Stephansdom Wien Pipe Organ St. Stephan's Cathedral Vienna

[Deoxys0070]

The Kauffmann organ was deemed too remote, too stolid, unresponsive and inflexible. Who cares if there's no 32-foot reed on the Rieger? You can play an awful lot more repertory far more convincingly now than you could have on the old monstrosity. Falter does show the post-romantic instrument to advantage here, however. I guess they could fix up the 1960 instrument in case anybody wants to give a recital of Liszt, Reger, Schmidt and Karg-Elert.

[MegaDani141]

Währe schön, wenn die große Orgel wieder spielen könnte..........

[witchcraftlord]

arent they finished renovating that tower?

[avifauna]

How beautiful it would be to hear a tridentine mass in this cathedral....

[mynamesis03]

bellissima!!!qualcuno sa dove posso trovare lo spartito????

[DVD33019]

Preludio maestoso, stupendo! E l'organo rende bene questa mastosità. Wonderful

[polsterj]

Irgendwie blöd mit den Orgeln. Die Kauffmann gehört abgerissen und eine anständige Westemporenorgel aufgestellt.

[PiedPuyper]

Ah A Max Reger imposter

[theshow2k]

Was this prelude the reference for his "Halleluja" in the "Book of seven seals" or the other way round?

War dieses Präludium die Vorlage für das "Halleluja" in seinem "Buch mit sieben Siegeln" oder umgekehrt?

[kala656]

Wer spielt hier eigentlich?

[kala656]

Wer spielt hier eigentlich?

[tribuswinkel]

eine schande fürn oarmen dom

[jpeanrkode]

I was leaving the cathedral with a tour group just as a mass was beginning and the organ began playing. I can't describe the shudder I felt down my back as that music filled the room. Beautiful!

[oakberry61woohalol]

Die pummerin!

[kapariz44]

Yes, she actually died under the Nazi euthanasia programme in 1942 as she was suffering from dementia, an undesirable situation wrt the regime. By that time, tho', Schmidt had been dead for some 3 years. He did not live to see the error of his ways as he died before the outbreak of WWII; before the occupation of Bohemia & Moravia even, which showed to everyone who cared to see just what sort of a regime the Nazi government was. In his case it would seem that ignorance was more-or-less bliss.

[a55b47]

The various ways that artists reacted to the Nazi terror would make for a fascinating book, wouldn't they? We always hear about the big ones, like Furtwangler & von Karajan & Schwartzkopf, but not many of the minor ones.

[kapariz44]

Hey, this theme is just like the Hallelujah Chorus from Das Buch mit Sieben Siegeln, but w/o the choir and organ instead of orchestra.

[a55b47]

Well, if Handel could borrow from himself, I guess Schmidt, could, too ;-). I keep saying I'm going to sit down one day & listen to the Book of Seven Seals -- but somehow I never get around to it.

[kapariz44]

I recommend it. The whole work lasts around an hour & a half and, if my memory is correct, there are two organ solos in it, neither of which is related to this theme. Quite a tour de force. On a historical note, Das Buch got its first outing shortly after the Anschluss and Schmidt was seen giving the Nazi salute during the (favourable) reception. It was done more in the heat of the moment than anything else - Schmidt was a supporter of the Anschluss but was not himself a Nazi.

[a55b47]

Apparently, being a supporter of the Anschluss didn't help Schmidt much when things got tough: I understand his wife died in a concentration camp.

[wheidelberg]

If this recording is any representation of the instrument, it is sad that it is no longer in use. Quite a magnificient and stately tonal quality here.

[ChalieChaplin]

I love the Pummerin and this organ!!!

[redmartinbell]

the organ in the film is now ou of action. a new organ has been installed at the east end.

[a55b47]

Is the "new" organ the 1991 Rieger? Or are you talking about something even newer?

[redmartinbell]

yes.its the 1991 Rieger. i was at the cathedral for new year 2006. they told me the west end organ was no longer working.

[a55b47]

Thanks for the information. If the recording is any indication, it was impressive when it was working. I wonder if they plan to repair it?

[DRJFK1986]

In Germany the Austrians have the image to be a little bit stupid ;-)

[adiroda]

nau jo- mia maanan ee aa das de mameladinga a wengl deppad san !

[ronanmurray]

I don't think so. They have the idea that the more "correct" place to have an organ is up near the altar where the current Reiger organ lives. They justify it on acoustical grounds among other things. A shame really, a although the big Kaufmann organ caused trouble apparently, on the strength of this recording it's a fine instrument. The current organ sounds impressive, but lacks a pedal open wood and 32' reed, unlike its big brother in the gallery.

[stormkingfan]

@ronanmurray

Kaufmann? If you're referring to the big West End organ, I thought it was built by the E. F. Walcker company.

[ronanmurray]

@stormkingfan The Walcker organ was destroyed during the war. The Kaufmann organ was built in around 1960.