December 17–20, 2026, in Berlin
“Psalms in Space and Time”
Featuring choirs from Berlin, the U.S., and Israel
Since the Louis Lewandowski Festival has, from its inception, always focused thematically on specific composers of synagogue music or on a particular geographic or cultural region, this year we turn our attention to a collection of prayers from the Tanakh, the Jewish Bible—the world of the Psalms (Hebrew: T’hilim).
The Psalms are among the oldest and, at the same time, most vibrant texts in the Jewish tradition. For over two thousand years, they have been recited, sung, and repeatedly reinterpreted. They express the full range of human emotions: joy and gratitude, lament and hope, doubt and trust. They serve as a mirror both of personal feelings and of the collective memory of the Jewish people.
Psalms have been sung or set to music in a wide variety of forms across generations—from the time of the Temple, whose music we do not know, through traditional cantillation in synagogue services, to compositions that have accompanied us throughout the last five centuries of synagogue music.
The festival’s concerts will feature these multifaceted encounters between text and music from different eras. We will experience the world of the Psalms not only as religious poetry but also as a source of artistic inspiration. Through diverse musical perspectives, a space is created in which ancient words resonate anew and unfold their timeless power.
Look forward to guest choirs from the United States and Israel!