Today was divided into two parts. We began very, very early to drive to Linderhof, a palace built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria. For a palace, it’s quite a modest size…but all the gold leafing places it squarely in the range of kings. It was quite beautiful, and I think everyone enjoyed the tour.
We took a few minutes for a photo of the Singers in the area opposite the palace entrance.
We then wandered into the back of the palace, and gathered for a photo in the incredible backyard. Ludwig loved the style of Louis XIV, who lived a hundred years earlier, and based his design of the palace and the grounds on Versailles. There was an uproar at all the money he spent on his four palaces, and the congress put him in prison. The next day he was found floating in a pond; most people think it was suicide after having the throne taken away, but an official cause of death was never declared.
Many of us walked up the steep hill to try to see the grotto, but tickets were required in advance. We walked around and enjoyed the views and the grounds—and the wonderful warm weather.
We came back to have lunch and get prepared for the afternoon. About 4:45 the choir boarded the coach to Kempten, a town about 30 minutes away. The performance was in St. Mang Church, sited in a large square in the middle of town.
BYU Singers shared a concert with the Efsun Ensemble from Turkey. Their instruments and sound were very interesting, and the audience appreciated their performance.
Next BYU Singers took the performance area. As this is a sacred music festival, the choir sang nine sacred pieces: new compositions, hymn arrangements, and spirituals. They sounded spectacular in the church’s great acoustics, and the audience responded with enthusiasm. After their standing ovation at the end of the program, the choir rewarded them with “I Am a Child of God” sung in German.
