Organ Day

The organ is also known as the »king of all instruments«, and its imposing appearance does more than enough justice to this title. But how exactly does such a magnificent instrument work? What are the differences between the Elbphilharmonie's organ and its relatives in Hamburg's other concert halls and churches? You will get the answers to all these questions and more at the Elbphilharmonie's »Organ Day«. At this jovial improvisation concert, all the stops are pulled out – quite literally.

The Elbphilharmonie's Organ Day features organists from the city's principal churches, as well as Thomas Cornelius, who regularly plays the Elbphilharmonie organ and knows the instrument like no-one else. And as virtuosos with a special penchant for improvisation, these artists are all open to the odd musical joke…

The Hamburg organists – in 2018, there were Thomas Cornelius, Thomas Dahl and Manuel Gera, supported by Clemens Matuschek’s moderation – demonstrate the whole range of sound that can be produced on 4,765 pipes, and explain how the way an organ sounds has changed in the course of music history.

And that isn't all! Before the event, the Elbphilharmonie community ist regularly asked through the social media networks and the Elbphilharmonie newsletter to submit the names of works or songs that they particularly want to hear played on the Elbphilharmonie pipe organ.

In 2018, well over 1,000 suggestions were submitted, and these served as inspiration for Gera, Dahl and Cornelius in the second half of the concert.

Did you find out all the works played?