Norddeutsche Orgelkunst Vol. 4 Lüneburg

Martin Rost’s tour of the illustrious centers of Northern German organ music now takes us to the baroque splendor of Lüneburg. Even though the glory of this proud city not far from Hamburg was beginning to fade, the renown of its musicians continued to extend to faraway Thuringia when Johann Sebastian Bach – then not quite fifteen years old – set out to complete his musical studies there. Martin Rost’s selection of compositions recorded on his Stellwagen organ demonstrates that a trip to Lüneburg can be rewarding even today. On this recording the magnificent Stellwagen organ in St. Mary’s Church in Stralsund shows its best side. This instrument’s absolutely inexhaustible wealth of color is enhanced by the employment of calcants; replacing the electric motor in use today, they apply pressure to the mighty air unit with twelve bellows, supplying an additional dimension: the foot-operated air flow creates such a peaceful sound that even the nightingale resident in the church feels obliged to postpone its trilling – thereby competing with the sound engineer and organist, who planned to record the quiet pieces during the traffic-free night hours! Also available: Norddeutsche Orgelkunst Martin Rost, Stellwagen-Orgel (1659) St. Marien Stralsund Vol. 1: Lübeck Works from Franz Tunder, Peter Hasse d. Ä., Dieterich Buxtehude, u. a. MDG 320 1624-2 Vol. 2: Danzig Works from Cajus Schmiedtlein, Paul Siefert, Petrus de Drusina, Andreas Neunhaber and other MDG 320 1697-2 Vol. 3: Hamburg Works from G. Ph. Telemann, C. Ph. E. Bach, Matthias Weckmann, Jakob Praetorius and other. MDG 320 1816-2