Orgelmusik für Kinder
Orgelmusik für KinderMana Usui spielt Werke der Barockzeit bis Mozart
Track-Liste
1. Franz Xaver Anton Murschhauser (1633-1738)
Variationen über "Laßt uns das Kindlein wiegen"
2. Louis-Claude Daquin (1694-1772)
Rondeau "Le Coucou"
3. Giuseppe Gherardeschi (1759-1824)
Rondò G-Dur
4. Dietrich Buxtehude (1637-1707)
Fuge C-Dur, BuxWV 174
5. Michel Corrette (1709-1795)
Noël Provençal
6. Louis-Claude Daquin
Noël sur les Flûtes
7. Jeremiah Clarke (um 1670-1707)
Trumpet Voluntary (The Prince of Denmark's March)
8. Johann Gottfried Walther (1684-1748)
Concerto A-Dur, Pastorella
9. Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
"Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme", BWV 645
10. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Rondo C-Dur, KV 617
11. Johann Sebastian Bach
Trisonate Nr. 1 Es-Dur, BWV 525, 1. Satz
12. Georg Böhm (1661-1733)
"Vater unser im Himmelreich"
13. Johann Sebastian Bach
Fantasie G-Dur, BWV 572
Organ Music for Children
To make organ music accessible to children, to leave a lasting impression of it, this thought has been with me for quite some time. The literature at hand was chosen to encompass Baroque music, all the way to Mozart, since this is music to be enthusiastic with.
All of the pieces transport loveliness and grace. Famous organ music may be heard right next to simple little works. Some of these melodies will surely strike roots in the childrens' ears; they can experience the rhythms, or they may simply calm down while listening. A friendly atmosphere is created, and this is already an important achievement.
When I tell parents they should let their children listen to music this may sound like some kind of pressure. But I myself am mother of a son, who has just turned seven. He has always been very expressive in letting me know which kind of music he enjoys, and which he doesn't. He always showed it by humming or singing along, dancing or simply smiling.
This also influenced the creation of this CD. If this music can help the listener, young or old, to leave behind his everyday-life and to enjoy a few moments of happiness and inner peace, then I'd be very happy indeed.
Mana Usui, 1995
Due to its unchangeable sound the organ is able to transport musical messages, the commitment it expresses has made it the instrument of choice for the church. This characteristic simplicity has also led to the fact that organ music is never subject to an exaggerated sensitivity of the musical expression, so that next to its more serious aspect it also has a very joyful, even playful side, which makes it accessible to children.
In his variations on "Lasst uns das Kindlein wiegen" Franz Xaver Anton Murschhauser (organist at the Frauenkirche in Munich) has shown that organ music can have a sentimental and painterly aspect: several times we can hear the cuckoo's call and in one variation birdsong. The cuckoo can also be heard in the Rondeau by Claude Daquin, actually a piece for piano, but which actually sounds much better on the organ, particularly when played, as it is here, with the Gedackt 8' from / of oakwood. Giuseppe Gherardeschi (he was the court's Master Conductor in Pistoia) reminds us of Haydn with his expressive and multi-hued piano music, whereas Buxtehude's Fugue with its phantastic sound (played on Rohrflöte 4' and a Blockflöte 4') is typical for the world of the North-German Baroque.
The so-called Noëls are French baroque variations on Christmas carols. The Noël Provencale by Michel Corette takes us back to the origin of these carols in folk music and popular customs; with its elementary sound it evokes pastoral music during the Renaissance, particularly in Rome when during the Christmas-time the shepherds came to town to celebrate the birthday of Jesus.
The sound of the organ is accompanied by the tambourine. "Noël sur les flutes" by Daquin shows a spontaneous and - in the best sense of the word - child-like joy in the mystery of Christmas, supported by the flute stops of the organ, the sound of which always transports a kind of perfection.
The term Voluntary in the title "Trumpet Voluntary" hints at an originally improvised piece of organ music, which is not tied to a choral. It has long been ascribed to Purcell, today we know for sure that the author was Jeremiah Clarke (organist at the St. Paul's Cathedral in London); although he had named the work "The Prince of Denmark's March". So it is only natural that this work for piano, too, sounds so much more impressive when played on an organ, on which the trumpet stop can serve to empahsize the character of the march.
Johann Gottfried Walther, a relative of Johann Sebastian Bach on the maternal side, enjoyed transcribing original music by other composers for the organ. The organ concerto A-major was written by the otherwise unknown composer Blamr, and as a third movemeent contains a pastorale in the style of the Roman traditions mentioned above. The organ chorale "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme" is also a transcription (from the similarly named cantata) for organ, but was composed by Bach himself. The choral melody is audible as tenor, played by the sonorous trumpet voice of the organ, whereas the soprano melody symbolises the voice of Jesus calling.
Mozart's rondo was taken from the quintet KV 617 for musical glasses, flute, oboe, viola and violoncello. Even though Mozart's work represents the pinnacle of sensitivity during the Rococo, and therefore does not seem to be particularly suited for being played on an organ, many of his pieces emanate a celestial quality, so that is well worth the effort to transcribe them for organ interpretation. Bach's triosonatas are actually studies for advanced organists, since these pieces for three voices require independet use of hand and feet. The first sentence of the first trio-sonata literally anticipates Mozart with its grace. The bass melody is particularly beautifully executed in a very resonant and clear-sounding Principal 8'.
Georg Böhm was noted for his expressive, fancifully decorated choral treatments. His organ choral "Vater unser im Himmelreich" is a typical example, although one in which the decorative elements may also be found in the accompanying voices.
Bach's three-part fantasy in G-major is unique among his work, also due to the rather unusual French tempo notations. Bach possibly hinted at an understanding of his fantasy as programme music, as preferred in French music (just think of the Impressionism of a Debussy). Albert Schweitzer interpreted the three parts of the fantasy as representing the three age-periods governing human life. During the first part (trés vitement), we accompany an adolescent romping around; the second part (gravement) which its rich and plentiful chords represents the abundance of life lived at its fullest, whereas the third part (lentement), in which the chords dissolve into Arpeggios-like ornaments in harmony with a slowly descending bass, reminds us of old age. In this way, this Bach-composition serves as a very fitting finale and, in a way, as a spiritual conclusion to this recital.
Dr. Jörg Büchli
Translated by Stefani Ross
The History of the Organ of the Protestant Community Church, Grebenstein
The builder of the original organ work was the Kassel court-appointed organ builder Johann Wilhelm Dibelius. In 1731, he was commissioned to build a new organ for the Grebenstein church, at a price of 300 Taler. The organ he built nearly concurrently for the Kassel Karlskriche cost 265 Taler, just as a comparison. Both instruments had no more than one pedal and one manual. It is highly probable that there were plans for a second manual in Grebenstein.
This is the reason why the newly installed second manual designed as a swell-manual was placed a little behind the housing.
The impressive prospect front with its partitions into main work and pedal work has survived. The old-fashioned prospect design of the "Brustwerk" with its classicist style elements originated in the early 19th century.
To research Dibelius' work was rather difficult, as these two organs, in addition to a Positive in Maden (North Hesse) are the only instruments he probably built. None of these instruments has survived. Photographs taken beofre 1908, as well as a complete "Wellenbrett Aufriss" on the side panel were first hints at the Grebenstein organ's history.
In 1908, the interior of the Dibelius organ was replaced by a pneumatic organ work; the housing and the particularly valuable guilded prospect pipes were left intact. During WW I, these last remnants of Dibelius' organ sound had to be given up.
Michael Bosch
Mana Usui began playing the piano at the age of four. She studied musicology, organ playing and piano at the Kunitachi College of Music, Tokyo.1983-86 she studied with Prof. Edgar Krapp at the Musikhochschule Frankfurt/Main. She completed her studies there with a diploma for organ playing. After her formal training she completed her studies by attending master courses with noted teachers, such as Luigi Ferdinando Tagliavini, André Isoir, Xavier Darasse (+) and Michael Radulescu.
Mana Usui has performed as a soloist in Sweden, Switzerland, France, Russia, Japan and Germany.
Recordings for TV and radio in Germany and Japan.
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