Martin Luther. Par SCHNEIDER ENJOTT. On the occasion of the quincentenary of Reformation Day in 2017, the composer Enjott Schneider thoroughly studied Martin Luther the individual and all his contradictions. The result is a brilliant, demanding organ symphony which is perfect for concerts on the subject of Reformation and Martin Luther. The composer describes the five movements of the symphony as follows: '1st movement: Wir glauben all an einen Gott with its quintuplet-like beginning is very Gregorian in style, outlining the range of Lutheran emotionalism between the Middle Ages and the modern era. The irrationality of 'faith' ultimately has priority over any thought and evidence. At the beginning of the movement, sounds of knocking on wood remind of the nailing of the Ninety-Five Theses to the doors of churches in Wittenberg. The chorale melody sometimes hides with an almost rough medieval saltarello, referring to Luther's robustness and vitality with which he knew to carry away even common people. 2nd movement: In 1530, the electoral prince of Saxony presented to Luther at Coburg Castle the golden signet ring with the 'Luther rose' which became the symbol of his theology of grace. A white heart with black cross is fixed on a five-petalled rose. To him, 'white' is the colour of angels and ghosts, 'black' stands for the pain of crucification: 'The just shall live by faith, but by faith in the Crucified.' But the fact that the rose and the heart are the dominating symbols shows how Catholic Marian piety remained an ingredient of Luther's spirituality throughout his life. In line with the dominant five-petal structure of the rose, this movement was composed, to a large extent, in accordance with the floating, lyrical rhythm in 5/8 time. 3rd movement: The omnipresence of death and dying – from the plague and war to the never-ending dangers of daily life – was an essential part of the world view of that time. Fears ensued that might heighten into the grotesque, e.g. in the pictures of Hieronymus Bosch. The 'Danse macabre' was a popular motif in those years. Luther's chorale 'Mitten wir im Leben sind / mit dem Tod umfangen' from 1524 ('Enchiridion' from Erfurt) is based on the Gregorian chant 'Media vita in morte sumus' created in France around 750 and, with its idea of transience, inspired a simplistic air. 4th movement: The famous confession delivered at the Diet of Worms in 1521, 'I stand here and can say no more. God help me. Amen', are not Luther's words but the version later used as text for a pamphlet. However, it represents quite plainly the straightforwardness and inevitability of his mission. Musically, it was made into a 'perpetuum mobile', i.e. a dogged, ostinato and never-ending musical air. 5th movement: The 'Mighty Fortress', on the other hand, is one of the great symbols of Martin Luther which, with its shining C major key, embodies the Protestant ideology and willful nature of the Reformation unlike any other song. Heinrich Heine called it the 'Marseille anthem of the Reformation', Friedrich Engels the 'Marseillaise of the Peasants' Wars'. This disputability is not thought through to the end but rather interrupted: With a jubilant 'birdcall version' of the melody, the finale shows a rather chamber-music-like side of the 'ideals of freedom of Christians'.'/ Répertoire / Orgue

Par BACH JOHANN SEBASTIAN. The now-published volumes 9 and 10 have presented a special challenge, for particularly in the field of the chorale arrangements the transmissions are more complex than in any other group of works. This ties in with the crucial question of Bach?s authorship, which has been the subject of much controversy in the past. There were heated discussions about it even just prior to our edition, and editors and publisher are aware that the present selection is a thoroughly debatable snapshot. More on this in the volumes? text sections. The situation of the chorale partitas is not quite so dramatic, whereby these holdings also had to be subdivided for reasons of transmission into mainsection, appendix, and online presentation. The so called ?Neumeister-Choräle? are incorporated in the group of the separately transmitted chorale settings in alphabetical order, because the compilation of the pieces does not follow any collection idea of Bach (such as, for example, his larger late collections). The indication ?Neumeister-Sammlung? should facilitate the attribution. Those works requiring further research, besides of some versions, are presented online, since their profile reveals less evidence of the true author. / Date parution : 2021-11-25/ Recueil / Orgue

SÄMTLICHE ORGELWERKE, BAND 10. Par BACH JOHANN SEBASTIAN. The now-published volumes 9 and 10 have presented a special challenge, for particularly in the field of the chorale arrangements the transmissions are more complex than in any other group of works. This ties in with the crucial question of Bach?s authorship, which has been the subject of much controversy in the past. There were heated discussions about it even just prior to our edition, and editors and publisher are aware that the present selection is a thoroughly debatable snapshot. More on this in the volumes? text sections. The so called ?Neumeister-Choräle? are incorporated in the group of the separately transmitted chorale settings in alphabetical order, because thecompilation of the pieces does not follow any collection idea of Bach (such as, for example, his larger late collections). The indication ?Neumeister-Sammlung? should facilitate the attribution. Those works requiring further research, besides of some versions, are presented online, since their profile reveals less evidence of the true author. / Date parution : 2021-11-25/ Recueil / Orgue

Par PEETERS FLOR. Flor Peeters, né en Belgique en 1903, est un des plus importants organistes et compositeurs d'orgue du XXe siècle. Après avoir terminé ses études à l'Institut Lemmens célèbre à Malines, il y travaille comme professeur d'orgue et d'improvisation avant/ Méthode / Orgue

Par SCHROEDER HERMANN. Concerto da chiesa' is the last organ work by Hermann Schroeder (1904-1984). It was composed a few months before his death. The premiere was performed by Clemens Ganz, then organist at the Cathedral of Cologne, in memory of the esteemed teacher and college colleague. The work marks the end of a tirelessly prolific life with more than one hundred organ works of various characters, genres and possibilities of use in liturgy and concerts. The title 'Concerto da chiesa' reveals that this is a work for concerts, not for being used in services. The three-movement composition is an unmistakable 'Schroeder' work: emphasis of linearity according to high baroque standards, conciseness and sometimes impulsive gestures of the themes and rhythms, layers of parallel chords within a freely tonal modern harmony, not forgetting the plasticity of form and the motor functions which are surprisingly energetic for an eighty-year-old./ Répertoire / Orgue

Chapple's Praeludiana is an extended 'celebration' of Chopin's well-known prelude in C minor. First, a fast, flashing sequence of chords moves from manual to manual: next a Stravinskyan barrage of brass fanfares alternates with soft clusters. The following Andante section poses soft staccato groups against live legato lines and culminates in an ascending passage punctuated by gruff exclamations. After a pause, the Stravinskyan motif reappears but extended and leaping to a climax which fires off the final statement of the Chopin theme. / Orgue

Par REGER MAX. The seven chorale fantasias by Max Reger are among the most important of organ repertoire ? masterpieces blending chorale melody and programmatic music based on the text of the chorales. Published on the occasion of the composer's 150th birthday, this fundamentally revised Urtext edition, in two volumes, is edited by the internationally renowned organist and Leipzig professor of organ Martin Schmeding. As one of the most influential Reger interpreters, Schmeding not only includes the latest research, but also addresses the need for a contemporary interpretation of the chorale fantasias on modern organs. The edition includes all the original dynamic and agogic indications (including continuation lines to cresc., etc., which are missing in many modern editions), as well as all the original registration and manual indications. Martin Schmeding's new edition provides for the first time an original musical text that combines the requirements of a modern Urtext edition with the demands of a practical edition. / Date parution : 2023-08-12/ Recueil / Orgue