Now on Youtube: The meditative journey through our terroirs. Good boxes, a relaxed glass of wine, and 25 enjoyable minutes.

from the sound of the slate

The idea of a very literal implementation of our slogan has accompanied us since the 1980s. Is it possible to recognize structures in the slate and derive integer proportions from them in order to musically represent them à la Pythagoras - the relationships of the edge lengths of crystals correlate with intervals?

Unfortunately, no. We had to accept that even if there were still nicely grown minerals in the sediments of the primordial ocean, they lost their clear structure at the latest due to the friction forces and the pressure during the foliation. Nevertheless, the curiosity about the inside of our slate remained - and also the vision of a musical interpretation. And then there was the decisive encounter.

Dr. Bogdan Raguelow, head of the physical-chemical institute at the University of Sofia, was a great wine lover and was enthusiastic about our idea of exploring the differences in slate with his microscope. We sent him a typical stone from each terroir, from which a translucent, so-called thin section was prepared: starting material for countless photos of fascinating crystal worlds that we have put together to form a video.

Dr. Fabian Freisberg, a doctor of church music and a great connoisseur of our wines, interpreted the moods of the images and the taste of the wines with ambitious soundscapes. And thanks to the perfect sound engineering by Ole Muth, the recording of the fantastic organ by St Kastor in Koblenz shines with overwhelming depth and exuberant liveliness.

from the sound of the slate

Hear the slate? Before the triumph of the visual, the auditory level allowed an intensive relationship with the environment for many centuries.

ausonius

The Roman official and poet Dezimus Magnus Ausonius lived in Trier from 367 to 388 as the tutor of Emperor Gratian. His poem "Mosella" was written around 371 AD

Up to the highest heights of the steep slopes

the banks are planted with the worry-relieving wines.

Froh ist das Volk bei der Arbeit, es mühen sich fleisig die Winzer

now in the highest elevations, now on the steep slope below.

Cheerfully they quarrel with friendly jokes,

the echo comes back,

Rocks and rustling forest, the depth of the river echoes.

. . .

Here on the bank is the stage for cheerful games, where Saryrn,

wild fellows, and nymphs of the river, blue-eyed, frolic.

The Pane are happy and cheeky, with their feet of goats,

springen ins flache Wasser, erschrecken die ängstlichen Schwestern

down in the river when they romp clumsily in the waves.

Often a nymph comes to the water and nibbles from the vineyard.

Then I have to flee to her playmates in the mountains

wenn sie die lüsternen Faune verfolgen, die Hüter der Fluren.

It is also said: If the fiery sun is at noon,

Satyrs and nymphs gather at the river that belongs to both of them.

Dance festive rounds together.

The scorching heat offers secret hours with no people around.

Venatius lucky

Venatius Fortunatus, later Bishop of Poîtiers, wrote poetry in 588 AD on his journey from Metz to the mouth of the Moselle together with the Merovingian king Childebert II.

Ward mit Musik ich erfreut, schlürfte das Ohr Melodien:
Stimmen ertönten laut und es schlugen die Berge die Orgel.

Und es hallt‘ Melodien wider der hangende Fels.
Bald dämpft ehernes Werst der Besaitung sanftere Töne,
Antwort hallte der Flöt‘ ab von dem Berge Gesträuch
Nun mit erzitterndem Beben, und dann in dem vollen Gesanglaut
Schallt von dem Fels die Musik, wie sie entströmet dem Erz.
Also vereint der Gesang Anmut die getrennten Gestade,
Und einstimmig entschallt Hügeln und Strömen Musik...

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