A five-day workshop on the most important organs in and around Berlin by Prof. Paolo Crivellaro and Prof. Leo van Doeselaar. Each day is devoted to a major composer in organ history and concentrates on an instrument ideally suited to the specific repertoire:
Max Reger & Sigfrid Karg-Elert on the impressive 113-stop Sauer organ of the Berliner Dom and on the organ designed by Reger himself for the Schützenhaus of Meiningen, today in Berlin-Haselhorst
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy on "his" organ in the Marienkirche, the instrument on which the young Felix learned to play the organ, and on the Hook-organ of the Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche, the only American organ from the 19th century in a German church
Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck & his students on one of the oldest (1624) and best examples of a pre-Schnitger organ in Germany
Johann Sebastian Bach on the magnificent organ that Joachim Wagner built for the Cathedral of Brandenburg (1725)
César Franck & Louis Verne on the new symphonic organ of the Pauluskirche in Berlin, whose specification was inspired by the instruments of Aristide Cavaillé-Coll
Free choice from the composers in programme. Before the beginning of the courses participants are invited to submit the list of the works they intend to play.
Monday, July 24th
Max Reger & Sigfrid Karg-Elert
14:30 – 17:30 Berlin-Haselhorst
19:00 – 21:30 Berliner Dom
Tuesday, July 25th
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy
10:00 – 13:00 Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche (Kreuzberg)
15:00 – 18:00 Marienkirche (Mitte)
Wednesday, July 26th
Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck & his students
11:00 – 13:00 & 14:30 – 17:30 Tangermünde
(meeting either directly in Tangermünde or at
Berlin Hbf, IC 148, departure at 8:30 am)
Thursday, July 27th
Johann Sebastian Bach
9:45 – 11:45, 13:00 – 15:00 & 15:30 – 17:30 Brandenburger Dom
Friday, July 28th
César Franck & Louis Vierne
10:00 – 13:00 & 15:00 – 18:00 Pauluskirche (Zehlendorf)
Prof. Paolo Crivellaro completed his studies in organ and piano in Milan and Basel and began a brilliant career as concert organist which has led him to play in renowned Concert Halls (Philharmonie Berlin, Finlandia Hall of Helsinki, Palais of Arts in Budapest, Mariinski Theatre of St. Petersburg, Torch Center in Seoul, Meistersingerhalle of Nürnberg, Istanbul International Music Festival) and in major Cathedrals (Vienna, Madrid, Berlin, Stockholm, Lisbon, Tokyo, Brussels, Cracow, Dresden, Roskilde, Haarlem, etc.).
Since 1990, he has conducted an intense teaching activity in various Academies and Summer Courses throughout Europe. As guest professor he is periodically invited by distinguished Universities and Hochschulen to hold masterclasses (Paris, Prague, Helsinki, Tokyo, Lyon, Göteborg, Seoul, Amsterdam, St. Petersburg, Groningen, etc.). Since 2001 he is Professor of Organ at the “Universität der Künste” of Berlin.
Many also the organ competitions in which he has been invited to be part of the judges’ panel: Odense International Organ Competition, Toulouse-les-Orgues, Prague Spring Music Festival, Innsbruck (Paul Hofheimer), Alkmaar (Internationaal Schnitger Orgelconcours, Freiberg (Silbermann Orgelwettbewerb), Linz (Anton Bruckner), Magadino (Festival Organistico Internazionale), Milan (Cathedral), Kotka, Füssen, etc.
Honorary Inspector for the Italian Ministry of Culture, between 1978 and 1992 he was responsible for the catalogueing of over 200 historic organs for the National Trust for Artistic and Historical Treasures. His experience in the field of organ history and organ-building includes research and lectures, and he is author of a number of articles on the subject, some of them translated into various languages for specialized organ magazines. In 2014, he published the book „Die Norddeutsche Orgelschule – Aufführungspraxis nach historischen Zitaten“ (Carus Verlag).
Prof. Leo van Doeselaar studied the organ with Albert de Klerk and piano with Jan Wijn at the Amsterdam Sweelinck Conservatory. After obtaining his solo degrees, he was awarded the Prix d'Excellence in organ. Upon the completion of his conservatory training, he specialized in the organ repertoire of the Baroque, following several international courses; he also studied French organ repertoire in Paris under André Isoir and took fortepiano lessons with Malcolm Bilson and Jos van Immerseel. Leo van Doeselaar appears frequently in concert throughout Europe and the United States; he has also appeared as a soloist and teacher at numerous important Early Music festivals, including those of Flanders, Utrecht, York, Saintes, Berlin, San Antonio and Moscow. He has performed as a soloist with various orchestras and conductors including Ernest Bour, Riccardo Chailly, Jean Fournet, Ingo Metzmacher, Mariss Jansons, Frans Brüggen and David Zinman. He has appeared as a continuo player with many baroque ensembles including those led by Philippe Herreweghe, Ton Koopman, Sigiswald Kuyken, Gustav Leonhardt and Andrew Parrott. In addition to these activities, he is a dedicated chamber music performer on both historic and modern pianos. He also partners Wyneke Jordans in a widely acclaimed duo-piano team, using both historical and modern instruments. The duo frequently appears in concert and has also recorded a dozen CDs for the Etcetera, Challenge Classics and Globe labels. As an organist, Mr. van Doeselaar has also made recordings on CD for various different labels, including the first complete recording of the organ works of Wilhelm Friedemann Bach and Georg Friedrich Händel. His discography further lists organ music on historic organs by Scheidemann (Echo KLASSIK 2014 and ‘Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik 2013’), Mozart, Krebs, Joh.Seb.Bach, Anth. van Noordt, Jan Pzn. Sweelinck and organ works by Franz Liszt and César Franck. He was the organ soloist with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, conducted by Riccardo Chailly, in Paul Hindemith's Kammermusik no. 7, recorded by Decca. This recording received a Grammy Award. In 1993, on the occasion of the dedication of the restored Concertgebouw organ, Leo van Doeselaar was the soloist with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and Maestro Chailly. At the Concertgebouw he played the world premieres of Organ Concertos by Sofia Gubaidulina, Franco Donatoni, Tristan Keuris and Wolfgang Rihm. In 1995 he was appointed professor of organ at the " Universität der Künste" in Berlin. In addition he is titular organist of the famous Schnitger-organ of the Martinikerk in Groningen as well as titular organist of the Concertgebouw. In 2007, Leo van Doeselaar received the prestigious ‘Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck’ Award for his merits for the organ culture.