An organ trip to Paris 23 – 27 april 2014
Paris is not only „La Capitale de la Grande Nation“, but also the potential World Organ Capital. It was here that Clicquot, Merklin, Mutin and the outstanding Aristide Cavaillé-Coll built the organs that still fascinate us today. And there are new instruments to fascinate us, too. There were 11 organs on the programme of the 5-day organ trip organised and led by Michael Grüber and Miriam Tressel of ORGANpromotion. They have been doing this for 15 years, and their perfect, competent, careful and affectionate leadership of the trip is as good as ever.
The 60 participants were from 7 countries and included 16 students from the Organ Class of Prof. Krummacher from the Leipzig College of Music. The latter were given an interpretation course with Frédéric Blanc in Notre-Dame- d´Auteuil, which all participants were able to listen to. Blanc is an exceptionally well-informed, lively, jovial organist with total command of his instrument. His grandiose, voluptuous improvisation astounded the ears. He intuitively knew how to give self-confidence and hints for further development to the players who for the most part had attained a high level .
From 23.-27. April the pilgrimage moved from Notre-Dame to Notre-Dame-des Champs, from Temple du Foyer de l'Âme to Saint Sulpice, von Notre-Dame d'Auteuil to the Trinité and St. Augustin, from the Temple de Saint Esprit to La Madelaine and to the Église réformée de l’Étoile. Michael Grüber's amazing personal contacts opened all doors and mobilised the renowned „Chefs d’Orgue“: François-Henri Hubart, Didier Matry, Daniel Roth as well as the younger, brilliant Noel Hazebrough (Organ, Piano) and Frédéric Rivoal, the latter with a totally enchanting virtuoso Baroque and Classical Programme by the “Flower Gatherer” in the Foyer de l’Âme. Kurt Lueders accepted the challenge of polishing up the dusty image of the harmonium.
The motto of the trip was „Hommage à Jean-Pierre Leguay“ (*1939, 2014 75th. Birthday). The pupil of Olivier Messiaen is one of the organists at Notre Dame and winner of numerous international prizes for composition-and improvisation. Amazingly modest and introverted, his course on the choir organ in Notre-Dame gave tips for clear, structured, stylistically melodic and colourfully registered playing. Away from any mainstream, Leguay's music needs few sounds in order to evoke a mystical atmosphere, as if from another star. Like Messiaen he listens for inner voices, and emphasises moods and effects rather than subjective surges of feeling.
(Peter Donhauser)