Anton Heiller: Vesper (1977) – Thomas Obeth, organ скачать в хорошем качестве

Anton Heiller: Vesper (1977) – Thomas Obeth, organ

Thomas Obeth plays the great organ of Odense Domkirke (Sankt Knuds Kirke) in Denmark Anton Heiller (1923-1979): Vorspiel, Zwischenspiel und Nachspiel aus der »Vesper« (1977) Recorded on Monday the 25th of August 2025 by Lars Rosenlund Nørremark (http://larsnorremark.dk) [00:00] Intro [00:10] Vorspiel [05:19] Zwischenspiel [09:51] Nachspiel ABOUT THE MUSIC Anton Heiller completed his »Vesper für Kantor, Soli, Chor und Orgel« in 1977 for the inauguration of the new Klais-organ in the Grazer Dom in Austria which took place on December 2nd, as part of the celebration of the 850th anniversary of the city of Graz. The work consists of psalms, hymns, a Paternoster, and other elements associated with the classic vesper in a new musical setting. With a complete playing time of more or less an hour, it includes a much-cherished Magnificat for choir, organ, and a soprano soloist spanning more than 11 minutes. Three other highlights are the movements for solo organ presented in this video. Though they are taken out of their original context in a grand oeuvre, the three pieces actually stand on their own as a satisfying organ work of their own, which the composer also approved of, thus being the last major organ work by Heiller before his far too premature death in 1979. Written in the context of an organ inauguration, Anton Heiller successfully demonstrates a great part of what can be done on an organ. For example, in the middle movement, where he in a short time manages to demonstrate a great deal of the classical French registrations, among others including Récit de Tierce en taille and Basse de Cromorne. Compositionally, the »Vesper« is based on a lot of the techniques known from other (late) works by Anton Heiller including both twelve-tone technique, neo modality, and even jazz-influenced harmony! The first movement is heavily based on Olivier Messiaen’s (1908-1992) 2nd Mode à transposition limitée, and the culmination of the movement might even bring to mind the culmination of Messiaen’s »Les Enfants de Dieu« from his popular organ cycle »La Nativité du Seigneur« (1935). Characteristic of some of Heiller’s late works is an intense chromaticism to the ultimate extend, resulting in panchromaticism, as heard in, for example »Jubilatio« (1976) and the final movement of »Aus tiefer Not« (1975). Another great example is the loud and concluding blitz-chord of the »Vesper«, reminiscent of the stories about Johann Sebastian Bach having tested an instrument’s lungs as one of the first things when inspecting organs by literally pulling out all of the stops. The »Vesper« requires an organ of a somewhat substantial size if one wants to fulfil the registration indications by Anton Heiller. Although not paramount for the performance, the latter movement is the only place in the entirety of his production where he directly asks for a 32’ in the pedal, only emphasizing the grandeur of this final major composition. An instrument such as the one in Odense Cathedral is ideal for the music of Heiller and is nothing less than one of the greatest examples of the Danish Organ Reform Movement (die Orgelbewegung) at its zenith in the sixties. Considering Heiller’s strong preference for this type of instrument and especially the ones built by Sybrand Zachariassen (1900-1960), Sybrand Jürgen Zachariassen (1931-2012) and their family’s firm, Marcussen & Søn, the instrument in Odense Cathedral is nothing short of superb! THE GREAT ORGAN OF ODENSE CATHEDRAL (Odense Domkirke, Sankt Knuds Kirke, Denmark) Build by the Danish organ building firm Marcussen & Søn (1965) behind an old façade by Amdi Worm (1756). The organ has the following 57 stops: Hovedværk (II): Quintatøn 16’ Principal 8’ Spidsfløjte 8’ Oktav 4’ Spidsfløjte 4’ Quint 2 2/3’ Oktav 2’ Mixtur V Scharf IV Trompet 16’ Trompet 8’ Rygpositiv (I): Principal 8’ Gedakt 8’ Quintatøn 8’ Oktav 4’ Rørfløjte 4’ Oktav 2’ Gemshorn 2’ Quint 1 1/3’ Sesquialtera II Scharf IV-VI Dulcian 16’ Krumhorn 8’ Brystværk (III): Gedakt 8’ Principal 4’ Gedaktfløjte 4’ Oktav 2’ Waldfløjte 2’ Sivfløjte 1’ Cymbel III Regal 16’ Skalmeje 8’ Crescendoværk (IV): Bordun 16’ Rørfløjte 8’ Fugara 8’ Celeste 8’ Principal 4’ Traversfløjte 4’ Spidsquint 2 2/3’ Nathorn 2’ Terts 1 3/5’ Oktav 1’ Mixtur IV-VI Fagot 16’ Obo 8’ Pedal: Principal 16’ Subbas 16’ Oktav 8’ Gedakt 8’ Oktav 4’ Hulfløjte 4’ Nathorn 2’ Mixtur VI Basun 32’ Basun 16’ Trompet 8’ Trompet 4’ Couplers: H+R, H+B, H+C, R+C, B+C, P+H, P+R, P+B, P+C PICTURES Title photo: Anton Heiller in Lutherkirche in Vienna, 1977 2nd photo: The Marcussen organ in Odense Cathedral 3rd photo: "Zwischenspiel" in the Anton Heiller's manuscript (Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Vienna) 4th photo: Anton Heiller with Paul Hindemith's second sonata for organ, ca. 1977 5th photo: Anton Heiller at the Marcussen transept organ in Grote Kerk (St. Laurenskerk) in Rotterdam (NL), July 1959 For further information, please visit my webpage: http://www.obeth.dk