„What's the organist doing up there? - Always bear the listener in mind!
From 2nd to 9th November the German-Danish border country between Flensburg and Lügumkloster was the location for a „German-Danish Organ Week”. A large, international group of participants experienced an intensive study week featuring courses and recitals with Bine Bryndorf and Daniel Roth, a Denmark organ tour and a day of study in Flensburg offering lectures and viewings. baroque organ music on historic organs and symphonic, modern organ music on the new Woehl organ of St. Nikolai in Flensburg, two organ courses with superb teachers in totally authentic locations and authentic organs plus an intervening weekend full of organ wonders!
First-class organs in first-class localities – the church of the former Cistercian Monastery of Lögum, one of the most beautiful from the Danish Middle Ages, home to a beautiful-sounding Markussen organ dating from 1923/1969t, plus the Nikolai Church in Flensburg containing one of the most stunning Renaissance Organ Screens. Behind the screen are located two linked organ installations, one of them a baroque instrument modelled on Arp Schnitgers' erstwhile organ with modified mid-range pitch, the other a modern, symphonic organ. One piece of historical authenticity is that both consoles are completely separate installations each producing a distinct ambiance for its particular instrument. To reach the Schnitger console in cramped space following the extant model from Lübeck Cathedral, one climbs up an equally cramped, historically authentic spiral staircase of North German brick construction, whilst the symphonic console is allowed to extend onto a modern lower loft, affording ample room for a choir or other instrumentalists.
“Always bear the listener in mind: What's he doing up there?“ – and again and again “…practise , practise“, from Daniel Roth, celebrating the Art of the Organist and how he deals with expansive, French symphonic music, instrument and space.
The participants - all organ students and organ enthusiasts of varying degrees of musical education from Denmark, Germany, Italy, Poland, Russia, Switzerland and USA – enjoyed an intensive and quality working environment, balanced with flashes of humour and relaxation by the two lecturers to reflect the various levels of skill and talent.
Since 2003 the German-Danish border region has become an established concept in the organ world because of the annual „Organ festival Sønderjylland-Schleswig“ and numerous visitors came to the recitals to listen to the sound of the organs.
Those who worked to ensure the success of the event, apart from ORGANpromotion were the Church Music School Lögumkloster (Director Hans Christian Hein) and the Church Council St. Nikolai Flensburg (CMD Michael Mages), as well as the sponsors „KulturDialog – Region Sonderjylland-Scheswig – INTERREG4A – Syddanmark-Schleswig-K.E.R.N.“!
A magnificent event and organ week with huge potential for a repeat . With thanks to the organisers!
Dr. Wolfgang Skorupa, Dresden