In these times, experiencing live music is still an exception, a speciality - so the 51st Merseburg Organ Days are a great highlight in the festive year "Consecrated for eternity - 1000 years of the consecration of Merseburg Cathedral". From 11 to 19 September 2021, the Freundeskreis Musik und Denkmalpflege in Kirchen des Merseburger Landes e. V. and, above all, the director of the Merseburg Organ Days and organist of Merseburg Cathedral, Michael Schönheit, have planned an outstanding musical event entitled "Consecrated for eternity - Gregorian chant. A companion through 1000 years". The high-calibre programme of the Merseburg Organ Festival offers numerous musical highlights.
For example, the Opening concert "1000 years of sacred music" on 11 September by the Regensburger Domspatzen under the direction of cathedral conductor Christian Heiss. On 12 September will be performed in the big evening concert George Frideric Handel's "Messiah" in the version by Johann Adam Hiller will be performed by the Leipzig Gewandhaus Choir.
An idiosyncratic vocal debate takes place on 14 September the ensemble Amarcord and the Calmus Ensemble to be heard. They will musically stage the "Leipzig Disputation", the debate between Martin Luther and Johannes Eck. Another highlight will be the "Big music night" on 18 September. On this three-part concert evening will begin with works by Rudolf Mauersberger, Ottorino Respighi and Gabriel Fauré, followed by the meditation "...the true way to play the piano", moderated by Axel Thielmann and performed by Jan Katzschke on the clavichord, harpsichord and fortepiano. In the third part you can listen to "BACH quer". The SLIXS vocal ensemble sets Bach's instrumental works to vocal music and is accompanied by cathedral organist Michael Schönheit on the Ladegast organs.
Also with the Final concert on 19 September works by Johann Sebastian Bach will be performed once again in Merseburg Cathedral. The Collegium Vocale Leipzig and the Merseburg Court Music under the direction of Michael Schönheit will bring the Merseburg Organ Festival to a festive close with the "High Mass in B minor BWV 232". The birth and death anniversaries of Michael Praetorius and Marcel Dupré as well as the composer and poet of the hymn "Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten", Georg Neumark, will also be honoured with music.
The programme is complemented by the daily "Musical Unlocking of the Cathedral", lunchtime concerts, festive church services and a Family concert on 18 September. The popular presenter Malte Arkona, known from KiKa, will join organists Michael Schönheit and Denny Wilke to present Camille Saint-Saëns' "Carnival of the Animals" under the title "Four hands, quick feet and many big and small animals".
Information about the Organ Days, the detailed programme and ticket reservations are available at: www.merseburger-orgeltage.de
