American Organist Overwhelmed by German Pipe Organs

Audio Plug In organ music

An hour to dream and listen

Bischofsheim-Kreuzberg (me). On Friday there was a very special concert experience at the monastery church of the Kreuzberg. J. David Hart the organist who comes from America filled the audience with enthusiasm by playing works of Mozart and Bach as well as with further impressions and own improvisations. He came to the Rhön because of his contacts to the organ building company Hey which is located in Urspringen. The concert at the Kreuzberg belongs to the highlights of his journey. The magnificent Fanfare by John Cook was the opener of this concert. Works from different centuries followed after this musical experience. The pipe organ pieces were not only derived from different countries but also from different ages. Corresponding to that fact there were different temperaments perceptions of the composers.

The program included the "Fantasia in F minor" by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, an improvisation on Familiar Hymns by J. David Hart himsef, as well as the Toccata and Fugue in D minor by Johann Sebastion Bach among other things.

Audio Plug In radio report

The Familiar Hymns included worldwide recognized Gospel-Hymns like "It is Well with my Soul" and "Amazing Grace" that describes  the deep experiences of faith and the forsaken of God.

There was no host so that the music itself was able to reach the hearts and souls and talk to them. It was an hour completely dedicated to music that let's you dream, listen and made you loose yourself in the splendid sounds of music. The soul was able to calm down and rest and the daily rush was forced by the mighty pipe organ sounds to go to background.

The American Organist emphasized his deep reverence to Bach with the "Toccata und Fugue in D minor". The church nearly seemed to shrink under the mighty amount of sound. J. David Hart played passionate and physically zealous, he scooped the complete illustrious Sounds of the new organ with his programm.

Modern sound followed that can be described through the concluding phrase "Music displaying the colours of the organ". With "Prelude on Greensleeves", "Ye Sweet Retreat"  and "Elegy" he transmitted the rare experience of deep harmony.

"Carrillion du Longpont" and  improvisations on a "Submitted Theme" followed. That concert was a big success showed the long lasting applause that did not want to stop. The proceeds of the concert benefit the Chapel at the Kreuzberg Moastery.

The American organist J. David Hart and the Hey organ builders at the
new organ. Picture: Eckert