MP3 Susanne Kujala - Organ Triptychon
Great romantic works and colorful contemporary music for pipe organ played by young organ virtuoso.
9 MP3 Songs in this album (70:43) !
Related styles: CLASSICAL: Organ, CLASSICAL: Romantic Era
People who are interested in Franz Liszt should consider this download.
Details:
Organ works by three composers and three different kinds of organ form an entirety: the cd “Organ Triptychon”. All three composers have a great interest in the organ and a close collaboration with organists in common. Alexander Winterberger (1834 – 1914) and Franz Liszt (1811-1886) have worked together on many organ compositions of Liszt. Prelude and fugue on B-A-C-H is dedicated to Mr. Winterberger, who premiered it in 1856.
The relationship between Max Reger (1873-1916) and Karl Straube (1873-1950) was many-faceted but also very successful. Straube premiered numerous organ works of Reger including Fantasy and fugue on B-A-C-H op. 46, which was composed at the turn of the century. The collaboration between Susanne Kujala and her composer husband Veli Kujala has lead until now to four new organ compositions. This cd includes the first two compositions, Azul and Triptychos, which were both composed and premiered in 2004.
The organs on this cd have one thing in common: they are all located in the capital of Finland and are part of the astoundingly versatile organ landscape of Helsinki. The Walcker organ of St. John’s was built in 1891 and has been remodified radically many times over the course of time. In 2005 the organ was restored to reproduce its original sound. Helsinki Cathedral has behind the historical case an interesting organ from 1960s. The aesthetics of the sound reflect the Scandinavian organ reform movement of that time. The organ of Kallio church from 1995 is built in the style of the most successful organ builder of French romantic period, Aristide Cavaillé-Coll (1811-1899). Veli Kujala’s Azul is possible to play on many different kinds of organ; even baroque temperaments of organs do not prevent performing it. From countless possible organs suitable for Azul the composer chose the organ of Kallio.
As a special feature in this cd are organ transcriptions of two piano works by Franz Liszt. Angelus! Prière aux anges gardiens (Angelus! Prayer to the Guardian angels) is the opening piece of Années de pèlerinage: troisième année (Years of Pilgrimage: third year). It was transcribed for organ by Karl Straube. The organ transcription of Liszt’s concert etude Gnomenreigen (Dance of the Gnomes) is meant to be a virtuosic encore for the program of “Organ Triptychon”.
The program in this cd also generally reflects the philosophy of German-born interpreter. Susanne Kujala has contemporary music much at heart, particularly new music of her adopted country Finland. However, she does not want to see contemporary music separated into its own circles apart from everyday concert life. She rather integrates it into each of her concert programs.
Susanne Kujala (b. 1976 in Berlin) studied organ at the Sibelius-Academy (Helsinki, Finland) with Markku Hietaharju and gained her Master of Music –degree in May 2006 with highest honors. Her debut concert on the organ of the Finlandia-Hall in Helsinki in February 2007 got extraordinarily positive reception in the Finnish media. Susanne Kujala has received one-year-grant from DAAD in 1999-2000 and grant from the Wihuri Foundation in 2003. She has attended master classes of Bine Bryndorf, Francesco di Lernia, Olli Porthan and Ludger Lohmann.
Kujala has received many prizes in national and international competitions. One of her most important activities is the collaboration with composers and she has commissioned and premiered many works by Kalevi Aho, Friedrich Goldmann, Sampo Haapamäki, Osmo Honkanen, Sami Klemola, Veli Kujala, Ere Lievonen, Uljas Pulkkis, Vesa Valkama and Helmut Zapf. She has played recitals in Austria, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, United Kingdom and in the USA. Currently she is attaining her artistic Doctor of Music degree in the Sibelius-Academy on the theme “Collaboration between composer and organist”.