Experience the special experience of sound and space in a World Heritage Site

The organ is often referred to as the “queen of instruments” due to its powerful sound and size. Almost every organ is unique, specially designed for the client and specially adapted to the room. This also applies to the organ in Aachen Cathedral: it was built in 1939 by the renowned Klais organ builders in Bonn, extended in 1993 by the Hochmünster organ, but its basic structure goes back to an older instrument. Today’s organ has 94 stops. Outside of church services, its impressive sound and technology can usually only be experienced during concerts organised by the cathedral’s music department. But once a year – during the “Organ Days at Aachen Cathedral” – it itself takes centre stage.

The concert series is now a firm fixture in the cathedral’s annual calendar and enjoys nationwide popularity. Not only proven organ fans and connoisseurs of classical music enjoy coming to the four concerts in late summer, but increasingly also students and people who enjoy the special experience of sound and space in a world heritage site.

This year, cathedral organist Michael Hoppe has once again invited three colleagues, each of whom will be free to organise their own concert evening and showcase very different styles and focuses. The organiser himself will kick things off: On Tuesday, 27 August, at 7 pm, he will draw on the full musical spectrum and play pieces by Bach, Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Jean Jacques Grunenwald and the monumental organ work “Ad nos ad salutarem undam” by Franz Liszt.

Under the title “Time for B”, Friedemann Johannes Wieland, cathedral organist from Ulm, will dedicate himself to famous composers such as Bach, Buxtehude and Barber on Thursday, 29 August at 7 pm, travelling stylistically from the Baroque to modern times.

“In the middle” – the title of the programme – is the guest performance by Daniel Beckmann, cathedral organist from Mainz, on Tuesday, 3 September at 7 pm. In addition to classical works, visitors can also look forward to his interpretations of contemporary works by Bovet, Franck and Dupré.

Stephan Leuthold, cathedral organist from Bremen, will bring the Organ Days to a close on Thursday, 5 September with “People, Images, Emotions”. Popular works such as the Peer Gynt Suite No. 1 by Edvard Grieg will be performed alongside romantic pieces such as the Sonata No. 5 in D minor op. 118 by Gustav Adolf Merkel and sacred compositions such as “Nun danket alle Gott BWV 657” by Johann Sebastian Bach.

ADMISSION TICKETS

The entrance fee (€9.00, reduced €6.00) covers the costs. Tickets can be purchased online or at the Dominformation until the start of the concert at 7 pm.