Brahms composed his "Geistliches Wiegenlied" in 1863 as a wedding present for two friends of his, the famous violinist Joseph Joachim and contralto Amalie Schneeweiss. Brahms and Joachim both loved the sound of the viola, a chamber instrument that was only just developing a concert repertoire.

This classical composition was the starting point for the programme of the present CD, which combines original works for trio from three centuries in the formation voice - viola - piano, including two specially-written vocal cycles by Sarah Nemtsov and Walter Zimmermann.

The programme represents a kind of musical engagement with themes that are gaining new relevance today: persecution and expulsion, homelessness and homesickness. The texts and their settings sometimes enter into an unexpected dialogue.