Category Archives: Organ Music

Vespers 2012 are past

»Les vesperales de l’orgue Dubois en Wissembourg« are now past. Today Christoph Keggenhoff used the occassion of the last concert of this series to demonstrate the different shades of the instrument’s timbres. I enjoyed every single minute, as I did the 19 concerts before. Thanks to all who helped to make this happen.

Next sunday at 3PM a final concert with about 150 musicians playing the »Requiem in C-Moll« by Antonio Salieri (1750-1825) will take place. Free entry is granted. Donations for the new organ of the protestant church St. Jean are welcome.

Les vesperales de l’orgue Dubois en Wissembourg

After its inauguration, the Dubois organ is used for a series of vespers during this summer, happening each sunday afternoon from 5 PM to 5:50 PM. Though the inauguration just happened one week ago, Daniel Maurer yesterday was in desperate need of tuning the lingual pipes of the backside positiv 15 minutes before the concert. He played the following pieces:

  • J.S. Bach
    • Choral »Komm, Gott Schöpfer, heiliger Geist« (BWV 667)
  • F. Couperin
    • Récit de Cornet
    • Cromorne sur la taille
  • J.S. Bach
    • Fantaisie en sol majeur (Très vitement, Gravement, Lentement) (BWV 572)
    • Choral »Meine Seele erhebet den Herrn« (BWV 243)
  • F. Couperin
    • Offertoire sur les grands jeux
    • Récit de Tierce en Taille
  • G.F. Haendel, Suite N°1 for a musical clock
    • A voluntary or a flight of angels (HWV 600)
    • Menuet (HWV 603)
    • Gigue (HWV 589)

Today Pascal Reber played the following:

  • Claude Gervaise, Danceries de la Renaissance
    • Pavane
    • Gaillarde
    • Branle de Champagne
    • Branle de Bourgogne
  • J.S. Bach
    • Choral »Herr Jesu Christ dich zu uns wend« (BWV 655)
    • Choral »Komm heiliger Geist, Herre Gott« (BWV 652)
  • Louis Nicolas Clérambault
    • Plein Jeu
    • Duo
    • Trio
    • Basse de cromorne
    • Flûtes
    • Récit de nazard
    • Caprice sur les Grands Jeux
  • Pacal Reber
    • Improvisation I
    • Improvisation II

I especially enjoyed the first block of ancient renaissance pieces. During the second improvisation, he played rather unconventional stuff, showing that the instrument is not only capable of reproducing classical music.

Two excellent concerts which I really enjoyed.

Inauguration of the Dubois organ of Wissembourg

The inauguration of »L’Orgue Dubois de l’abbatiale Sts. Pierre et Paul en Wissembourg« is over. There was an excellent presentation of the timbres of the instrument followed by a concert with pieces of Nicolas de Grigny (Veni Creator), Johann Sebastian Bach (Deux chorals de Leipzig), Georg Böhm (Partita sur le choral »Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten«) et Pierre Dumage (Suite du 1er Ton). Screens have been used so that the attendees could directly see what is happening at the organ’s console.

Once again I was completely overwhelmed by the sound of the instrument. And once again I noticed that the sound of famous instruments gains its living and breathing from little imperfections. Individual pipes have an individual chiff, some pipes rattle a bit when being played (especially lingual pipes), others are not tuned perfectly.

The presentation will be available as a recording in CD respectively DVD formats. The visitors got a nice printed handout (available both in french and german language) which provides valuable information of the history and restoration of the instrument.

From 2012-05-27 through 2012-09-30 each sunday free concerts will be provided between 5:00PM and 5:45PM. Obviously I’ll revive a hobby of mine and choose Wissembourg as the favorite destination of my sunday biking trips :) .

The Pipe Organ of St. Konrad, Aschaffenburg-Strietwald, Germany

On saturday I had the occasion (but not the time) to play the instrument depicted above. Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of its console with traditional stops on either side, as I was in a hurry.

It’s quite an interesting instrument, built in 2007 by Freiburger Orgelbau. The disposition of the stops qualifies the instrument for authentic playing of both baroque and romantic organ music:

I. Main (C–g3)

1. Bordon 16’
2. Prinzipal 8’
3. Gedeckt 8’
4. Flute harmonique 8’
5. Viola da Gamba 8’
6. Octave 4’
7. Gemshorn 4’
8. Superoctave 2′
9. Mixtur 4-5fach 1 1/’3’
10. Trompete 8’

Tremulant

II. Swell (C–g3)
11. Geigenprizipal 8′
12. Rohrgedeckt 8’
13. Salicional 8’
14. Vox coelestis 8’
15. Octav 4’
16. Traversflöte 4’
17. Nasard 2 2/’3’
18. Octavin 2’
19. Terz 1 3/’5’
20. Piccolo 1’
21. Trompette harmonique 8’
22. Hautbois 8’

Tremulant

Pedal (C–f1)
23. Prinzipalbass 16′
24. Subbass 16’
25. Octavbass 8’
26. Gedacktbass 8’
27. Octav 4’
28. Bombarde 16’
29. Trompete 8’

Obviously it is dominated by 8’ stops. Its timbre is rather full and warm instead of brilliant. I hope there will be a second chance for playing it. Here are the stops I’m most interested in:

  • Prinzipal 8’ – full and warm
  • Flute harmonique 8’ – one of my all time favorite stops. The length of those pipes is twice the length necessary, while a small drilling in the middle of the length ensures the pipe’s pitch is correct.
  • Trompete 8’ – not a bawler at all
  • Vox coelestis 8’ – if you like programming pads with two detuned oscillators on synthesizers, this stop is for you. You will ask “How can I create such a sound on a synth?!?”
  • Terz 1 3/’5’ – a third. A unique stop. I had absolutely no luck programming it on a synthesizer.
  • Hautbois 8’ – another lingual stop. Another sound you won’t be able to program on a synth.
  • Bombarde 16’ – nomen est omen. The right pedal stop for bombastic pieces. Grand Jeux comes to my mind :)

200th Birthday of Franz Liszt

Franz Liszt by Pierre Petit, via Wikipedia, Public Domain

Franz Liszt by Pierre Petit, via Wikipedia, Public Domain

Yesterday we celebrated the 200th birthday of Franz Liszt. Countless concerts took place all around the globe, and I noticed contributions in radio broadcastings. His main instrument was the grand piano, but he also composed about a dozen pieces for the pipe organ. Organ players may remember »Praeludium und Fuge über B-A-C-H«, a piece quite difficult to play, which exposes the capabilities of the instrument in an excellent manner.

In case Jazz did not exist, I guess he was one of my preferred musicians :) .