Gerrit Illenberger and Gerold Huber Celebrate Romantic Song Art at the Castle
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Between Heaven and Earth: Romantic Song Evening at Castle Kempfenhausen
On Sunday, September 27, 2026, Castle Kempfenhausen in Berg will open its doors for a special evening of German art song. Under the title Between Heaven and Earth, baritone Gerrit Illenberger and pianist Gerold Huber will present a high-profile concert featuring works by Robert Schumann, Johannes Brahms, and Gustav Mahler.
Schumann's Eichendorff Song Cycle as a Musical Inner World
At the center of the program is Robert Schumann's unique Song Cycle op. 39 based on poems by Joseph von Eichendorff. Between nocturnal landscapes, wanderlust, and quiet nature observation, a romantic sound world unfolds, where every musical gesture carries significance. Illenberger's baritone combines text intelligibility with colorful lineation, while Gerold Huber at the piano makes the finest transitions of orchestration audible.
Brahms: Warmth, Depth, and Late Romantic Sound Colors
Selected songs by Johannes Brahms lead the evening into an intimate, often contemplative sound language. The characteristic connection of folk song-like melody, dense harmony, and emotional restraint demands precise synchronization between voice and piano. Gerold Huber is one of the renowned song accompanists and studied, among others, in the song class of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau.
Mahler's Wunderhorn Songs between Earth and Departure
With a selection from Gustav Mahler's Des Knaben Wunderhorn, the musical horizon expands. Mahler combines folk-like simplicity with dramatic density, irony with shattering emotionality. In the intimate acoustics of the castle, a concert experience emerges that takes the quiet nuances as seriously as the great outbursts of late Romantic stage performance.
A Tribute to Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
The song evening is also dedicated to Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, who lived in Berg and passed away there in 2012. The cultural association Berg has been regularly dedicating a concert evening to him since 2022. Gerrit Illenberger made his debut in the 2025/26 season at the Bavarian State Opera as Melisso in Handel's Alcina; previously, he was a member of the ensemble at the Semperoper Dresden. Together with Gerold Huber, he continues a significant tradition of German art song.
Conclusion: A Quiet Concert with Great Emotional Impact
Visitors can expect a concentrated song evening full of poetry, vocal precision, and sound depth. The combination of castle atmosphere, romantic song culture, and tribute to Fischer-Dieskau makes this concert date a special experience for classical music lovers and anyone who wants to experience music directly and intensely.
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