Aeolus  AE-11411 (2 discs)

Stereo/Multichannel Hybrid

Classical - Instrumental

Works by von Stendal, Dufay, Buxtehude, Sweelinck, Pachelbel, Frescobaldi, Bach, Schmeding (improvisations), Karg-Elert, Hindemith, Distler, David, Pepping

Martin Schemding (organ)


The Hugo Körtzinger workshop at Schnega (Germany) houses a remarkable 3 manual private organ built by the famous E.F.Walcker company from Ludwigsburg as their Opus 2576 between 1937 and 1947. Martin Schmeding portraits the colorful instrument on a double SACD album.

The Bremen-born painter and sculptor Hugo Körtzinger (1892 - 1967) was a close friend of his much more famous colleague Ernst Barlach. Both were in the favour of the well-known Hamburg art patron Hermann F. Reemtsma. In 1937, Reemtsma financed a new workshop for Hugo Körtzinger in the small town of Schnega (Wendland), where he saved sculptures of his friend Barlach, which were considered "degenerate art", from being melted during the Nazi era. In 1937, Germany's most important organ building company at that time, E.F. Walcker, built a new 3-manual instrument for Körtzinger's studio as their Opus 2576 - at the request of the customer with many unusual timbres. The instrument was continuously extended in individual construction steps until 1947.

A few years ago, the studio and the organ, which had been completely unplayable for many decades, were renovated thanks to the support of the Hermann F. Reemtsma Foundation. Martin Schmeding presents the instrument on a double SACD with music by baroque composers, played in the style of the 1930s aesthetic, as well as with original works from the time the instrument was built. This programme gives an impression of the works that may have been played in the Körtzinger atelier between 1937 and 1967. The programme is supplemented by Schmeding's improvisations on sculptures by Ernst Barlach.

The double SACD album comes with an extensive 48 pages booklet and numerous photographs!