On Good Friday I was suddenly blessed with the opportunity to play three times in front of real people! The two services of the Evangelical church of Pörtschach took place outside, because so many people wanted to participate. Luckily the heat wave had not completely left the Southern part of Austria yet! Our String duo Kleio played during the services music of Platti and Glazunov among others, and the “Improvisation” we prepared specially for this occasion after the chorale “O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden”. Bach used this chorale in his St. Matthew Passion, and in Austria it’s sang every Easter, except that this year singing is forbidden.
In the evening I had a pleasure to lead the five-member-ensemble playing movements of “Die sieben letzten Worte” of Joseph Haydn during the service of the Freie Evangelikale Gemeinde Klagenfurt. Even though it was not possible to have many people in the church, it was touching to feel the presence of those who were there, and the service was streamed, so much more people were luckily able to participate online.