Gloria 'Prelude 2' (Eben) - from CDA67198 - Hyperion Records

Reviews

‘Hyperion captures the organ of Stockholm's Hedvig Eleonora Church superbly—an object lesson in harnessing clarity and spaciousness in that trickiest of acoustics, the church. Eben is now in his 76th year, and though it's possible his intégrale may yet be incremented, these five volumes of organ music document a highly original voice of our times. In short, they demand to be heard’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘Schiager has certainly proved his credentials as an advocate of Eben's music … his impeccable articulation, deft handling of the splendid three manual, 58-stop Grölunds organ of Stockholm's Hedvig Eleonora Church and complete grasp of each score, establish this entire series as a matchless point of reference to Eben's organ music’ (International Record Review)

‘Halgeir Schaiger's performances on the fine organ of Hedvig Eleonora Kyrkan, Stockholm (Grölunds Orgelbyggeri, Gammelstad, 1975-76), are probing and, where need be, electrifying. He is at all moments at the service of a quite extraordinary composer. Percussionist Eirik Raude and trumpeter Jan Fredrik Christiansen are splendid, and Schiager is at the top of his estimable game. I await the next volume’ (Fanfare, USA)

Petr Eben’s devout catholicism has brought him, especially through his music, into contact with many figures, great and small, of the Catholic Church, particularly in the Czech Republic and Germany. This has resulted in many requests and commissions to mark special anniversaries of both churches and church leaders. The Gloria (Prelude 2) is one such work, written in 2000 to mark the sixty-fifth birthday of the Bishop of Mainz, Cardinal Karl Lehmann. Based on Gregorian chant, it was first performed at the cathedral in Mainz by the organist there on 16 October 2001.

Catholique fervent, Petr Eben doit avant tout à sa musique d’être entré en contact avec maintes figures, grandes et moins grandes, de l’Église catholique, notamment en République tchèque et en Allemagne. D’où les multiples demandes et commandes pour marquer les anniversaires des églises comme des chefs religieux. Le Gloria (Prelude 2) fut ainsi écrit en 2000 pour les soixante-cinq ans de l’évêque de Mayence, le cardinal Karl Lehmann. Fondé sur le chant grégorien, il fut créé en la cathédrale de Mayence par l’organiste titulaire, le 16 octobre 2001.

Petr Ebens frommer Katholizismus hat ihn insbesondere durch seine Musik mit vielen bekannten wie unbekannten Gestalten der katholischen Kirche zusammengeführt, insbesondere in der Tschechischen Republik und in Deutschland. Daraus ergaben sich viele Anfragen und Aufträge zur Feier besonderer Jubiläen, sowohl von Kirchengebäuden als auch von Kirchenfürsten. Das Gloria (Präludium 2) ist ein solches Werk, verfasst im Jahre 2000 zur Feier des fünfundsechzigsten Geburtstags des Bischofs von Mainz, Kardinal Karl Lehmann. Beruhend auf einem Gregorianischen Gesang, wurde das Werk am 16. Oktober 2001 im Mainzer Dom vom dortigen Organisten uraufgeführt.

Recording details: June 2004
Hedvig Eleonora Kyrhan, Stockholm, Sweden
Produced by Chris Hazell
Engineered by Simon Eadon
Release date: January 2006
Total duration: 2 minutes 45 seconds

Gloria 'Prelude 2'

Halgeir Schiager (organ)

Reviews

Introduction