Bach goes Merseburg
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Experience the majestic sounds of the organ in a landmark building that has fascinated visitors for 700 years. Let yourself be uplifted by the timeless works of Johann Sebastian Bach, performed alongside masterpieces by other great composers, in the awe-inspiring setting of Storkyrkan, Stockholm.
Aleksanteri Wallius (Helsingfors)
Program
Franz Liszt (1811-1886)
Präludium und Fuge über den Namen BACH, S.260
Olli Saari (f. 1990)
Night Music
I. Funeral March
II. Tryst
III. Ritual
Julius Reubke (1834-1858)
Sonata on the 94th Psalm
I. Grave - Larghetto
II. Allegro con fuoco - Grave
III. Adagio - Lento
IV. Allego - Più mosso - Allegro assai
Merseburg Cathedral stands among the truly legendary places in the history of German organ music. Johann Sebastian Bach visited the city in 1735 in connection with funeral ceremonies for the ruling family, occasions at which one of his cantatas was most likely performed. More than a century later, Merseburg gained a new musical monument through the great organ built by Friedrich Ladegast — an instrument that left a profound impression on Franz Liszt and his pupil Julius Reubke.
Although no music by Bach is heard directly in tonight’s programme, his presence hovers over the entire concert. Liszt’s Fantasy and Fugue on the Theme B-A-C-H is a tribute to the master in which the four notes derived from Bach’s name become the foundation of a vast musical architecture. The work received its first performance in Merseburg Cathedral in 1856, revealing the full sonic splendour of the new Ladegast organ.
The programme’s dark and reflective atmosphere is further deepened by Night Music by my Finnish friend Olli Saari. The work consists of three contrasting movements connected to ritual occasions in human life: such as a funeral or a wedding.
Reubke’s monumental Sonata on the 94th Psalm was likewise premiered on the Ladegast organ of Merseburg Cathedral in 1857. The psalm itself is a powerful meditation on justice, suffering, and divine judgement. It opens with a cry to the God of vengeance against the evil
and oppression that seem to prevail in the world. Reubke transforms this spiritual struggle into one of the greatest achievements of the Romantic organ repertoire.
Aleksanteri Wallius (Helsingfors)
Program
Franz Liszt (1811-1886)
Präludium und Fuge über den Namen BACH, S.260
Olli Saari (f. 1990)
Night Music
I. Funeral March
II. Tryst
III. Ritual
Julius Reubke (1834-1858)
Sonata on the 94th Psalm
I. Grave - Larghetto
II. Allegro con fuoco - Grave
III. Adagio - Lento
IV. Allego - Più mosso - Allegro assai
Merseburg Cathedral stands among the truly legendary places in the history of German organ music. Johann Sebastian Bach visited the city in 1735 in connection with funeral ceremonies for the ruling family, occasions at which one of his cantatas was most likely performed. More than a century later, Merseburg gained a new musical monument through the great organ built by Friedrich Ladegast — an instrument that left a profound impression on Franz Liszt and his pupil Julius Reubke.
Although no music by Bach is heard directly in tonight’s programme, his presence hovers over the entire concert. Liszt’s Fantasy and Fugue on the Theme B-A-C-H is a tribute to the master in which the four notes derived from Bach’s name become the foundation of a vast musical architecture. The work received its first performance in Merseburg Cathedral in 1856, revealing the full sonic splendour of the new Ladegast organ.
The programme’s dark and reflective atmosphere is further deepened by Night Music by my Finnish friend Olli Saari. The work consists of three contrasting movements connected to ritual occasions in human life: such as a funeral or a wedding.
Reubke’s monumental Sonata on the 94th Psalm was likewise premiered on the Ladegast organ of Merseburg Cathedral in 1857. The psalm itself is a powerful meditation on justice, suffering, and divine judgement. It opens with a cry to the God of vengeance against the evil
and oppression that seem to prevail in the world. Reubke transforms this spiritual struggle into one of the greatest achievements of the Romantic organ repertoire.
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Where is it happening?
Storkyrkan, Stockholm, Sweden
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Host or PublisherMusik i Storkyrkan & S:t Jacob
