary formats that address these questions and bring new perspectives to the historic music salon of the Grieg-Begegnungsstätte. The submission deadline is 31 August 2026.
What we are looking for
Since its founding, the Grieg-Begegnungsstätte Leipzig has seen itself as a place of musical encounter and cultural-historical reflection. Once a month, on Sundays at 2:00 pm, we invite audiences to salon concerts in which we cultivate this tradition. The historic salon of the Peters music publishing house offers a unique setting for this: here artistic figures such as Edvard Grieg, Gustav Mahler and Max Reger once met with Leipzig publishers and presented their works.
With the theme year "Stimmen der Natur", we would like to build on this tradition and at the same time create a space in which historical and contemporary perspectives on nature in music come together. We are interested both in biographical aspects – such as the retreats and working methods of composers – and in sonic, literary or social images of nature. With two large-format oil paintings of the western Norwegian landscape on the end wall of the music salon, a unique setting has been created for this theme.
On the content
We are looking for programmes that take up references to nature in music and art in a creative and reflective way. We expressly welcome different perspectives and formats – historical, experimental, scholarly, performative or interdisciplinary.
Possible approaches could be:
- Beethoven and nature: How is the experience of nature expressed in his works and letters? What effect did his Pastoral have on later generations?
- Artistic retreats: What significance did places such as Grieg's composing hut, Mahler's summer houses or other working places in nature have for music?
- Sounds of nature and soundscapes in music of various eras
- Music and environmental awareness: What role does nature play in contemporary art today?
- Connections between music, literature, visual art and landscape
The programme should convey an idea or a question, ideally also in a moderated form.
What we offer
In our recently restored music salon, the atmosphere of around 1900 comes alive. Alongside the original wood and ceiling panelling from 1905, the historic interior gives the room an authentic ambience.
Our facilities
- Room size: approx. 50 m²
- Grand piano: Steinway B (built in 1904, very good condition)
- Equipment: seating for up to 60 visitors; several small tables
- Event technology: screen, projector, 4 loudspeakers
As part of our annual programme, we pay fees to all performers. As a non-profit association, however, our resources are limited. To get an idea of the total costs to be expected, we therefore ask for a preliminary financing plan.
How does it work?
Applications with all the documents listed below can be submitted by email by 31 August 2026 at the latest. All proposals will then be reviewed. The board of the Grieg-Begegnungsstätte decides which projects are accepted. Arrangements regarding the exact event date are made in personal consultation.
The application should include:
- Proposal / project outline (max. 200 words)
- CV of the performers involved
- if applicable, a list of the technical equipment and facilities required
- if applicable, documents or materials from previous performances
- financing plan with proposed fees and any costs likely to arise
Contact
Grieg-Begegnungsstätte Leipzig
Talstrasse 10 · 04103 Leipzig
T: 0341 99 39 661
M: info@edvard-grieg.de
W: www.edvard-grieg.de