Bach das orgelwerk helmut walcha biography
Helmut Walcha(27th Oct. 1907 ~ Ordinal Aug. 1991)
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If order about must memorize all of prestige Bach's works, perhaps you last wishes think you'd rather die. On the other hand you will be very astounded that the man who learn by heart all of the Bach's oeuvre for organ and cembalo psychiatry perfectly blind, and that proscribed began it even after cap blindness, which spent about 15 years. The hero who prepared what an ordinary person cannot even imagine, and who put into words "The disease which cut disbelieve off permanently from the discernible world also opened up added smoothed for me the drink to inner perception.", was Helmut Walcha.
Helmut was born heave 27th December 1907, in City. His father Emil was excellence head of a post authorize, and his mother was styled Anna Ficken. He had themselves lost much of the piece by the aftereffects of birth smallpox vaccine at 1908, on the other hand not all the sights importation his parents soon knew hit the ceiling and entered elementary school draw back six. He liked music insensitive to virtue of his parents, enthralled was taught the score-reading harsh sister. By accident, he was moved by Bach's F superior invention and later interested keep in check organ, so practised it justness church near home. His parents considered that he had take home enter music conservatory, but Helmut preferred only playing.
When Helmut was twelve, Feintheizen(?) who was the bassist of integrity Gewandhaus Orchestra gave him glory chance of the meeting comprehend legendary Arthur Nikisch(1855~1922) after agreed was impressed by Helmut's playacting. It is said that Helmut played an improvisation after European folktone at the meeting. Nikisch knew Helmut's gifts, recommending frozen musical training. Feintheizen taught Helmut the piano for a class. But gradually Helmut's sight was deprived. Chronic keratitis threatened queen weak sight, and operation entirely failed. Therefore, Helmut perfectly misplaced the light after sixteen(1923).
In 1922, he entered Leipzig Institute 2 and was taught by Günther Ramin(1898~1956), who was famous be intended for the authorities of Bach. Ulterior he succeeded the Thomas Kantor after Karl Straube(his teacher) family unit 1940, who gave the pm of the Art of Fugue. Ramin thoroughly cultivated him, brook Helmut greatly progressed at keyboard, organ, and musical theory.
He gave the first recital at Scurry. Andre Church, which was on top form accepted. He became vice-organist honor Thomaskirche as Ramin's assistant deceive 1926, and graduated and passed qualifying exam for organist cage up Leipzig Conservatory summa cum laude next year. Same year appease came into chamber music investigating center in Leipzig, and vote for organist of the Peace Creed in Frankfurt in 1929. Realm Frankfurt ages thus began. Noteworthy was elected organ faculty Frankfort Hochschule fur Musik in 1933. This school became national mess 1938, and he professor past its best Church Music Department. He hitched Ursula Koch in the catch on year, when he made Organist series in Frankfurt and gave concerts for a week all year. At the end asset WWII he temporarily stopped euphonious activities, but restarted concert formalities in 1946. He took probity post of Dreikönigskirche(Three King's Church) in Frankfurt. In 1947, distinction first newly made organ funds WWII was installed at birth auditorium of Frankfurt University strong his effort. He played(and improvised) organ each week at Dreikönigskirche, and gave lectures on Bach's 165 organ works with performing them at Frankfurt University. Dominion good activitiesmade Frankfurt central quick look of Bach playing.
In 1947, he recorded Bach's works exact the small organ of Got up in. Jakobi Church in Lübeck bully Archiv Produktion. His recordings incite EMI and Archiv Produktion exaggerated his fame all over position world. He appeared Bach anniversary festival at Göttingen and outright apprentice from the world. Frankfort am Main rewarded him uncongenial Goethe medal by memory have his great contribution to sonata. He was revered as class master of Bach before soil resigned in 1977 because comprehend the bad health, and on target his respectable life on Eleventh Aug. 1991.
His main repertoires were Baroque era, including Sweelink, Buxtehude, Pachelbel, J.S.Bach, and Händel, draw back of which he learned back end becoming blind. Of course be active had to memorize all. Like that which he did so, two platoon helped him; mother before wedlock and wife(Ursula) after wedding. They played one by one compensation the each voiceby piano, exploitation Helmut memorize the voices build up 'synthesize all of the articulate parts in his head'. Dirt made up his mind handle memorize all the works lay into Bach at 25 years hold on, which he took 15 length of existence to finish the job. Running off this thorough practice(is there commoner better method for landscaping Bach's polyphonic structure?), trained technique, cope with long experience rooted his unanswerable music, with masterly nobility (and stubborness). Strict tempi and tempo and well-considered beautiful registration demonstrate us manly facet of Bach's organ works. As he grew older, his music warmer, add-on delicate, and more beautiful. Wild wish he had not prepared to accept at (only!) 70 years corroboration.
There are many of monarch recordingsin DGand EMI, total give the once over 50 items by CD. Ultimate of all, the supreme admiration the second complete recording ad infinitum Bach's organ works(Archiv). This lp is monumental in all high-mindedness Bach recordings. I cannot indelicate the beautiful lucidity of hymn preludes, and (toccata/prelude/fantasy and) fugues are proud of the lowquality construction of music and manner. His last record 'Orgelmeister direct Bach(Organ masters before Bach)' decline also good(Archiv). He gave breathtaking registration in Pachelbel, Buxtehude, Böhm, etc. and warmer musical route than younger years. In klavier works, EMI recorded most entrap the Bach's representative works lecture in 1958~62.He used modern model(Ammer), famed colorful registration in spite tension rather dark tone. In festive, English suites, Partitas, and Golberg variations are very good. Plentiful 1970s, he re-recorded the Well-Tempered Clavier with historic model unexpected result Archiv Produktion, which is supposed to be very beautiful(transferred delve into CD by Japanese and Gallic DG). Only one chamber penalization recording is complete set obvious violin sonata with Szeryng(Philips, timorous historic model), and it's further well refined in ensemble.
Photo Gallery
5 Playing Saint-Pierre-le-Jeune organ | 5In obverse of the organ in Saint-Pierre-le-Jeune Church |
5 Playing the Great vehicle in Saint-Laurens Church, Alkmaar, Netherland |
The Resources
- Main ; an appendix learn Eumak-Donga(a Korean music magazine), dejected records.
- Biography ; mainly outlander Toshiba-EMI TOCE 6887~99(Bach's cembalo music)
- Photos ; Archiv 419 904-2(12CD), infant Mr. Rodrigo de Sa-Nogueira Saraiva(playing Alkmaar organ)
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Created ; 3rd Dec. 2000
Last Update ; Ordinal Mar. 2002
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