" TOCCATA"
200 Years German Organ Music-
BRAM BEEKMAN plays the De Rijckere organ of the Oostkerk
in Middelburg, The Netherlands

PTC 5186 003

DSD recorded

 

From Bach to Reger – omnipotent traditions
200 Years of German Organ Music

Almost two centuries passed between the creation of the first and last pieces on the CD programme at hand, which was recorded by Bram Beekman on the De Rijckere organ in the Oostkerk (East Church) in the Dutch town of Middelburg. Almost 200 years in the wide-ranging history of the organ separate both the D-minor Toccatas by the German organ masters Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) and Max Reger (1873-1916).
The Toccata and Fugue in D-minor, BWV 565, written before 1708, is probably Bach‘s most popular organ composition. With its turbulent unison runs, raging passage work and agonised, diminished harmonics, it is a fantastic mirror image of the playful-virtuoso possibilities of the organ. The Fugue takes up the imperious and insistent air of the first movement (Adagio) and carries it to an abrupt end, before the outcry of the Toccata coda finally subsides after a gigantic final cadenza.

If we were to consider the two works by Bach – both his Toccata and his arrangement of Vivaldi‘s Concerto Grosso RV 565 for two solo violins from L’estro armonico – as the beginning of our journey through German organ music, then Max Reger‘s Toccata in D-minor would be its final destination. The Toccata No. 5 from his 12 Pieces, Op. 59, written in 1901, immediately fulfils at the opening all demands required of the „toccare i tasti", i.e. of „sweeping one‘s hands over the keys ", and as such is worthy of Bach‘s heir in this genre. The common ground between both composers – their thinking in great, autonomous and antithetical musical lines – is clearly demonstrated in both works. However, the journey from Bach to Reger contains many exciting stop-overs.

The massive and lasting influence of Bach‘s organ works is especially audible in the works on this recording by Bach‘s pupils Gottfried August Homilius and Johann Ludwig Krebs. Gottfried August Homilius (1714-1785) was one of the most eminent Cantors of the Dresden Kreuz church, where he was employed from 1755 onwards. In the field of organ composition, he was most interested in the liturgical genre of chorale arrangement. His chorale preludes Mache dich, mein Geist bereit and Hilf, Herr Jesu, lass gelingen already show some signs of early Classical influence, most noticeably in the relative freedom of style employed. Johann Ludwig Krebs (1713-1780) received his musical education at the St. Thomas school in Leipzig and, at the same time, was a private pupil of Bach‘s. The elder composer eventually paid him a magnificent compliment, saying that he was the „einzige Krebs im Bache" (a play on words in German, meaning literally that he was the only crab in the stream). However, Krebs succeeded partially in becoming more than just a Bach imitator, as is proven in his excellent Trio in E-flat. Johann Christoph Kellner (1736-1803) suffered the same fate as many of his contemporaries, overshadowed by the genius of Bach and Haydn, who remained for the most part unknown. His Prelude in C is characteristic of the art of the Prelude and Fugue dating from the late 18th century.

The historical, long-distance relationship between Johann Sebastian Bach and Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809-1847) was of special importance as far as the history of music is concerned: after all, Mendelssohn gave the St. Matthew Passion its first modern performance in 1829. During his lifetime, the Romantic composer Mendelssohn was an admirer of the compositions of the high Baroque. In his Six Organ Sonatas Op. 65 – a late work dating from 1844 – Mendelssohn, who had already left the world of Classical music far behind in his piano music, returned to Bach‘s contrapuntal style.

Josef Gabriel Rheinberger (1839-1901) is known as the Father of the Organ Sonata, which thanks to him was „cleansed of its cloying, puny, organ-unfriendly traits". And apart from a number of Fughettas, Trios and Monologues, the main part of his oeuvre for organ consists of his 20 Organ Sonatas. The Cantilena from his four-movement, symphonic Sonata No. 11 in D-minor, Op. 148 displays in the elegant proportions of its melodies and the simplicity of its harmonies a more or less meditative character.

Text: Jörg Peter Urbach
English translation: Fiona J. Gale

Bram Beekman

Bram Beekman was born in Vlissingen in 1949. He studied at the Brabants Conservatory in Tilburg where, in addition to studying music teaching, he was taught the organ by Louis Toebosch. He gained his solo diploma (with special mention of improvisation) in 1972, and pursued his studies in Vienna with Anton Heiller. He gained the Prix d’Excellence in 1975. He won prizes in competitions at Bruges (1973) and Bologna (1975).
Bram Beekman teaches organ and improvisation at the Brabants Conservatory. Besides many recitals at home and abroad he records for radio, tv and cd. He is organist of the Oostkerk in Middelburg.

Text: Piet Lindenberg, Ermelo
English translation: Stephen Taylor, Utrecht

The organ

The ‘Golden Century of Middelburg’ came to an end in 1672, the year of disaster in the Eighty Years’ War with Spain: never again was the town to prosper to the same extent. The prestigious Oostkerk project, therefore, was not crowned with the erection of an or-gan. The congregation had to manage with-out an instrument for more than a century. This shortcoming became more acute in 1773 when a new metrical translation of the psalms was introduced. Middelburg residents applied to the town council for permission to organise a collection for the expense of an organ for the Oostkerk. The town council approved, and the collection was a great success: a new instrument was commissioned in May 1779.
The municipal organist Willem Lootens discussed his proposals with the Middelburg organ builder Johannes van Overbeek; old age and infirmity, however, prevented him from accepting the commission. Subsequently Lootens approached Pieter van Peteghem in Ghent, but to no avail since he had eight years’ work on hand. He turned next to Petrus Josephus and Johannes de Rijckere, two brothers working in Courtrai. They showed much interest and were willing to build the instrument for a reasonable price. Lootens asked for references from previous customers, since the brothers were hardly known in the Netherlands. After approval of the references work on the organ commenced early in 1780 in a warehouse opposite the church. It soon became clear that, despite their declarations to the contrary, the De Rijckere brothers, with their Flemish background, were not able to adapt to the Dutch way of building. Upon completion of their work in February 1782 it was officially examined by the organist F.J. Heinrichs of Goes and the organ builders Joachim Reichner and Johannes Spooreman of ’s-Gravenhage and Leiden respectively. These experts produced a scathing report: the Rugpositief chest was unfit for use, not a single stop was satisfactorily tuned or voiced, and the wind pressure was 27 instead of 36 degrees. The brothers repaired the defects within three weeks, and the subsequent report made by the organist Heinrichs was more favourable. The builders gained permission to leave, and were to return after Easter to receive the final payment. They did not turn up…
Lootens requested another examination. This was carried out by P. Sterkelmans, organist of the Grote Kerk in Breda, and J. Ulrich, organist of the Doopsgezinde Kerk in Rotter-dam. Their report was even more critical than the first one: they rejected not only the Rugpositief chest, but also that of the Hoofd-werk and the wooden pipes of three stops. Joachim Reichner of ’s-Gravenhage was requested to improve the organ. He made a new chest and action for the Rugpositief, re-placed the pipework of several stops, installed five new bellows and a new pedalboard. In early 1783 the organ was ready for use, but Reichner had to return to ’s-Gravenhage because his business was suffering neglect. The remaining work was executed by the Middelburg organ builder Johannes van Overbeek, assisted by his son and Reichner junior. The wind pressure was finally raised to 40 degrees, necessitating the revoicing and tuning of the entire instrument. On 5 Septem-ber 1783 the organ was officially completed. Since the final payment to the De Rijckere brothers had not been made, the money was used to pay the other builders.

The further fortunes of the instrument
In 1803 the organ was dismantled by J.P. Schmidt of Gouda and supplied with tin front pipes. The stop list was not changed, but the organ builder probably added a Hoofdwerk-Bovenwerk coupler. In 1843 the Rugpositief was repaired by J.A. Mennes of Brigdamme, who replaced the Holpijp with a tin Prestant 8’. Mennes worked on the organ again in 1850 and 1851, turning his attention to the Hoofdwerk and pedal. It was probably he who thinned out the Mixtuur and removed the doubled ranks from the prestant stops.
In 1930 Sanders of Hilversum replaced the original keyboards and altered the stop list considerably. An investigation in 1964 revealed that 12 of the 37 stops had been partially or entirely replaced, and that several stops had been thinned out.

The restoration of 1970-1974
Lambert Erné, consultant to the Organ Com-mittee of the Dutch Reformed Church, drew up a restoration plan which was executed by E. Leeflang of Apeldoorn. The situation and stop list of 1783 formed the point of departure. The surviving pipework was lengthened in order to restore the original ‘Kammerton’ pitch. The original keyboards were reinstalled: they were found in the inventory of the firm of Sanders (taken over by the firm of Blank). They were meticulously restored and are now a sight to be seen. Only in some (minor) aspects have changes been made in respect to the 1783 situation. The equal temperament was retained, although originally the organ was undoubtedly tuned differently. The restoration is of a high standard, and the organ now functions better than ever. The winding, which was always a weak point, is now excellent. The instrument has a character of its own, both architecturally and musically.
The organ, together with the pulpit and its surroundings, was designed by Conradt Kaijser, who was architect to the province of Zeeland in 1776-1790. In the Oostkerk he created an example of 18th-century neoclas-sicism which is unique in the Netherlands.
Musically speaking too the organ is unique in its sort, being Dutch in the sonority and clarity of the prestant stops, but Flemish in the timbre of the flutes and reeds. When the stops are correctly combined the instrument sounds quite unique, and is rightly considered to be an historic organ of allure.

Literature
Additional information on the church and organ can be found in: De Oostkerk - 'Eenheerlyk stuk der Hedendaagse Bouwkunde'. Geschiedenis en restauratie van de Middelburgse Oostkerk (Goes, De Koperen Tuin - 1997) ISBN 90.72138.70.8