Johannes Kirchberg sings and recites Erich Kästner

Time has never been as great as it is today

Erich Kästner, who was born in Dresden, wrote some of his most famous poems in Leipzig's coffee houses. And for many years now, a singer-songwriter from Leipzig and the historian of his time have been meeting on stages across Germany. If you are looking for one of the best Kästner interpreters, you will end up with Kirchberg. Hardly anyone else is able to set music to lyrics and interpret them as well as he does.

After four different Erich Kästner programmes, Kirchberg presented his favourite author with a new CD for his 125th birthday. An audio museum with 15 songs, 9 texts and 2 poems. “So groß wie heute war die Zeit noch nie” ('Time has never been as great as it is today') features new songs, chansons recorded for the first time and also very old songs. Settings that still move us and serve Kästner's words. And texts that fit the times and are, unfortunately, relevant again or still relevant. Words that concern and move us. As if they were written only yesterday.

In times like these, we clearly feel how important it is to have stability, both in our private lives and in politics. Kästner was and remains Johannes Kirchberg's moral compass and political friend. His motto is: ‘Friends, take heart, smile and say: People are good, only the masses are bad.’ Many of Erich Kästner's sharp observations are now part of everyday vocabulary: ‘There is nothing good unless you do it,’ for example. Sometimes we quote Kästner without even knowing it. And Kästner's works are still relevant today, time and again. This is often frightening, sometimes comforting.

In his homage to Erich Kästner, Johannes Kirchberg takes a deep bow to the poet. With great acting conviction and musicality, Johannes Kirchberg presents this new CD in the programme “So groß wie heute war die Zeit noch nie” ('Time has never been as great as it is today'). Perhaps this evening is a reason to reach for a Kästner book on your own bookshelf.
It's worth it!

More information under www.dermenschistgut.de

Text: Erich Kästner
Music: Johannes Kirchberg

Please register via anmeldung@ijb.de

With kind permission by Verlag für Kindertheater Weitendorf

An event by the Förderverein Erich Kästner Forschung e.V. and the International Youth Library Foundation