The Collegium Cantorum Köln was founded in 1992 as a chamber choir under the direction of Thomas Gebhardt. It has its roots in a sextet of male voices that had specialized in a cappella music since 1987. Together with the female voices of the Esch Youth Choir, this formed the nucleus of today's choir.
Many of the singers previously sang in the Pescher Schola under Pastor Boos, where they discovered the joy of sacred music. The Collegium Cantorum Köln is, of course, no longer as young as it was when it was founded (the children of the choir members now sing in the children's and youth choir), but the choir remains committed to the sound ideal of fresh, clear voices. With a repertoire of sacred music from the Renaissance to the present day, the choir offers harmonious programs that convey to the listener not only the joy of music but also the relationship between text and music. The musicologically well-thought-out and meticulously conceived programs, as well as the high quality of the interpretations, have found enthusiastic audiences and critics.
Among other things, the ensemble sang specially prepared reconstructions of Handel's Messiah in the 1746 version for Cork (Ireland) and of IS Bach's St. Mark Passion.
01 Symphony
02 Begin the noble song (bass)
03 To Thee our annual tribute thus we pay (Chorus)
04 Music and thee our songs divide (Alto, Tenor)
05 With pleasing yet unbounded sway (Bass)
06 Hark! Arion sings (Alto)
07 How various, music, is thy praise! (Tenor)
08 Symphony
09 The trumpet calls to arms! (alto)
10 All echo back (Chorus)
