Zuzana Ferjenčíková, organ

Date & Time

Mon, Mar 11, 2024, 20:00

Venue

When a composer writes a work they have a clear idea or vision of how they want it to sound. Sometimes though, other tonal ideas emerge in retrospect, or history decides that a work can, in fact, sound quite different. That is the moment for the arranger to step in and tailor a new »tonal garment« for the piece, as it were. In the case of Franz Liszt’s symphonic poems, for instance, this was done by his contemporary Alexander Winterberger... Read full text

Keywords: Organ Concert

Info & Ticket (www.elbphilharmonie.de)

Musicians

Zuzana Ferjenčíková

Organ

Program

Adagio und Fuge c-Moll KV 546	Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen, S 179 / prelude after Johann Sebastian Bach (arrangement for organ by Alexander Winterberger)	Franz Liszt
The Isle of the Dead / symphonic poem, Op. 29 (arrangement for organ by Louis Robilliard)	Sergei Rachmaninoff
Adagio in B minor, KV 540 (arrangement for organ by Zuzana Ferjenčíková)	Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Orpheus / symphonic poem No. 4, S 98 (arrangement for organ by Jean Guillou)	Franz Liszt
Hypérion ou la rhétorique du feu, Op. 45	Jean Guillou
Valse oubliée S 215/1	Franz Liszt
Träumerei / aus: Kinderszenen op. 15	Robert Schumann

Give feedback

Last update: Thu, Nov 21, 2024, 15:06

Similar events

These events are similar in terms of concept, place, musicians or the program.

Iveta Apkalna, Organ

Mon, Apr 22, 2024, 20:00

Elbphilharmonie, Großer Saal (Hamburg)

Iveta Apkalna (Organ)

Franz Liszt was one of the greatest artists of his time. A marvellous virtuoso, a master of self-expression and, later in life, a monk-like recluse. That being the case, his music is both a playground for the piano virtuoso and a canon of equal significance on a metaphysical level too. And this is especially true of his organ music. Liszt’s programme music takes on a whole new dimension on this king of instruments – be it his portrayal of the titan Prometheus, the incredibly vivid vision of Francis of Paola walking on water, or the colossal »Funérailles«. In this solo performance, Iveta Apkalna, the organist-in-residence at the Elbphilharmonie, places the Hungarian-Austrian composer in context alongside French organ music. Works can be heard by the Romantics and by Liszt contemporaries Gabriel Dupont, Gabriel Pierné, Léon Boëllmann and César Franck, whose magnificent »Pièce héroïque« with its steadily intensifying dynamics closes the first half.

Info (www.elbphilharmonie.de)

Karol Mossakowski, Organ

Tue, Dec 10, 2024, 20:00

Elbphilharmonie, Großer Saal (Hamburg)

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.

Info (www.elbphilharmonie.de)

David Briggs, Organ

Thu, Feb 6, 2025, 20:00

Elbphilharmonie, Großer Saal (Hamburg)

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.

Info & Ticket (www.elbphilharmonie.de)

Olivier Latry, Organ

Tue, Apr 22, 2025, 20:00

Elbphilharmonie, Großer Saal (Hamburg)

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.

Info & Ticket (www.elbphilharmonie.de)

Iveta Apkalna, organ

Tue, Jun 3, 2025, 20:00

Elbphilharmonie, Großer Saal (Hamburg)

Iveta Apkalna (Organ)

Iveta Apkalna pursues two milestones in organ music: Johann Sebastian Bach’s enormous Chaconne and César Franck’s ground-breaking »Grande pièce symphonique«, whose title alludes to the symphonic sound possibilities of the organ and fully exploits them. The titular organist of the Elbphilharmonie complements her solo programme with three further pieces, which also showcase »her« instrument in full splendour. Johann Sebastian Bach’s Chaconne was originally composed for violin. The contrapuntal entanglements which Bach created within it have, however, inspired several composers to arrange this work for organ. Also, the »Danse Macabre« by Camille Saint-Saëns, originally composed for voice and piano, only became famous in its orchestral version and sounds just as very wonderfully eerie on the organ. César Franck dedicated his »Prélude, fugue et variation« to his friend and organ colleague Saint-Saëns; the three movements seem very different and yet hang together thematically. As one of the forefathers of organ symphony, Franck is at the inception of a development which had far-reaching consequences for organ building and organ music: to this day (and so also at the Elbphilharmonie), the thousand organ pipes of one instrument should ideally cover the full range of symphonic sound. Iveta Akpalna, who, as the titular organist, knows the Elbphilharmonie organ like hardly anyone else, can exploit the entire colourful richness of the instrument to perfectly set the scene for each piece of her programme.

Info & Ticket (www.elbphilharmonie.de)

Paul Jacobs / Organ Concert

Sat, May 25, 2024, 20:00

Elbphilharmonie, Großer Saal (Hamburg)

Paul Jacobs (Organ)

Not only is »Livre du Saint-Sacrement« the final and most extensive organ work by Olivier Messiaen, it also marks the grand summation of his entire oeuvre, with the French composer delving right back to his early beginnings. Like his first composition for organ, »Le banquet céleste«, its subject matter is the Holy Communion. Though unequivocally theological, this music also has an overwhelming inner depth. It is an immense source of fascination and sensuality. And, lasting some two hours in total, it is also both a revelation and something of a challenge. The American organist Paul Jacobs, who has been described by the Washington Post as one of the »greatest living virtuosos« and is the first organist ever to win a Grammy, is now headed for the Elbphilharmonie. Since 2002, he has performed the complete organ works of Olivier Messiaen in marathon concerts across various US cities, each lasting an inordinate number of hours. No question, then, that Jacobs is just the right man for this quite daunting undertaking.

Info (www.elbphilharmonie.de)

ORGAN CONCERT: Karol Mossakowski

Sun, Jan 29, 2023, 17:00

Konzerthalle Bamberg, Joseph-Keilberth-Saal (Bamberg)

Karol Mossakowski (Organ), Holger Brust (Percussion), Jens Herz (Percussion), Markus Mester (Trumpet)

The young Polish organist Karol Mossakowski, celebrated for his virtuoso interpretations and creative improvisations, will be our guest in this breathtaking concert of scintillating organ music. The programme includes elaborate compositions such as the popular work "Cortège et Litanie" by Marcel Dupré, which was originally written in the early 1920s for the stage and contains a wealth of catchy tunes. César Franck completed his organ "Pastorale" in 1862 – a piece composed in the form of a three-part song and, in keeping with its title, full of tender expression. Maurice Duruflé created a poignant work in memory of a friend who died in World War II, whose name he wove both into the introductory minor prelude and into the zestful double fugue. Thierry Escaich’s creative universe is shaped by the “battle between emotions”. His 1997 “Tanz fantasie” is correspondingly passionate – luxuriating in lyrical, arching melodies, but also offering surprising shifts in rhythm, and finally intensifying into a frenzied dance that scarcely obeys the laws of nature. Mendelssohn created his 1841 "Variations sérieuses" with "true passion”. Over the course of this work, an outstanding original theme becomes increasingly harmonically veiled, while its range of expression is continuously expanded. Before Karel Mossakowski presents his spontaneous improvisational creations to bring the concert to a close, we will hear Pierre Cochereau’s magnificent Boléro. This 1973 composition audibly refers to Ravel’s masterpiece, for here, too, the rhythm of the snare drum forms the backbone of the music’s mesmerising development.

Info (www.bamberger-symphoniker.de)

Organ Concert: Tomaž Sevšek

Sun, Dec 8, 2024, 17:00

Konzerthalle Bamberg, Joseph-Keilberth-Saal (Bamberg)

Tomaž Sevšek (Organ), Serge Zimmermann (Violin), Raúl Teo Arias (Violin), Magdalena Kraus (Violin), Wolfram Hauser (Viola), Indrek Leivategija (Cello), Jan Rosenkranz (Double Bass)

A whole range of stops will be pulled out once again: This time, an experienced and acclaimed organist will be our guest at the keys and pedals of our concert organ, much loved by the audience. Together with strings from the Bamberg Symphony, he will present several works that are wonderfully fitting for this Advent Sunday. The first part is dedicated to baroque music: after three touching solo pieces by Bach, a long-lost concerto for organ and violin by Vivaldi is performed – a particularly melody-laden example of his boundless artistry. In the second part, Tomaž Sevšek offers a foray into other musical realms – including a work composed in 1951 by his compatriot Primož Ramovš, whose numerous organ pieces have only rarely been performed in Germany to date. Portuguese composer João Pedro Oliveira is a versatile and award-winning composer: »Persistent Particles« from 2021 experiments with the tonal and technical possibilities of the organ in a fascinating manner. Schumann rented a pedal keyboard for his grand piano in 1845, which gave him and his wife Clara »much delight«. One of the results was the intimate study for pedal piano – in which Schumann expressed his spiritual and compositional affinity with Bach. The French composer Alexandre Guilmant expressed his fondness for the German Romantic composer in his atmospheric work »Final alla Schumann« in 1893.

Info (www.bamberger-symphoniker.de)

Insight Organ with Thomas Cornelius

Tue, Mar 5, 2024, 19:00

KörberHaus, Körber Saal

Thomas Cornelius (Organ), Thomas Cornelius (Moderator)

As the name suggests, »Insight Organ« focuses on the »king of instruments«. How does an organ work? What is a windchest, what is a stop? Just a couple of the many questions that organist Thomas Cornelius answers clearly at this discussion concert in Hamburg’s Körber Haus. The handful of organ pipes that he has with him and the organ samples on his computer enable him to give a deep insight into how this many-faceted instrument works. If you attended his course, you are sure to discover completely new sides to the king of instruments at your next organ concert: the Elbphilharmonie organ can be heard in all its splendour on 11 March 2024, with Zuzana Ferjenčíková operating the manuals and the pedalboard. The Elbphilharmonie’s »Insight« events give people deeper insights into musical phenomena. Experts in different fields explain aspects from their day-to-day work clearly and entertainingly and are happy to answer the public’s questions.

Info (www.elbphilharmonie.de)

Insight Organ with Thomas Cornelius

Wed, May 21, 2025, 19:00

Brakula

Thomas Cornelius

As the name suggests, »Insight Organ« focuses on the »king of instruments«. How does an organ work? What is a windchest, what is a stop? Just a couple of the many questions that organist Thomas Cornelius answers clearly at this discussion concert at Brakula. The handful of organ pipes that he has with him and the organ samples on his computer enable him to give a deep insight into how this many-faceted instrument works. If you attended his course, you are sure to discover completely new sides to the king of instruments at your next organ concert: the Elbphilharmonie organ can be heard in all its splendour on 3 June 2025, with Iveta Apkalna operating the manuals and the pedalboard. The Elbphilharmonie’s »Insight« events give people deeper insights into musical phenomena. Experts in different fields explain aspects from their day-to-day work clearly and entertainingly and are happy to answer the public’s questions.

Info & Ticket (www.elbphilharmonie.de)