Riedel singt Kästner

“Time Drives a Car”

He was a writer, journalist, copywriter, poet, and observer of his time—and its circumstances. We’re talking about Erich Kästner. This evening of songs focuses primarily on his poetry. Philipp Riedel has set a selection of Kästner’s poems to music. Many of them are nearly 100 years old, yet they feel as relevant today as if they had been written just yesterday.

An Eventful Life

Born in Dresden in 1899, Kästner moved to Leipzig to attend university. In the 1920s, he moved to Berlin, where he went from being a copywriter to an author of internationally successful children’s books. In the 1930s, he witnessed the rise of National Socialism and experienced the book burnings of his own works. In his secret war diary, he chronicled the events of his time. After the war: a sigh of relief, a fresh start in Munich, cabaret, editor—and screenwriter of many of his own works.

Words Become Music

Anyone who takes a closer look at Kästner’s work will recognize the impressive range of his texts: timeless, objective—and always razor-sharp in their powers of observation. Philipp Riedel specializes in setting poetry to music—from Shakespeare to contemporary poets. His work in the fields of chanson and musical theater takes center stage here.