We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Peter Ewers plays improvisations at Paderborn Cathedral (Dom​)​, Germany on the three historic Feith​/​Sauer​-​Organs from 1948​/​1981 (IV​-​139) - Historical recordings from the 90s

by Peter Ewers

/
1.
2.
3.
Communio 04:35
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
View on the side naive just through the opened swell shades of the swell from the Choir organ. In the rear you find the tomb of bishop Fuerstenberg.
13.
14.
15.
Finale 06:20
16.
17.
18.
19.
Toccata 05:13
Peter Ewers at the General Console from 1981. On the right side you can see the sequencers tableau, which added 2 x 16 more registrations to the two free combinations in the console. In 1981 this was one of the greatest sequence programming in Germany. In 2004 the organ has been restructered and enlarged to now 159 stops.
20.
21.
22.

about

The Feith/S. Sauer-Organ in the Paderbon Cathedral, IV-139 (1981)
(Historical recordings from 1995. The organ now had been extended and restructered in 2004 up to now 159 stops).

The organ located in the Paderborn cathedral consists of three stand-alone organs, which can be played from a General console, seated in the high nave. This organ had got 139 stops (from 1981 – 2004) and has been after Passau the second greatest churchorgan in Germany in that time.

The Main organ in the west choir (so called Turmorgel) with 4 manuals and 75 stops is the biggest part. The choir organ with 49 stops and three manuals in the high nave of the cathedral there is another Instrument. Main organ together with the choir organ have got the power of sound which is necessary for the most popular services. The organ in the crypt with 15 stops and two manuals can also be used as an Echo organ from the Main Console in the high nave, because the sound comes through two windows. This smallest part of the organ can be found in two niches left and right from the south stairs and is normally used for the services in the crypt.

The organ of the Paderborn cathedral belongs to the greatest organs in Germany. In organ recitals often the main organ can be heard, all organ parts can be heard in services with many people. The imposing room with its 104,50 meter length and 21 m high has got without visitors a very abundant acoustic, which goes to typical 7 seconds down with many visitors and even becomes very dry when very much visitors come (especially during the Libori-Feast).
Knowledge to this special fact has been relayed in former days to two organists. The organist of the chapter has been a clergyman and had to play the solemn services with the choir organ, the organist of the parish had to play the services in the crypt. From this artistic initial position some conflicts accrued from and in the late 1980s for the first time a nonclergyman became holder of the position „Domorganist“ in Paderborn.
In a manner of speaking as an organist of second class i supported the full-time organist in the years 1991-1996 during several occasions (up to 480 services in a year).

Only equipped with the part-time vested, smallest exam (C-Exam), which did not provide lessons with improvisation, my attention went early to improvisation, which is for me more expression of vivid musicality as the literature-playing, so to speak the reenact of organ literature. From 14 years on there has been no sunday without the organ bench; from 1986-1990 i played services at the St-Pius-Church in Wiedenbrueck. The well established Klais-Organ with 39 stops let me find an own style of improvisation as an autodidact.

In the cathedral often the interested visitors want to know something about the organ. Mostly they were amazed to hear, that the heard organ works had been improvised. It was a special pleasure for me to ask the academical trained collegues and organists to there question, from whom the organ work belongs to to ask the counterquestion, „What do you think?“. The answer „Perhaps an early Dupré, or was it something from Tournemire?“ has been appreciation and challenge for me. The recordings here are only improvisations from an amateur organist. The organ of the Paderborn cathedral with the many stops and tone colours was an interesting instrument and has been a spring of inspiration for me.

To the suggestive power of the roman-catholic cult the organ gives a big part to. Could you imagine a solemn entry of the church leaders in their official vestment without thunderous organ playing? They would appear absurd. In an subtle way the organ stabilizes even the existing system of authority – unfortunately! The whole powerlessness of this system was shown, when the chapter sit in judgment to look to my personal conduct of life after a divorce and found, that i am no longer able to play the organ during services, which was a demolition for me – humanly and artistically.
Over three years long my ecclesiastical divorce proceeding was the reason for my disposition, now, in front of a visite of the pope, the hardliners in the chapter achieved themselves. How deep must be the wound of the unbeloved when the functionary in pure anxiety for humanity let their decision only be doctrine. After lang hesitation i got the permission to play the organ for one evening in the week, without using the sequencer, only the Main organ – more i couldn't expect.
Without access to the General console, where i often played, for this compilation of improvisations i had to use already existing recordings of services up to January 1996 with its lifecharacter (crying children, bell of hour in the cathedral, clanked calyxspoon, noise of steps etc.) which can give an impression of what the organ is able to show.
The big instrument sound in my ears best with its foundations and reeds. The „intervention“ in the classical rules of registrations have been radical, which became often point of disussion with the Domorganist.

Merely orientated to the romantic-symphonic aesthetics of Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, i disclaimed against the Tutti of the organbuilder (can be heard in the last cluster of track 15) up to 50 stops. This no-use became the characteristic of my registration.


Stoplist of the organ in the Paderborn Cathedral (Dom), Germany
Orgelbau Siegfried Sauer (1979-81)
Main Organ (Turmorgel)
I. Hauptwerk (C-c4) 78 mm WS
1.   Prinzipal 16’
2.   Octave 8'
3.   Philoméla 8'
4.   Zartgedackt 8'
5.   Octave 4
6.   Hohlflöte 8’
7.   Nasat 2 2/3'
8.   Schwiegel 2'
9.   Kornett 5 fach 8’
10.  Mixtur 5-6 fach 2’
11.  Scharff 4 fach 1’
12.  Trompete 16’
13. Trompete 8’
II. Positiv (C-c4) 73 mm WS
14.  Spitzgambe 8’
15.  Rohrflöte 8’
16.  Sing. Prinzipal 4’
17.  Querflöte 4’
18.  Flachflöte 2'
19.  Quinte 1 1/3’
20.  Sesquialter 2 2/3’
21.  Scharff 4 fach 1/2’
22.  Holzdulzian 8’
23.  Trichterdulzian 8’
Tremulant
Zimbelstern (Terzsextakkord auf cis2, Schalenglöclchen)
III. Schwellwerk (C-c4) 80 mm WS
24.  Pommer 16’
25.  Harfenprinzipal 8’
26.  Holzflöte 8’
27.  Weidenpfeife 8’
28.  Schwebung 8’
29.  Octave 4’
30.  Koppelflöte 4’
31.  Gemsquinte 2 2/3’
32.  Octave 2’
33.  Terzflöte 1 3/5’
34.  Waldflöte 1 1/3’
35.  Sifflöte 1’
36.  Aetherea 4 fach 2 2/3’
37.  Mixtur 5-6 fach 1 1/3’
38.  Englisch Horn 16’
39. Trompette harmonique 8’
40.  Oboe 8’
41. Clairon 4’
Tremulant
IV. Oberwerk /C-c4) 70 mm WS
42. Grobgedackt 8
43. Quintade 8'
44. Gambe 8’
45. Fugara 4’
46.  Spitzflöte 4’
47.  Prinzipal 2’
48.  Septime 1 1/7’
49.  Rauschpfeife 2 fach 2 2/3’
50. Zimbel 3 fach 1/4’
51. Klarinette 8’
52.  Vox humana 8’
53. Geigend Regal 4’
54.  Glockemspiel c0-d3 2’
Tremulant
The Bombardwerk with high pressure (120 mm watercolum and 175 mm) is playable from IV., I. and Pedal.
Bombardwerk (C-c4)
55. Prinzipal major 8’
56. Mixtura major 5-7 fach 2’
57. Tuba magna 16’
58. Tuba mirabilis 8’
59. Tromba clarino 4’
Pedalwerk (C-g2)
60.  Untersatz 32'
61.  Prinzipal 16'
62.  Weitgedackt 16'
63.  Pommer 16'
64.  Octave 8'
65.  Gemshorn 8'
66.  Choralbaß 4’
67.  Baßflöte 4'
68.  Nachthorn 2'
69.  Mixtur 5 fach 4’
70.  Bombarde 32’
71.  Posaune 16'
72.  Fagott 16'
73.  Trompete 8'
74.  Clarine 4'
75.  Cornet 2’
Tremulant
Slider chest with electrical driven stops, electrical copplers

Choir organ
(in the high nave of the cathedral, front to the high nave, Récit opened through tracerey in the north side nave)
/. Hauptwerk (C-g3) 82 mm WS
1. Rohrbordun 16'
2. Prinzipal 8'
3. Dulzflöte 8'
4. Gedackt 8'
5. Octave 4'
6. Koppelflöte 4'
7. Nasat 2 2/3'
8. Octave 2'
9. Mixlur 5-6 fach 1 1/3’
10. Trompete 8'
11.  Zink 4'
Tremulant
II. Positiv (C-g3) 80 mm WS
12.  Geigenprinzipal 8'
13.  Salizional 8'
14.  Rohrquintade 8’
15.  Sing. Prinzipal 4’
16.  Labialklarinette 4'
17.  Nachthorn 2'
18.  Viola piccola 2'
19.  Quinte 1 1/3'
20.  Sesquialter 2 fach 2 2/3'
21.  Scharff 4 fach 1’
22.  Rankett 16'
23.  Krummhorn 8’
Tremulant

//. Schwellwerk (C-g3) 85 mm WS
24.  Ital. Prinzipal 8'
25.  Hohlllöte 8'
26.  Gemshorn 8'
27.  Zartgeige schwebend 8'
28.  Praestant 8'
29.  Blockflöte 4'
30.  Salizet 4'
31.  Ouintflöte 2 2/3'
32.  Schwiegel 2'
33.  Sifflöte 1’
34.  Rauschpfeife 4 fach 2 2/3’
35.  Terzzimbel 3 fach 2/3'
36.  Dulzian 16'
37.  Trompette harmonique 8’
38.  Schalmey 4'
Tremulant
Pedalwerk (C-f1) 85 mm WS
39.  Prinzipal 16'
40.  Subbaß 16'
41.  Gedacktbaß 16'
42.  Quintbaß 10 2/3’
43.  Octavbaß 8'
44.  Gemshorn 8’
45.  Cello pomposo 4’
46.  Piffaro 4’ und 2’
47.  Hintersatz 4 fach 4’
48.  Posaune 16'
49.  Trompete 8'
Tremulant
electric-pneumatic tracker and stops (Kegelladen)
 
General Concole in the High Nave, from this console all three instruments are playable (Main organ, chor organ and crypt organ.
Crypt organ
located in two nices left and right frm the southstairs to the crypt
I. Hauptwerk (C-g3) 60 mm WS
1. Holzflöte 8'
2. Trichtergambe 8’
3. Prinzipal 4'
4. Quintade 4'
5. Mixlur 4 fach 1 1/3’
6. Musette 8’
Tremulant
//. Seitenwerk (C-g3) 60 mm WS
7. Gedackt 8'
8. Blockflöte 4'
9. Prinzipal 2'
10. Terzian 2 fach 1 3/5’
11.  Vox humana 8'
Tremulant
Pedalwerk (C-f3) 73 mm WS
12.  Subbaß 16'
13.  Spitzoctave 8'
14.  Piffaro 4 und 2'
15.  Dulzian 16'
electric slider chest


To the Fanfare of Libori - „Liboritusch“
Since 1736 (the 900-year-feast of Libori) in use, the Libori-Fanfare comes from Mendelssohn's oratory „Paulus“, which first concert in may 1836 is near the very first use of the Fanfare of Libori during the 1000-year-feast of Libori.
The improvisation over the Fanfare of Libori and the choral „Sei gegruesset oh Libori“ starts on the Choir organ solo. The first fanfare is heard from the Bombardwerk of the main organ. After the response of the whole organ the Choir organ shows for the first time the theme of the chorale. The second fanfare of the Bombardwerk catches the dialog, Choir and Main organ recite the chorale. Different groups of stop ensembles (Fonds, Anches, 16'8'4' etc.) of both organs lead to a increase to another fanfare from the Bombardwerk. After this the Chorale is given from the whole organ, before the improvisation ends with the whole organ together with the Bombardwerk, reciting the fanfare of Libori again.
Despite of an error in the recording i don't want to relinquish this recording (from the 30th of july 1995) from this compilation.

credits

released February 19, 2013

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Peter Ewers Bielefeld, Germany

Peter Ewers, born 1963, develops an own style of improvisation autodidactically, works as an organist at Paderborn cathedral for five years (with up to 480 services a years). 1996 first CD of improvisations, 1997 on the Cavaillé-Coll-organ of the Madeleine, Paris (critic's prize Coup de coeur), 2000 „Les planètes“ Notre-Dame de Laeken, Brussels (four of five tuning forks in „Diapason“). ... more

contact / help

Contact Peter Ewers

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

If you like Peter Ewers, you may also like: