Dieterich Buxtehude and the Schnitger Organ

DIETERICH BUXTEHUDE AND THE SCHNITGER ORGAN

(Complete Organ Works Volume III)

Hans Davidsson, organ

3 CD Set

LRCD-1094-96

Loft Recordings Announces the Final Volume of the Complete Organ Works of Buxtehude

This 3-CD set is the third installment in a series that has received such critical praise as “Audiophile Best Find of the year” (Bob McQuiston), “essential listening for anyone interested in early organ music” (New Classics/UK) and “outstanding from every point of view” (American Record Guide). The Organ magazine (UK) gave the first two volumes their “Star” award with this statement: “These CDs are most highly recommended, and have to be a star recording of star recordings…they are an absolute must to buy.”

This final volume of Loft Recordings’ Buxtehude Complete Organ Works, explores the relationship between Buxtehude and the 17th century organbuilder Arp Schnitger (1648-1719), whose instruments have become a global archetype of the German Baroque organ. Newly discovered information about Buxtehude indicates that he only had organs tuned in mean-tone temperament at his disposal----this set is the only available recorded on an instrument tuned in pure quarter-comma mean-tone, which has many delightful and colorful consequences which are uniquely heard here. (The full 7-disc set will released as a single SKU next year)

Schnitger built and rebuilt approximately 170 organs during his lifetime, managed workshops in several locations—including Hamburg, Bremen, Groningen, and temporarily Lübeck. In the twentieth century, Schnitger’s organ building was probably the most influential, as many new instruments in Europe, North America and Asia were inspired by his style of building.

In 2000, a ten-year project in Göteborg, Sweden culminated with the inauguration of new large city organ based on new research into Schnitger’s organ building methods. The façade of this instrument is a reconstruction of the façade that Arp Schnitger built in the Lübeck Cathedral, completed in 1699.

Hans Davidsson received his Soloist Diploma from the Conservatory of Göteborg, Sweden. A special interest in early music led to three years study with Jacques van Oortmerssen at the Sweelinck Conservatorium in Amsterdam and post-graduate research on North German Baroque organ music focused on Matthias Weckmann for the University of Göteborg.

From 1995-2000, he was the director of the Göteborg Organ Art Center, GOArt, and he is currently its General Artistic and Research Director as well as the Artistic Director of the Göteborg International Organ Academy. In 2001, he was appointed Professor of organ at the Eastman School Music, Rochester, NY, USA, and Project Director of the Eastman Rochester Organ Initiative (EROI).

To purchase this album along with the other two critically acclaimed albums in the Complete Organ Works of Buxtehude set, please click HERE.