Isle of Reichenau

On top is a picture looking out onto the Bodensee from the Isle of Reichenau. I don't think that is the city of Konstanz across the water (in fact I am 90% certain it is not), but it would be on the same penninsula. They grow a number of things on the island, but are known for the wine made from their own grapes. They give you two complimentary small bottles in your room - a red and a white - and it is known simply as "Insel Reichenau" brand. This is a great place. We had perch for dinner last night which was caught right in Lake Constance, and this afternoon I had a salad made out of vegetables grown right behind the restaurant.

The people are very friendly and most of them speak English. Only one person (my maid) spoke no English which forced me to communicate with her in German, which was good for me.

In the morning we sang a Tridentine Mass at St. Georg's (middle picture), parts of which date back to 980 AD at the latest. The most famous resident of Reichenau, from the standpoint of our tour, was Hermannus Contractus (Hermann the cripple) who was a monk credited with the Salve Regina and the Alma Redemptoris Mater. He really lived here, although there is some scholarly question as to the authenticity of the attribution. Still there must be something to the tradition. Anyway there was quite a scholarly tradition here on the island, and a number of architectural treasures. Some of the chants we sang at Mass would have been composed at about the time the church was built - as Fr. Skeris told the very talkative lady sacristan. Also we sang the Heinrich Isaac polyphonic setting of the chant communio "Gustate et Videte" which would have been composed as part of the "Choralis Constantinus" for the Konstanz Cathedral Chapter - for use at the Cathedral. It is possible some of this work made it across the lake and was sung in the very building of St. Georg about the the time it was written in 1508, or shortly there after. It certainly sounded good when we did it at St. Georg's.

The Monastery Church is still on the Island, although there are no more monks there. It, however, was very influential in its day - having its hey day from the 8th through the 12th centuries. The last picture, however, is from within the church of St. Peter. In particular, I wanted to show the "crazy quilt" of styles. If you double click the picture you will see three distinct eras. On the apse you can see the Carolingian paintings dating from 1104 to 1134. Then sometime during the Renaissance they punched a hole in the wall and put that stained glass window in (cutting right into the original painting). The stained glass in place now seems to date from sometime between 1880-1920. Then look at the top and see the late Baroque, Roccoco ceiling.

I have seen this before. The architectural deformations after Vatican II are not totally without precedent.