„What Bach means to me? A consoler. He gives me the faith that in art as in life the real truth cannot be ignored or suppressed. He needs no human help but asserts himself through his own strength, when his time comes“. (Albert Schweitzer's answer to: „What does Johann Sebastian Bach mean to me and what does he mean for our time?“, in: magazine Die Musik 1905/06).*
Recitals, lectures, workshop filled the programme in the Paris Trip 2013, organised by OrganPromotion, following the footsteps of Schweitzer. Schweitzer, born 14th January 1875 in Kaysersberg, Alsace, died 4th. September 1965 in Lambarene/Gabon, Doctor of Theology, Philosophy and Medicine, as well as organist and organ expert. The aspects of this unique personity are mutilayered: each aspect deserves intensive consideration, each gives impetus to further thought. Any music-lover and above all organ-lover will reap ample harvest, from the study of Schweitzer's ideas, still inspiring today It can still be fruitful for one's own creativity. And for the book-lover Schweitzer's thoughts open an individual gateway to the person and works
of the „Fifth Evangelist“ (Hesselbacher), as the Alsatian remarked during in his organ lesson with Charles Marie Widor. Widor writes::
„One day – it was anno 1899 – whan we were just considering the Choral Preludes – I admitted to him that there were things in these compositions that were a puzzle to me. […] Thereupon Schweitzer – he was the pupil – explained them to me one after the other, I got to know a Bach whose existance I had only vaguely suspected. With one stroke it became clear to me […] that in art are revealed uniquely an urge and a capability to express poetic ideas and to bring word and sound into unity.“
We listened to ogans of the French Classicism (St Séverin), and Romantic (for example the Cavaillé Coll organs in Notre-Dame and in Notre-Dame d´Auteuil), historically accurate newbuild copies of high quality in various different styles (Palace chapel Versailles (Boisseau & Cattiaux) and in the Temple du Foyer de l’ Âme (Blumenroeder). Among the many high points were the recitals by Frédéric Blanc, Noël Hazebroucq, Carolyn Shuster-Fournier, Thomas Monnet, Yannik Merlin and Henri de Rohan-Czermak. The course on interpretation by Christophe Mantoux more than fulfilled the expectations of the participating organists. The lectures by Dr. Wolf Kalipp, Prof. Dr. Michael Gerhard Kaufmann, Corinna Lüers and Henri de Rohan-Czermak illuminated interesting facets of Albert Schweitzer's understanding of music as well as his ethics and aesthetics. It was a great honour for the participants of the Paris Trip that the daughter-in-law of Marie-Claire Alain, Madame Anne Gommier, had come especially to Versailles to the recital by Jean-Baptiste Robin „In memoriam Marie-Claire Alain“.
A decisive part in the conception of the programme and contributions was played by Prof. Dr. Michael Kaufmann as representative of the Society of Friends of the Organ (GdO). OrganPromotion made sure there was plenty of room for socialising and good conversation through the successful accompanying programme and the superb organisation. The organisers Michael Grüber and Miriam Tressel deserve our heartfelt thanks
Cornelia Weschler, Bärenweg 31 76149 Karlsruhe-Neureut