SPECIAL: Women in the Organ World

- 4 different careers in a difficult environment

The professional environment in the organ field is still complicated for women, especially in Germany, where there is currently not a single organ professorship occupied by a woman. Many young women are among the students, but only a a small number of these excellently trained female organists find permanent permanent employment in well-paid jobs in churches and teaching institutes. In this film presents four female virtuosos who, in spite of all the difficulties their way in the organ world: successful, fascinating and inspiring! inspiring! They are Anna Lapwood (London), Shin-Young Lee (Paris), Zuzana Ferjenčíková (Rotterdam) and Chelsea Chen (USA/Switzerland).

The Impro Organ Challenge

- in Bergamo

Two organ personalities, Zuzana Ferjencikova and Laszlo Fassang, proven masters in improvisation, who meet in musical competition and both get the same themes, improvise on it, react and discuss it with tones. This promises to be a highly exciting performance! Presented by the Festival Organistico Internazionale “Città di Bergamo”.

Olivier Latry - from Paris

A concert film

In this film with and about Olivier Latry, the titular organist of Notre-Dame welcomes us for an interview in front of the famous cathedral of Paris, which is currently being restored after the fire. We also experience Latry as a performer, at the organ of the Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois church right next to the Louvre. And finally, we follow Latry in his capacity as organ professor at the Conservatoire National Supérieur and get to experience his teaching.

Cathedral of Cologne

- with Winfried Bönig

The gigantic Cologne Cathedral is one of Germany's most reconised landmarks. In it we find the Klais organs, parade instruments from this renowned workshop. Added to this is the cathedral organist Winfried Bönig, who combines space, organ sound and a selected program with Bach, Liszt, Vierne, Tournemire and Hakim, among others, to form an impressive whole.

Vienna St. Stephen's Cathedral

- with Konstantin Reymaier

Vienna is the epitome of a city of music. Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and many other composers have lived and worked in this city. Surely they have all been to Vienna's St. Stephen's Cathedral, where the current cathedral organist, Konstantin Reymaier, has one of the largest church organs in the world. The so-called "giant organ" on the west gallery is, however, only one of a total of four instruments that can be heard in liturgy and concert in St. Stephen's Cathedral.

Cathedral of Milan - La Révolte des Orgues

Johannes Skudlik conducts 9 Organists

Jean Guillou's composition "La Révolte des Orgues" for nine organs and percussion in Milan Cathedral! For this, the four existing organ works are joined by another five modules of the new mobile pipe organ "Wanderer", conceived by Paolo Oreni, who here also takes over the virtuoso part at the main organ. At the first 13 performances of this singular work, the "Maître" always played himself. Each time, dedicatee Johannes Skudlik was at the podium, who, like Guillou, understands the work as genuinely European. Bach, Cochereau and a double improvisation complete the concert program.

Martin Baker at Buckfast Abbey

Bach, Improvisation and English music performed at Buckfast Abbey, Devon, UK.

Martin Baker personifies the tradition of English cathedral music like no other. As organist and choirmaster, he has held prestigious positions, improvising his audiences to heavenly heights, and doing so with a musical twinkle in his eye. At Buckfast Abbey, whose Ruffatti organ he inaugurated in concert in 2018, he presents an all-British program - with the exception of Bach's immortal "Chaconne" for solo violin, which is heard in an organ arrangement.

Los Angeles - Worlds largest Church Organ

with Christoph Bull

The large organ of the First Congregational Church is one of the largest organs in the world with over 18,000 pipes and is sounded every Sunday by Dr Christoph Bull. The music programme is as diverse as the congregation. Christoph Bull changes styles and genres in a somnambulistic way. Let him surprise you with what he serves up! Hollywood is not far away...

Iveta's box of chocolates - The Elbphilharmonie

Musical delights with star organist Iveta Apkalna

Six favourite organ pieces, as exquisite as exquisite confectionery! For her musical "box of chocolates", Iveta Apkalna has selected short organ works, each of which she associates with a particular chocolate filling. At the great organ of Hamburg's Elbphilharmonie, the titular organist presents this collection of musical delicacies that warm the spirit and soul - including works by Bach, Bizet and Naji Hakim.

Beijing - National Grand Theater - with Fanxiu Shen

The largest organ in China

The largest organ in China, with four manuals and 113 stops, was installed by the German company Klais in the National Grand Theatre in 2006. Prof Fanxiu Shen is considered one of the country's outstanding organ personalities.

Taiwan - National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying) with Hsin-Hung Liu

The Largest Concert Organ in Asia

Prof. LIU, Hsin-hung from oldest college in Taiwan (Tainan Theological College and Seminary) plays the biggest concert organ in Asian at Weiwuying Center in Kaoshiung City, in southern Taiwan. The film program is tailored to the huge twin organs and combines traditional with modern musical styles. A new orchestra work composed by WANG I-yu for West meets East, combines the organ with oriental instruments, such as the Sheng and the indigenous mouth organ, is conducted by the director of WWY, Msestro CHIEN Wen-pin. Taiwanese folks tune “white magnolia” with “Edelweiss” to the peace of world, Bach’s famous Toccata in D minor is intertwined with a Taiwanese folk melody and short passenger from Max Reger to link Taiwan to IOOF in German.

Vicenza - Wayne Marshall at Europe's Oldest Theater

An Evening at Teatro Olimpico

Wayne Marshall as a spectacularly performing soloist with Poulenc, as a Bach interpreter and improviser... A transportable modular pipe organ, presented as a world novelty to the astonished organ world... and on the stage of the world cultural heritage "Teatro Olimpico" from 1585. All this makes the concert recording from Vicenza a singular event.

Zaryadye Hall - Mosow's beautiful new venue

- with Alexander Fiseisky

Alexander Fiseisky has played many unique organs in spectacular cathedrals and concert halls during his long concert life. Nevertheless, a performance in Moscow's ultra-modern Zaryadye Hall with its new Mühleisen organ might be a highlight even for him. Here he presents a Russian programme with original organ works and transcriptions by Glasunov, Shostakovich and the grande dame of Russian music, Sofia Gubaidulina.

Meyerson Symphony Hall with Stephen Tharp

Presented by C.B. Fisk: The Herman W. & Amelia H. Lay Family Concert Organ

This film is presented by C.B. Fisk, Designers & Builders Of Pipe Organs, Massachusetts, USA Stephen Tharp is constantly on the road, touring for concerts, masterclasses, or other activities in his organ universe. He has played many the most important organs in the USA and Europe, both in concert halls and cathedrals. Look forward to Stephen Tharp's scintillating encounter with the Herman W. & Amelia H. Lay Family Concert Organ, the much-lauded C.B.Fisk organ at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas!

Korea - Dong-Ill Shin

- at LOTTE Concert Hall

Dong-ill Shin from South Korea, discovered his love of the organ through the music of J.S. Bach. He was first noticed as a 10-year-old soloist in a Mozart piano concerto, but at 14 he began to conquer the organ and studied first in Seoul, then in Lyon and Paris. He has won many international organ competitions, for example, in Chartres and St Albans, and has now performed in renowned festivals on every continent. After 10 years in the USA, he returned to his homeland in 2011 and is now organ professor at Yonsei University, Seoul.

SPECIAL: The Bavarian organ landscape - Part 2

- Moderated by Miroslav Nemec | 100% Discount Code for 0€: bayern-100

!100% Discount Code for 0,00€: bayern-100 The Bavarian organ landscape is as diverse and charming as the Free State itself. There are the large cathedrals of the Bavarian dioceses with magnificent new instruments. And then there is a multitude of medium-sized towns whose civic pride is reflected in opulently decorated churches and ambitious organ buildings. In "The Bavarian organ landscape - Part 2" we will take you to another four Bavarian districts. 4th Upper Palatinate - Regensburg - Franz Josef Stoiber 5th Swabia - Augsburg - Peter Bader 6th Upper Bavaria - Altötting - Stephan Thinnes 7th Lower Bavaria - Landshut - Jeni Böhm 8th Miroslav Nemec

Finland - With Spirit and Fire

Organ Sounds from Finland

Kalevi Kiviniemi is pure Finland! He presents his homeland in this film, for example with Jean Sibelius' symphonic national epic "Finlandia" in his own organ version. In addition, he shows his extensive skills in improvisations, transcriptions and suitably selected original works, for example by Naji Hakim. All this will be presented on six different organs in six different buildings. Three of them were designed by the famous Finnish architect Alvar Aalto.

Special Dresden

Frauenkirche - Hofkirche - Kulturpalast - Kreuzkirche in Dresden, Germany

Dresden has been a city of music since the Baroque era. J.S. Bach was awarded the title of Court Composer by the Electoral Court in Dresden in 1736 (although he was active in Leipzig), which underlines Dresden's reputation as a city of music. In our film portrait, the performers will introduce us to, among other things, organ works by composers who have lived and worked in Dresden. The magnificent church buildings of the city on the Elbe are home to valuable organs of their own. For example, the Silbermann organ in the Hofkirche! Follow us to this heritage of past organ building, but also to the famous Frauenkirche and the Kreuzkirche (with its excellent boys choir). In addition, we are guests in Dresden's Kulturpalast with its modern concert organ from 2017.

SPECIAL Munich

Organ metropolis Munich, Germany

Munich is rich in impressive churches, outstanding organs, as well as ambitious musicians and ensembles. Our Munich film presents only a small part of this great wealth. Included are the oldest and the newest churches in Munich as well as the most interesting instruments! In addition, the Bach Choir and Bach Orchestra will feature, two ensembles which for decades have contributed to the excellent reputation of the music city of Munich. And finally, a brilliant work for organ and percussion from the pen of Enjott Schneider is to the creative spirit of the metropolis on the Isar. Welcome to Munich!

SPECIAL: The Bavarian organ landscape - Part 1

- Moderated by Miroslav Nemec | 100% Discount Code for 0€: bayern-100

!100% Discount Code for 0,00€: bayern-100 The Bavarian organ landscape is as diverse and charming as the Free State itself. There are the large cathedrals of the Bavarian dioceses with magnificent new instruments. And then there is a multitude of medium-sized towns whose civic pride is reflected in opulently decorated churches and ambitious organ buildings.  In "The Bavarian organ landscape - Part 1" we will take you to the first four Bavarian districts. 1st Lower Franconia - Würzburg - Stefan Schmidt 2nd Upper Franconia - Bayreuth - Michael Dorn 3rd Middle Franconia - Ansbach - Carl Friedrich Meyer - organ and percussion 4th Upper Palatinate - Regensburg - Franz Josef Stoiber"

Tokyo-Japan SPECIAL - with Kensuke Ohira

Japan in Deutschland in Japan

Kensuke Ohira won the International Organ Week Nuremberg (ION) competition in 2016 and has since been a sought-after concert performer throughout Europe, as well as in his native Japan. In this film he shows a cross-section of his repertoire, performing one work by J. S. Bach and 4 Japanese organ works in St. Mary's (Mascioni organ), Salamanca Hall (Tsuji organ) and Tsukuba Gakuen Church (Mitsuhasi organ) in Tokyo.

SPECIAL: US Composers - Satyagraha, Act III, conclusion

A celebration of contemporary US music for organ

This very special film is dedicated to contemporary composers who, with their different styles, have each become pioneers in their own right. The film features music by Philip Glass (*1937) and John Adams (*1947). There will also be music by George Baker (*1951) from Dallas, the first organist in the organist in the USA to record the complete organ works of Bach. And finally Hans Zimmer (*1957), who has written the music for countless Hollywood blockbusters. The organ sound of these four composers has a very special charm, especially when such prominent organists sit at the console as: Roger Sayer, Mark Steinbach from the Brown University, Stephen Tharp and Paul Jacobs, students from the Juilliard School!

Mount Everest ANTON BRUCKNER

- A musical mountain climb with Hansjörg Albrecht

Anton Bruckner was one of the greatest organ virtuosos of his time and an outstanding improviser, but he left hardly any original works for the organ. His passion was the symphony, and many themes for it are said to have occurred to him at the organ. What could be more natural than to transfer Bruckner's grandiose symphonic creations to the organ? Hansjörg Albrecht began in 2020 with the complete recording of all Bruckner symphonies as organ transcriptions, at Bruckner's places of activity and other original locations.

Thomas Heywood - Beethoven’s Eroica

Melbourne Town Hall Grand Concert Organ

Curtain up for Beethoven and Thomas Heywood! In this film, Beethoven's "Eroica," Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, receives its world premiere as an organ work. Since 2020 (Beethoven's 250th birthday), Australian organist Thomas Heywood has been busy transcribing all nine of Beethoven's symphonies in their entirety for the organ, recording them and presenting them in concert. By 2027 (200th anniversary of his death) he wants to be finished.

Creating the next generation of organists!

Life inside The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire organ department, UK

The film about the organ department at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire offers a glimpse behind the scenes of this highly acclaimed British educational institution. Meet the directors and students and enjoy some beautiful music! Daniel Moult, "Head of Organ Studies", plays Bach's Prelude and Fugue BWV 539, on the Silbermann organ in the Marienkirche in Saxon Rötha. Works by Duruflé, Widor, Bach BWV 655 and an excerpt of a "Rosary Sonata" for violin and organ by H.I.F. Biber will be performed by students of the conservatoire - at different venues and organs.

Pretoria University

- with Theo van Wyk

Talking to Theo van Wyk, Associate Professor of organ at the University of Pretoria, one senses a huge spirit of optimism blowing through the musical landscapes in the south of the African continent. Van Wyk plays a selected program for the IOOF on the Rieger organ in the Chapel of the University of Pretoria, and represents the music of the South African states of South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Zambia.

The Juilliard School Organ Department presents ...

- with Paul Jacobs

The Juillard School in New York is one of the most important performing arts training institutions in the world, and its organ department is headed by Paul Jacobs, a personality who was described in the New Yorker as "one of the leading musicians of our time." In this film, Paul Jacobs takes us to the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola and to Paul Hall at Juilliard, where he and some of the students in the organ class present us with an eclectic program.

Amsterdam - Orgelpark 1: LIQUID_ tutorial

About composing for online space with organ samples

An online tutorial about composing for cyberspace, using samples from hyperorgan at the Orgelpark in Amsterdam.

Amsterdam - Orgelpark 2: LIQUID: a composition by Jakob Lekkerkerker

An online digital composition with hyperorgan samples

Eine digitale Online-Komposition mit Hyperorgan-Samples.

The Voice of Kings

A Legend Reborn

Filmed over more than a year at all stages of the restoration, and presented and narrated by David Briggs, this is the ultimate in-depth portrait of the rebirth of one of the world’s most famous musical instruments.

Pipe Dreams

Montreal - CIOC

Pipe Dreams follows five young organists as they compete in Canada’s prestigious International Organ Competition (CIOC). Who will master the ‘king of instruments’ and come out victorious in Montreal? Pipe Dreams gives you an inside look into the wonderful world of competitive organ playing. From the quietest tinkling of a bell to the rumble of a locomotive… this is organ playing like you have never heard it before!

The Organ Symphony

Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory

Moscow State Conservatory presents a documentary film "Te Organ Symphony" dedicated to the historical organ of the Great Hall of the Conservatory — the last creation of the great French master, Aristide Cavaille-Coll. One of the oldest and largest organs in Russia was built in 1899 and first sounded in 1900 at the Exhibition Universelle in Paris, where he won a Gold medal and the Grand Prix. After that, the instrument was transported to Moscow and installed in the newly-built Great Hall. In 2014-2016, a large-scale restoration of the organ took place at the Moscow Conservatory. The film crew recorded all the most important and revealing moments: Dismantling, removal of organ mechanics parts, fixing facade pipes etc. Filming of the restoration of such a large and significant organ was carried out in Russia for the first time. The film created on the basis of these videos is an experimental genre hybrid — a combination of documentary and musical films with elements of video art. The historical chronicle and episodes of the restoration mixed with musical episodes composed specifically for this project. The creators try to present an emotional artistic view on the instrument and its history. They want to show the organ as an amazing living creature that can breathe, sleep, suffer and, of course, talk to the audience.

Organ builder Fröhlich and the musical journey through time

digital-interactive organ concert for children

Organ builder, Fröhlich, has once again had a crazy idea: He has built a musical time machine that allows him to travel to different times and experience them musically. But, he is not going on this journey alone: You' re coming along! So pack your seven things! You decide where the journey will take you and experience musical improvisations at the various stops. Hopefully, the slightly scatterbrained Mr. Fröhlich hasn't made any mistakes in the machine, so that you'll arrive home safe and sound? His suitcases are packed in any case...