Music

Germany is known as a land of great composers. Their works can be heard around the world - and not least of all in concert halls, churches and cathedrals throughout Germany's historic cities.

Significant musical history was written by Johann Sebastian Bach. His family lived for years in Erfurt. This composer from the period of Baroque is recalled by a tour called "Following Bach through the City". Every year, Erfurt also hosts the "Thuringian Bach Weeks" - an excellent tradition that offers much for music lovers. In nearby Arnstadt, travelers can visit the Bach Church, where the 18-year-old composer served as organist. The composer also spent time in the Hanseatic city of Lübeck as a young man, as is recalled there by a tour "Bach and Brick Gothic".

Brahms composed his "Third Symphony" in Wiesbaden, and Wagner worked on his opera "Die Meistersinger of Nürnberg" in a nearby villa on the Rhine.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart also has roots in Germany's Historic Highlights cities. His father, Leopold Mozart, was born in Augsburg in a house that is still standing.

Although Bonn, just to the north, is better known as the birthplace of Ludwig von Beethoven, the world's largest private Beethoven exhibition is in Koblenz. It was in the house at Wambachstrasse 204 that the composer's mother, Maria Magdelena, was born in 1746. Today, the "Mother-Beethoven-House" also houses documents and letters of cultural figures of the period.

Key Dates in Music

Around 600 Gregorian chants

730 The monk Bonifatius founds a school of singing in Würzburg

975 Cathedral school in Regensburg

Around 1200 Minnesong

Around 1440 Meistergesang in Freiburg and Augsburg

1507 Humanists: cultivation of music in Augsburg and Heidelberg

1520 Publication of choral works in Augsburg

1524 Erfurt handbook (church songs) published by Luther

From 1635 Bach family in Erfurt

1714 - 88 Philip E. Bach in Potsdam

1719 - 87 Leopold Mozart in Augsburg