This summer again (22.-24.7.2011) saw the Upper Swabian Organ Academy, initiated 8 years ago by Michael Grüber (ORGANpromotion/Management for the Organ), concentrating on the south German style of playing, on historical organs of the region. Full-time professional organists as well as part-timers came together on organs from the workshops of Holzhey - in the monastery church at Ravensburg-Weißenau, and Gabler - in the Basilica at Weingarten, in order to study, under the specialist leadership of Prof. Gerhard Gnann (Mainz College of Music), stylistic and interpretational aspects of organ music from the Early Baroque to the Early Romantic. The international group of participants (Korea, Italy Denmark, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Germany) encountered in Professor Gnann a proven specialist on these epochs and on the south German type of organ. Playing techniques were also intensively worked on, so that the two days proved an excellent preparation for the musical service in the Monastery Church at Weißenau which closed the course. Before that, however, Gerhard Gnann himself – in his opening recital for which he had selected works of appropriate style – demonstrated the beguiling sound of the Holzhey organ. Gnann's skill at registration underlined the beauty of his playing on that evening as well as in the demonstration of the Gabler organ in Weingarten on the following day. So both renowned organ-builders were honoured as creative masters of their craft. The breathtaking visual design of Gabler's organ-screen illustrates the link between architectual perfection and richness and elegance of sound, This instrument really does combine its multiplicity of facets to glorify the divine Creation, and in regal manner represents the treasure that is the Upper Swabian organ landscape. Every organ-lover should discover this for himself. Dominik Röglin