Iveta Apkalna
The Elbphilharmonie Organ
A la française – French organ culture has long since become synonymous with the close connection that the country, its music and its crafts enter into in this genre. Iveta Apkalna, the Elbphilharmonie’s titular organist, presents the founding fathers of symphonic organ music from Germany’s immediate geographic neighbour – composers who laid the foundation stone for an unprecedented success story.
The concert opens with César Franck, the »pater seraphicus« of the Parisian organ world, as he was often called by admirers on account of his paramount significance for his instrument. His »Pièce heroïque« is a work nothing short of iconic, just like Louis Vierne’s Third Symphony. After the »Carillon de Westminster«, this is probably Vierne’s most frequently-played composition.
Charles-Marie Widor’s Fifth Symphony likewise belongs in the organ music’s top ten – and not only because of the Toccata. After Bach’s well-known Toccata in D minor, this is one of the most popular pieces in the organ repertoire, and its popularity has remained unbroken. A true masterpiece, like the Elbphilharmonie organ, which has the chance in this recital to show just how French it sounds.
Performers
Iveta Apkalna organ
Programme
César Franck
Pièce héroïque h-Moll M 37
Prélude, fugue et variation in B minor, Op. 18 / from: Six Pièces d’Orgue
Louis Vierne
Sinfonie Nr. 3 fis-Moll op. 28 für Orgel (Auszüge)
– Interval –
Camille Saint-Saëns / Alexandre Guilmant
Marche héroïque Es-Dur op. 34
Charles-Marie Widor
Sinfonie Nr. 5 f-Moll op. 42/1
Encore:
Naji Hakim
Étude-Caprice »alla russa« / aus: Quatre Ètudes-Caprices pour Orgue pédalier solo
Subscription
Simply Organ
Series
The Elbphilharmonie Organ