Organ Festival in the Stadtcasino Basel, September 2020

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In September 2020, between the two Covid-19 lockdowns, some 30 organists from across the world – from Switzerland to Latvia, Israel, France, China and elsewhere – gathered in the city of Basel to inaugurate the new Metzler organ in the city’s recently renovated concert hall, the Stadtcasino.

They were joined by the Kammerorchester Basel, the Basel Symphony Orchestra, dancers and assorted instrumental­ists for 20 concerts in all manner of formats – from symphony concerts to children’s fairy tales, jitterbug dancing, Argentinian tangos and Balkan folk music.

The present album offers a representative overview of the myriad genres and styles that were featured in those two weeks in Basel before the coronavirus once again closed down all concert life.

Chris Walton

Read more in the booklet (and German texts)

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Organ Festival at the Stadtcasino Basel

4-6 and 18-20 September 2020

This selection of live recordings made during the first Organ Festival at the Stadtcasino Basel (OFSB) offers an overview of the festival’s diver­sity. It also documents the first concerts during which the hall’s new organ was presented to the public.

All the concerts are represented through this selection. Alongside renowned performers, orchestras, choirs and bands, the festival also included young organ students who performed during the Family Afternoon.

Babette Mondry

Read more in the booklet (and German texts)

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The concert hall’s new organ at the Stadtcasino Basel

The new organ built by the internation­ally renowned Swiss organ builders Metzler and Klahre was conceived as a symphonic instru­ment with references to the French symphonic and English Town Hall organ styles. It was integrated into the hall’s existing and listed 1905-appearance in the best craftsmanship tradition and is the world’s first instrument whose pipes are built with sustainable tin certified by the Responsible Minerals Initiative.

Although space was very limited in this historic building, a clever sound and spatial concept and Andreas Metzler’s art of intona­tion enabled the construction of a symphonic instrument that offers both richness of colour and great dynamic flexibility in the piano range. It also has enough penetrating power in the fortissimo to face a large orchestra as an equal partner.

In addition, the instrument is the first concert hall organ to be provided with a special “Wind­dynamische Orgel” divison, with which the sound of a note can be influenced by freely adjustable wind pressure and other configu­rable parameters, even after the key has been pressed. This enables the production of totally new sounds and sound combinations. This should also inspire contemporary composers to create new works.

You can hear this division on CD 2, Track 2, and on CD 3, Tracks 2 and 7.

The instrument is equipped with flexible electronics. This makes it possible to play any division from any manual in any octave pitch, thus considerably extending the tonal pos­sibilities. From the console positioned on the right side of the organ, both the main organ and the Winddynamische Orgel (with tracker action) can be played; the second console can be freely positioned on the stage and controls the main organ.

Thilo Muster (Translation : Michelle Bulloch – MUSITEXT)

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Orchestras

Sinfonieorchester Basel, Ivor Bolton
CD 1, Camille Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3 in c minor, Op. 78 "Organ Symphony"
Thomas Trotter, organ
CD 1, Guillaume Connesson: Concerto da Requiem (World Premiere Recording)
Vincent Dubois, organ

Kammerorchester Basel, Pierre Bleuse
CD 2, Camille Saint-Saëns: Cyprès et Lauriers, Op. 156
Martin Sander, organ

Der Musikschule Basel, Musik Akademie, Raphael Immoos
CD 2, Benjamin Britten: Rejoice in the Lamb, Op. 30 & Jubilate Deo
Babette Mondry, organ

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Ensembles

Taragot & Orgel
CD 3 , tracks 7-8, Doina «sus pe culmea dealului» & De Pe Salaj
Thilo Muster, organ / Samuel Freiburghaus, taragot / Nehrun Aliev, percussion

Orquesta Tipica SILENCIO, Roger Hélou
CD 3, track 9, Milonga del Angel
Roger Hélou, organ, piano / Máxime Point, bandoneon / Pablo Murgier, piano, organ / Sergio Marrini, violin / Wini Holzenkamp, bass

Nikolai's Lindy Dreamband, Nikolai Geršak
CD 3, track 10, Spain
Nikolai Geršak, organ, piano / Benjamin Engel, saxophone / Carsten Stamm, trumpet / Harald Weisshaupt, drums

(More distributions and details in the booklet)

REVIEWS

ResMusica

« En 3 CD, le label Claves regroupe divers moments choisis du Festival d’orgue 2020 au Stadtcasino de Bâle. [..] L’acoustique du Casino de Bâle, généreuse et harmonieusement équilibrée permet à l’orgue de respirer dans un environnement propice à d’autres musiciens, chœurs ou orchestre. Le présent coffret bénéficie d’une prise de son parfaitement ajustée de la part de Jean-Claude Gaberel, spécialiste en la matière. La contribution musicale d’un tel festival est à même de fournir des idées de choix à d’autres manifestations incluant l’orgue symphonique dans ses programmes, au-delà d’un répertoire trop peu ouvert en général. C’est ici un magnifique exemple de ce qui est possible. » - Frédéric Muñoz, avril 2022

Organ Journal

« [..] Die drei CDs präsentieren Ausschnitte aus diesem ersten Festival – und erwecken (dies sei vorausgeschickt) durchaus den Wunsch nach mehr. Dabei wurde weitgehend unbekanntes Repertoire so elegant wie wirkungsvoll kombiniert mit neuen Einspielungen von vertrauter, doch meist eher ungehörter Literatur. [..] Fazit: Nicht nur für Orgelenthusiast:innen ein Fundus. Fortsetzung erbeten! » - Birger Petersen, Februar 2022

Opus Klassiek

“In September last year a festival was organized in the Stadtcasino of Basel to add the necessary musical lustre to the festivities surrounding the new organ by Metzler & Klahre. The three CDs that the Swiss music label Claves spontaneously sent me are the result. A local happening that, with the release of this box set, is given an international flavor. [..] The recordings allow you to experience it in every conceivable color; and perhaps for some of you even relive it. It will certainly not have been easy for the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation's 'Tonmeister' Jean-Claude Gaberel to create an expansive sound image in the relatively small space of the historic building, packed with audience, musicians and choirs. But he succeeded in doing so as well.” - Aart van der Wal, September 2021