3. Ramwold Crypt of St. Emmeram (October 11, 2026)

Location: Ramwold Crypt, St. Emmeram, Regensburg, Germany.
Date: October 11, 2026

Once again this year, following the long pilgrimage across the Meseta of Castilla and León, the twelve Sound Illuminations were presented in the Ramwold Crypt of St. Emmeram, one of the oldest churches in Regensburg. Along the ring-shaped passages leading to the crypt, visitors encounter numerous remains of early medieval frescoes, dating back to the ninth century. These frescoes establish a direct connection with the original inspiration for the works presented here: the twelve apostles depicted in the Romanesque frescoes of the ossuary in Perschen.

The Evolution of the Project: New Elements in the Ramwold Crypt Presentation

One of the central aims of this project, and one of the aspects that makes it particularly engaging, is its intention to grow and evolve with each new presentation. While the performances along this year’s pilgrimage route introduced revised versions of the twelve Sound Illuminations, the presentation in the Ramwold Crypt incorporated additional elements that we believe proved particularly successful.

Video Screens

One of these innovations was the introduction of two video screens. The first, placed outside the crypt, presented a video with images documenting the project as a whole. The second, located inside the crypt, displayed images of the twelve apostles depicted in the Romanesque frescoes of the ossuary in Perschen, to whom the twelve compositions known as Sound Illuminations are dedicated.

These images offered visitors two complementary perspectives: the video outside the crypt helped them understand the broader context and artistic journey of the project, while the images inside accompanied the listening experience, providing a visual dimension that complemented the sound without distracting from it.

Sounds of Nature

Another important development was the introduction of soundscapes recorded directly in nature between the twelve compositions, featuring crickets, cicadas, birds, water, and other sounds of the natural environment.

The inclusion of these natural sounds was inspired by the Spiritual Canticle (Cántico espiritual) by the Spanish mystic St. John of the Cross (San Juan de la Cruz). In his poetry, nature becomes a place of searching and encounter with the divine. The beauty of forests, water, animals, and landscapes reflects the beauty and generosity of Creation.

These natural soundscapes replaced the intervals of silence between the Sound Illuminations that had previously separated the compositions, and proved to be very successful. Far from disturbing the atmosphere of contemplation and meditation essential to fully appreciating the works, the natural sounds seemed to complement them, enhancing the sense of spirituality that the Sound Illuminations seek to evoke.

For this reason, we intend to incorporate these images and natural soundscapes as a complementary element in future presentations of the twelve Sound Illuminations.