Music theory brought to life
Symphony – a four-movement work for orchestra, whose individual movements differ in tempo, character, and form, yet ultimately merge into a harmonious whole. This is what immediately comes to mind when I visit the Zwischenzeilen at the Gollan Cultural Shipyard, part of the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival . Symphony, or harmony: at Shipyard Summer, everything simply fits together perfectly.
ALLEGRO – THE SHMF
The first movement, which establishes the theme and the key. Fast-paced, lively, cheerful, joyful. All these adjectives perfectly describe Germany's largest classical music festival. What seems obvious to us today was almost revolutionary in 1985: when the festival idea was born, the aim was to bring musical experiences directly to the people and leave the "hallowed halls" of classical music. To become more accessible. Since then, it has been associated with great names such as Bernstein, Menuhin, Mutter, Lang Lang, Rostropovich, and Netrebko, to name just a few. Following the country-specific focuses, composer retrospectives and artist portraits are now integral components.
There are weekend workshops for children and young people led by renowned artists such as Grubinger, Landgren, and Meyer. The concerts, performances, and readings now enliven more than 100 venues in northern Germany, including in neighboring Denmark. In my mind's eye, I see ladies in hats with beautifully filled picnic baskets at the music festivals on magnificent estates in the most beautiful corners of Schleswig-Holstein. Since 1986, the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival has matured into a magnificent, diverse cultural offering that dares to break new ground and embraces musical styles that don't automatically carry the label "classical."
ANDANTE – THE GOLLAN CULTURAL WAREHOUSE
The second movement, performed at a moderately slow tempo. Serene. Calm. Attributes that suit the Gollan cultural shipyard and the people who are breathing new life into the historic industrial complex.
The Gollan shipyard looks back on a long and eventful history. It enchants me every time I visit with its unique, almost morbid charm, unparalleled in Lübeck. Brick-red halls, details of steel and iron, rust, and broken windows stand in vivid contrast to modern glass facades and state-of-the-art lighting and stage technology. Far from being a lost place.
Much more than just an industrial monument, it has been revived by entrepreneur Thilo Gollan. Since 2014, he has been carefully developing the dilapidated halls into a venue focused on culture and community. Where ships were once built and repaired, there is now space for concerts, readings, trade fairs, and corporate events. It also hosts graduation balls and discussions with candidates for Chancellor, as was the case in 2017 and again in 2021. For several years now, the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival has also used the Gollan Cultural Shipyard as a performance venue.
SCHERZO – THE SHMF SHRF SUMMER
"A piece of music of a light and cheerful character, in which humor and playful moods engage in a lively game with the emotions." That's what the musicological lexicon says.
This year, the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival (SHMF) and the Gollan Cultural Shipyard collaborated for the first time on the open-air event " Shipyard Summer, " and the atmosphere was more than cheerful. Happy faces shone in the bright sunshine. In the relaxed atmosphere, conversations with the performing artists arose naturally. The open-air grounds are simply predestined for a musical adventure with creative singer-songwriters. Enjoying a delicious organic lemonade in the shade of the bunker, a former factory air-raid shelter, one's gaze wanders over railway carriages and warehouses to the distant towers of St. Jakobi and St. Marien churches.
The festival's location in this historic spot, within sight of Lübeck's old town, enhances the musical experience even further. I'm so thrilled that Lübeck isn't presenting itself here from a superficially beautiful perspective, but rather from a "that's life" point of view. Authentic and a "work in progress".
"With the Werftsommer festival, the SHMF has created a format that fits perfectly into the shipyard halls and the open-air area: unique and a bit more experimental with alternative genres, a great supporting program, and diverse, regional food stalls. This is exactly the kind of festival we were missing here. We're looking forward to more of it. It felt so good to hear live music again, sit in the sun, and simply enjoy that special festival atmosphere."
Thilo Gollan, founder and operator of the Kulturwerft
Allegro Finale – A cultural stroll through steel and brick halls
During the shipyard summer, Gollan Halls 5 and 9 offer the chance to browse through lovingly crafted art, discover everyday poetry from the gumball machine of book pirates chat Babette Büttner Screen in a box ".
Kulturfunke initiative . Culinary highlights include homemade ice cream from Soulmates , freshly made fish sandwiches from Fangfrisch , specialty coffees from Cycle Roasters , and cupcakes from Bäcktaulär .
Several more concerts are taking place at the Kulturwerft Gollan until August 2nd. Don't miss them! Here's the SHMF program:
