Orgelklang 12: Henry Fairs

On selected Saturdays and religious holidays visitors of Merseburg Cathedral can experience the sound of the “Queen of instruments”. Listen to the romantic Ladegast organ, one of the region’s most magnificent organs. In a 40-minute concert, accompanied by spiritual words, organists from far and wide show their impressive skills.

Here you can already purchase your cathedral entrance ticket online.

On the Ladegast organ: Henry Fairs - Professor at the Berlin University of the Arts

Orgelklang 12 (Organ Sound 12)

On the large Ladegast organ

Composer: Johann Hartmann (1805-1900) Work: from Sonata in G minor: Allegro (7')

Greeting

On the small Ladegast organ

Composer: Henry Purcell Work: Voluntary G major (3')

Composer: Thomas Tomkins Work: Verse - Fancy (4')

Reading

On the large Ladegast organ

Composer: Robert Schumann (1810-1856) Work: Four Sketches, op. 58 (13')

Reading

Composer: Percy Whitlock (1903-1946) Work: Fidelis (4')

Word of blessing

On the large Ladegast organ

Composer: J.S. Bach (1685-1750) Work: Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu Dir BWV 686 (6')

On the loading-guest organs: Henry Fairs (Berlin)

VITA

Prof Henry James Fairs was born in Hereford (England), where he received his earliest musical training as a chorister at Leominster Priory and studied at the Birmingham Conservatoire, where he graduated with the highest honours. A scholarship from the Countess of Munster Trust enabled him to pursue postgraduate studies in Paris, Cologne and Vienna.

In addition to his work as a teacher, Henry Fairs has a busy concert schedule, which takes him to festivals and instruments all over the world. Fairs is also a regular jury member at international organ competitions. Students in his organ class have won prizes in numerous international competitions and now hold important positions in churches and universities.

Henry Fairs has won several prizes at international organ competitions, including in Odense (DK), Chartres (FR), St Albans (GB) and Paris (FR). Important teachers include David Saint, Thierry Mechler, Susan Landale, David Sanger and Michael Radulescu. He has made numerous recordings for radio.

From 2005 to 2020, Henry Fairs worked at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (UK), and from 2018 to 2020 he was also a visiting professor at HMT Leipzig. He has been a visiting professor at the University of St Andrews (Scotland) since 2014. Since the 2020/2021 winter semester, Henry Fairs has been Professor of Artistic Organ Performance at the Berlin University of the Arts.