The Hagia Sophia in Constantinople (first a Christian church, then a mosque) and the Mezquita in Córdoba (first a mosque, then a Christian church) have something in common: they are symbols of the fact that, beyond claims to power, it is possible to recognize and tolerate different beliefs in God while maintaining mutual respect for human dignity. Córdoba points to the future, to an interreligious era in which global convergence is only possible if we respect those who believe and think differently. Tolerance secures our future. Robert M. Helmschrott was inspired by these buildings in his two organ works HAGIA SOPHIA and CÓRDOBA.
EX ORIENTE LUX refers to the patriarch Abraham, the “father of many nations” (Genesis 17:4 f.). Abraham occupies a central position in the Tanakh, the Old Testament, since according to tradition, the “Twelve Tribes of Israel” and thus also Jesus of Nazareth are descended from him. The Abraham of Islam and his son Ishmael, in turn, are considered the forefathers of the Arabs and ancestors of the Prophet Muhammad. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam thus refer to Abraham as their forefather.
These three organ works are musically based on historical events. LA FENÊTRE SUR L’ÉTERNITÉ completes these reflections and visions in the mirror of infinite reality. Seen in this light, this cycle also has an interreligious dimension.
All four works were commissioned by organist Franz Hauk.