(''One'' or ''United'') is an

oratorio An oratorio () is a musical composition with dramatic or narrative text for choir, soloists and orchestra or other ensemble. Similar to opera, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an instrumental ensemble, various distinguisha ...

written on a commission from the Ökumenischer Kirchentag 2021 in

Frankfurt Frankfurt am Main () is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Hesse. Its 773,068 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the List of cities in Germany by population, fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located in the forela ...

Hesse Hesse or Hessen ( ), officially the State of Hesse (), is a States of Germany, state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt, which is also the country's principal financial centre. Two other major hist ...

, Germany, the third

ecumenical Ecumenism ( ; alternatively spelled oecumenism)also called interdenominationalism, or ecumenicalismis the concept and principle that Christians who belong to different Christian denominations should work together to develop closer relationships ...

convention of lay Christians of different denominations in Germany. The text was written jointly by the Protestant pastor

Eugen Eckert Eugen Eckert (born 1954) is a German social worker, minister, singer-songwriter and academic teacher. He is known for his lyrics for new spiritual songs (Neues Geistliches Lied), and his oratorios and musical plays. Career Born in Frankfurt am ...

and the Catholic Franciscan

Helmut Schlegel Helmut Alfons Schlegel (born 15 May 1943) is a German Franciscan Catholic priest, meditation instructor, author, librettist and songwriter. He is known for writing new spiritual songs ( Neues Geistliches Lied), set to music by various composers ...

. The music of many genres was composed by

Peter Reulein Peter Reulein (born 1966) is a German composer, organ improviser, academic teacher and church musician, from 2000 at the church Liebfrauen in Frankfurt am Main. In 2016 he composed for the Catholic Diocese of Limburg the Franciscan oratorio ''L ...

for the more traditional parts and by Bernhard Kießig for jazz and pop elements. The work is subtitled ''Ökumenisches Oratorium in vier Bildern für Solisten, Chor, Orchester und Band'' (Ecumenical Oratorio in four scenes for soloists, choir, orchestra and band). The oratorio was published in 2021 by the

Dehm Verlag Patrick Dehm (born 1962) is a German Catholic theologian, supervisor and clinical Gestalt therapist. He and his brother founded the Eugen Dehm foundation, supporting a holistic health concept, in memory of their father. Dehm is director of the D ...

. The premiere, planned to be in a football arena with audience participation, had to happen without audience due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A film of a shortened version was produced as a

livestream Livestreaming, live-streaming, or live streaming is the streaming media, streaming of video or Digital audio, audio in real-time communication, real time or near real time. While often referred to simply as ''streaming'', the real-time nature ...

, and first presented on 14 May 2021 as part of the Kirchentag.

References

{{italic title German-language oratorios Oratorios based on the Bible 2021 oratorios Christianity in Hesse Music in Frankfurt Christian ecumenism