The greatest of symphonies / Widor’s organ symphony

Cinematic Symphony on Organ / Safety Last!

Organ improvisation complements old cinema exceptionally well, lending century-old films a new dimension. The concept is almost as old as cinematography itself. Harold Lloyd – the third geniusThis is one of the most easily recognisable shots in the history of cinema, and certainly in the history of slapstick comedy: a young man wearing a suit, a hat and horn-rimmed glasses is hanging off the minute hand bending away from the face of a street clock… Beneath him, a dozen storeys lower, there is the real bustling life of an American city. Safety Last! (1923, dir. F.C. Newmeyer, S. Taylor) is the most famous Harold Lloyd film, which enabled the American comedian to momentarily outshine Charlie Chaplin himself. Nevertheless, for posterity he remained “the third one” of comic geniuses, after Chaplin and Buster Keaton. He was characterised by a charming comicality rooted in his physique (the expressive body and... teeth) and laughter of the most spontaneous kind – one that stems from treating life as a game, approaching it in a purely comedic, slightly mad, fashion, with no need to fix the world (as opposed to Chaplin). In Safety Last!, the joyous madness, capable of infecting audiences with its laughter, has already survived for 101 years! The slapstick gags (panicky escapes, frantic chases, people slipping and falling over, falling ladders and comedy of errors) feel surprisingly fresh, as if the sense of humour had been preserved just for us. And one more thing: the American urge to go “higher still and at any cost, putting safety last” – does it still work? Anita SkwaraConcert duration: approximately 80 minutes

Cinematic Symphony on Organ / Buster Keaton

Cinematic Symphony on Organ / Fritz Lang / Metropolis

Cinematic Symphony on OrganOrgan improvisation complements old cinema exceptionally well, lending century-old films a new dimension. The concept is almost as old as cinematography itself. The first screening with an organ took place in 1908, at the Alcazar Theatre in Chicago. That was how silent movies – accompanied by the one-person orchestra at the manuals – would celebrate their triumphs for the next two decades, until talking movies were invented and popularised in the late 30s and early 40s. The purpose-built instruments even earned their own name: the film or theatre organ. If there was a thing they could not do! Among the sound effects they could imitate, one could find snoring, laughter, and even… kisses. The organ could yell for revenge, frantically pull at something or someone with sharp claws, cry bitter tears of sorrow, weep for love, moan at pangs of conscience, cry like a baby, giggle like a toddler, and even… bark like a dog. A musician who can improvise at the organ for film is a true rarity. They must be able to join melodies, harmonies and counterpoint together into a neat musical form. And simultaneously, to follow the picture being shown at the moment…

The power of brass, the might of the manuals

Although the organ is traditionally associated with sacred music and grand concerts, it can also be a fascinating complement to less typical chamber settings. The untypical combinations in this year’s organ concert series provide unique sounds and new, unexpected combinations. The result? We become more open to new interpretational possibilities and free experimenting. The programme of the concert, including pieces by Petr Eben, Otto Hoser, Thierry Escaich and Craig Phillips, shows how well the organ can sound paired with brass instruments and percussion. Hear it for yourselves: a fascinating richness of new possibilities! [Alexandra Kozowicz] Concert duration: approximately 50 minutes

What do the alpine horn and the organ have in common? / Torlontano / Di Lernia

Although the organ is traditionally associated with sacred music and grand concerts, it can also be a fascinating complement to less typical chamber settings. The untypical combinations in this year’s organ concert series provide unique sounds and new, unexpected combinations. The result? We become more open to new interpretational possibilities and free experimenting. True to its "geographical" name, the alpine horn was often used in the Alps as a shepherd's instrument, its sound echoing through mountain valleys, serving both as a means of communication and in folk music. Hence the presence of such pieces as the traditional melody In den Alpen in the programme. This will be completed by the pastoral compositions by Leopold Mozart and Anton Zimmermann, Arcangelo Corelli’s baroque concerto arranged by Francesco Di Lernia, and contemporary compositions by Arvo Pärt and Giovanni D’Aquila. This diverse repertoire will take listeners on a journey across eras and musical styles, towards discoveries of new, surprising sounds. Alexandra KozowiczConcert duration: approximately 80 minutes

The most beautiful requiem of the 20th century

Maurice Duruflé’s Requiem is said to be one of the most beautiful and moving sacred pieces of the 20th century. Composed in 1947, the work was born out of fascination with traditional choral music, but it shows no dearth of a “symphonic” scope, simultaneously being deeply reflective in its character. Elements of the Gregorian chant interwoven with modern harmonisation and subtle orchestration create a uniquely contemplative atmosphere and encourage one to slow down in the October rush of preparations for All Souls’ Day. Alexandra KozowiczConcert duration: approximately 70 minutes

Karol Mossakowski, Organ

France and Germany – today, these two countries are best friends. The long-standing rivalry between them has, however, not only led to many a disagreement in politics. Even in the field of organ music, they took different paths for a long time: in France, people celebrated sound and tone colour; in Germany, virtuosity and counterpoint. Karol Mossakowski showcases the best of both worlds: a sedate organ symphony in the style of Widor, sound magic in the style of Fauré and visionary music in the style of Alain – all of them first-rate musical gems. Fauré clad the myth of Pelléas and Mélisande in subtle, highly sensitive sounds, Alain paved the way for the 21st century with his organ music widening the musical horizon. Not for nothing are the moving Litanies on the foundation of human existence some of the most widely played organ works of all for instance. Mendelssohn and Liszt are bywords for the German Romantic school. The variations sérieuses as well as the Mephisto Waltzes had originally been written for piano, but the art of arrangement has a long tradition especially in organ circles. What is not playable will be made playable – that is the motto here. After all, compared with pianists, organists also have two feet and an enormous pool of tonal colours at their disposal. Karol Mossakowski will also make use of this when he pursues another tradition cultivated by organists: improvisation. Here too, he is a true master of his trade.

David Briggs, Organ

The first part of David Briggs’ concert proceeds majestically, the second part is symphonic. With this British organist, one of the stars of the organ world is gracing the Elbphilharmonie: previously a cathedral organist in Truro and Gloucester, then as artist in residence in New York and Toronto, he is in demand worldwide when the king of instruments is to sound. Because if there is one thing that the British can do it is this: royal splendour! The baroque composer Jeremiah Clarke had already elegantly celebrated this in his »Prince of Denmark’s March«. This is why the contemporary composer Patrick Gowers has written a humorous remark in the rumba rhythm. The story of Pelléas and Mélisande, which Claude Debussy immersed in impressionistic orchestral colours and David Briggs arranged for organ, also plays in the royal atmosphere. Furthermore, Briggs is devoted to Symphony No. 1 by Johannes Brahms. Because this is his speciality: arranging big orchestral symphonies for symphonic organ. Primarily, the symphonies of Gustav Mahler impressed the Brit, but also Brahms is eminently suitable, especially his first symphonic opus. The tremendous pedal point for instance (fittingly the name for accompanying repeated notes) with which the first movement begins is really made to be played on the eponymous instrument. And with a skilful arranger such as David Briggs we can be certain: the other three movements will also sound as if they were composed for the organ. Especially when he has such a symphonic instrument as the organ of the Elbphilharmonie under his feet and hands.

Olivier Latry, Organ

Olivier Latry, one of the most acclaimed organists of our time, returns to play the organ at the Elbphilharmonie. As one of the organists of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, he represents one of the oldest and most important musical traditions in the history of music. This is reflected too in his programme, which consists exclusively of works by former Notre-Dame organists or, to put it another way, Latry’s esteemed predecessors. There is Louis Vierne, for example, whose organ symphonies rank among the undisputed highlights of symphonic organ music, and particularly his Third Symphony. It is probably the best known of the six and a work full of drama, lyricism and mysticism. Pierre Cochereau’s Boléro is equally well known and loved. Originally composed as an improvisation and only set down in writing at a later date, the legendary titulaire of Notre-Dame transformed a simple theme by one of his predecessors into an intoxicating orgy of sound. Olivier Latry also has a reputation for being a gifted improviser. This is a discipline traditionally cultivated in France, where he is regarded as a maestro full of inspiration and ideas. But before giving us a taste of this, we hear music by Jean-Pierre Leguay, one of Latry’s colleagues at Notre-Dame until 2016. Leguay is regarded as a composer keen to forge a path for musical tradition into the future. A masterful improviser himself, his innovative music often transgresses from firmly cemented traditions, picking up on these traditions in original ways at the same time.

Organ matinee In memory of Jean Guillou

Slovakian organist Zuzana Ferjenčíková dedicates her debut concert on the organ of the Berlin Philharmonie Berlin to her teacher Jean Guillou, who died in 2019. Guillou performed on the the Philharmonie’s organ several times himself. His speciality: his own arrangements of famous orchestral works, with which he created unexpected orchestral timbres on the organ. Zuzana Ferjenčíková plays some of Guillou's most impressive arrangements, including the delicate “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” from Tchaikovsky's ballet The Nutcracker and Mussorgsky's powerful cycle Pictures at an Exhibition.