Carl Muller-Hartung:
Organ Sonata No. 2 in F Minor “Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten”

Johann Gottlob Topfer:
Organ Sonata in D Minor, Op. 15

Barnhard Sulze:
Concert Fantasia in F Major, Op. 63

Salomon Jadassohn:
Fantasia for Organ in G Minor, Op. 95

August Gottfried Ritter:
Free Choral Prelude “Herr Gott, nun schleuß den Himmel auf”
Organ Sonata No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 19

When he settled in Weimar, Franz Liszt was introduced to the organ by several virtuosos from the region. At the same time, he became a major source of inspiration to many local musicians. This CD pays tribute to these personalities and some of their compositions, for without them Liszt’s organ works might never have been written.

Franz Liszt’s artistic circle in mid-nineteenth century Weimar: after years as an itinerant piano virtuoso, he now devoted himself to composing and conducting. Whilst the city was drawing only on its past greatness under Goethe and Schiller, Liszt reestablished Weimar as a musical centre of European standing. In the process, he met important organ virtuosos who introduced him to the multi-faceted instrument: his large-scale organ works were written here.

In a two-part recording series, Anna-Victoria Baltrusch starts by showcasing compositions from the pens of organists who reflected Liszt’s musical innovations. For the second part, due to be released next month, Baltrusch will turn to the master himself, presenting Liszt’s great original works as well as her own arrangement of his Totentanz.

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Recording: Neumünster, Zurich, June 18 - 20, 2021. Organ: Alte Tonhalle-Orgel, Neumünster Zürich.