Lesiëm is a German musical project created in 1999 by the producers Sven Me… Read Full Bio ↴Lesiëm is a German musical project created in 1999 by the producers Sven Meisel and Alex Wende. The project’s music combines elements of rock, pop, electronica, new age, enigmatic and ambient music, as well as Gregorian chant and other choral music. It is frequently compared to French project Era and the Norwegian artist Amethystium. Lesiëm’s web site makes extensive reference to the group’s mystical/spiritual influences.

The project is formed by the following people:
Alex Wende – composer, producer
Hennig Westland and Jäcki Reznicek – musicians
Thomas Pflanz – author of the Latin lyrics;
Diana Lasch, Kira Primke, Lawrence Sihlabeni, Maggie Reilly and Tom Cunningham - session soloists
The "Carl Maria von Weber" choir on the albums Mystic. Spirit. Voices. and Chapter 2
and Chor Der Deutschen Oper Berlin ("Choir of the German Opera, Berlin") on the album Times.

Lesiëm released its debut album, Mystic, Spirit, Voices, in 2000. The songs Fundamentum and Indalo (recorded with Lawrence Sihlabeni) were taken in rotation of German radio stations and were later released as singles in January and June of 2000. Soon after this, the album was re-released in more than 50 countries all around the world. When the album was released in the United States in 2002, it climbed to no. 7 on the U.S.

Lesiëm’s second album, Chapter 2, was released in 2001 in Europe, Initially, a limited pre-edition was released in March of 2001, followed a month later by the official release, with all tracks re-arranged. In some countries the first, limited, edition was released as official. The album was release in the U.S.A. in 2003 under the title Illumination.

The ethnic theme (which first appeared in Indalo from "Mystic. Spirit. Voices") was continued in the track Africa (released as a single in March 2001). The vocals on this track are performed by Lawrence Sihlabeni. During creation of "Chapter 2" the musicians used ethnic musical instruments, for example the doudouk (in the track Aureus) and the great highland bagpipe (for the track Britannia) and operatic parts (e.g. Susanne Kirchbaum's soprano part in "Aureus"). However, there were no hits like Fundamentum in this album.

The first two albums were a sort of prelude for the pop-opera Times, which was Lesiëm’s 3rd album (released as Auracle in U.S.A. in 2004). The musicians started their work in March 2002 and finished it in the end of July. The single Caritas (feat. Maggie Reilly and Chor der Deutschen Oper Berlin) was presented in December 2002 on the philanthropic TV-show of Jose Carreras “Carreras Gala”.

In 2001, Lesiëm presented a huge show with lasers and pyrotechnics, called "Leipziger Feuerzauber". It took place at the Völkerschlachtdenkmal near Leipzig. More than 200,000 people visited it; a few millions of Germans watched it on the TV.

Poeta
Lesiëm Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Carmina mortis.
Carmina mortis.
Per poeta.
Deo iuvante.
Deo iuvante.
Contra legem. Choralis fortis.
Dolere morte, poeta.
O errare humanum est.

Bellum poema.
Bellum poema.
Cum lacrimis.
Modos dicere.
Modos dicere.
Per poema. O sacricola.
Contra naturam, poema.
Sacrificum intellectus.
Cabrada poeta.
Magrada poema.
Sabrada poeta.
Carmina mortis.
Carmina mortis.
Per poeta.
Deo iuvante.
Deo iuvante.
Contra legem. Choralis fortis.

Dolere morte, poeta.
O errare humanum est.

Overall Meaning

The song "Poeta" by Lesiëm appears to be an ode to the power of poetry and how it can be used to transcend even the weightiest of topics, such as death and war. The repeated phrase "Carmina mortis" means "songs of death" or "death poems", emphasizing the theme of mortality. The lyrics suggest that through poetry, with the help of God ("Deo iuvante"), it is possible to go against the law ("Contra legem") and express strong emotions ("Dolere morte"). The choral element reinforces the strength of this message, as the choir is described as "Choralis fortis" or "strong choir".

The lyrics delve deeper into the role of the poet, describing how the poet must be willing to stray from the norm ("Contra naturam"), sacrifice their intellect ("Sacrificum intellectus"), and endure hardships ("Cabrada poeta", "Magrada poema", "Sabrada poeta") in order to create something truly meaningful. The lines "Bellum poema" and "Cum lacrimis" suggest that even amidst the chaos of war and the sadness of mourning, the poet can still find a way to express themselves, to find melody ("Modos dicere") and create something beautiful.

Line by Line Meaning

Carmina mortis.
The song of death.

Per poeta.
Through the poet.

Deo iuvante.
With God's help.

Contra legem.
Against the law.

Choralis fortis.
Strong chorus.

Dolere morte, poeta.
To grieve death, poet.

O errare humanum est.
Oh, to err is human.

Bellum poema.
A poem of war.

Cum lacrimis.
With tears.

Modos dicere.
To speak melodies.

Per poema.
Through poetry.