Martin Schmeding, organ
Mendelssohn Bartholdy / Bach / Ligeti
A magical box that is the organ
Virtually everyone is familiar with Ernö Rubik’s eponymous invention – the Rubik’s Cube – with its seemingly infinite combinations of different coloured squares. With its incredible number of possible sound combinations, the organ is also a kind of Rubik’s Cube, in a way. And under the hands of Martin Schmeding, organ professor in Leipzig and one of the most virtuosic representatives of his craft, the organ’s sheer inexhaustible wealth of colours is being showcased in ever new ways.
The Hungarian composer Zsigmond Szathmáry, for example, has applied the principle of the cube to the organ. In his arrangement of Mendelssohn’s »Hebrides Overture«, the organ in turn becomes an orchestra; and in Sigfrid Karg-Elert’s fascinating chorale miniatures, an entire musical universe can be heard. Classics from the Christmas repertoire by Marcel Dupré, Olivier Messiaen and Max Reger also provide for a suitably festive mood on this Sunday in December.
Performers
Martin Schmeding organ
Programme
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy
The Hebrides or Fingal’s Cave / concert overture in B minor, Op. 26 (adaptation for organ by Martin Schmeding)
Johann Sebastian Bach
Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 659
Concerto in A minor, BWV 1065 / adaptation for organ by Martin Schmeding
György Ligeti
Hungarian Rock / Chaconne für Cembalo
Sigfrid Karg-Elert
Macht hoch die Tür op. 65/8 aus: Choral-Improvisationen für Orgel / from: 66 Chorale Improvisations, Op. 65
Resonet in laudibus aus: Kathedralfenster op. 106 / from: Cathedral Windows, Op. 106
Olivier Messiaen
Dieu parmi nous / from: La nativité du Seigneur. Neuf Méditations
– Interval –
Marcel Dupré
Le monde dans l’attente du Sauveur / from: Symphonie-Passion, Op. 23
Zsigmond Szathmáry
Rubik’s Cube
Leo Sowerby
Pageant
Max Reger
Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme in E major, Op. 52/2
Subscription
Simply Organ
Series
The Elbphilharmonie Organ