Copenhagen
Vor Frelsers Church

Artists

/David van Laar - counter tenor
/Reiko Ichise - viola da gamba
/Peter Navarro-Alonso - organ
/Joachim Becerra Thomsen - flute
/Bolette Roed - recorder
/Arte dei Suonatori

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About the Program

“The amazing history of Vor Frelsers Kirkes church organ”

The program revolves around the historic organ of Vor Frelsers Kirke, a remarkable instrument that stands as a contemporary witness to the music of its era. Built by the Botzen brothers in the final years of the 1600s, the organ has withstood the test of time, surviving the great fires of the eighteenth century and the British bombardment of 1807. Some of its pipes fell silent in 1889, only to be revived in 1965 through a restoration by organ builder Poul-Gerhard Andersen. With its delicate sound rich in overtones, it is perfectly suited to the church’s unique acoustics, which enhance its resonance. Today, the organ once again takes center stage, bringing to life the sounds of the past and acting as a historical witness to the musical works selected for the second concert of this festival.
Repertoire of the concert explores key musical trends of its era. Each piece was composed or published around the time of the organ’s construction, providing a glimpse into the rich soundscape of the period. Works by Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Johann Abraham Schmierer, and François Couperin illustrate the late 17th-century French style which captivated composers and audiences across Europe. The program concludes with a piece by the often-overlooked Giuseppe Torelli, which showcases the early development of the instrumental concerto—an Italian genre that would go on to become one of the most celebrated musical forms in the centuries that followed.
The program showcases the grandeur of the baroque in many forms, featuring solo, chamber, and orchestral works that offer a snapshot of the present, echoes from the past, and a glimpse into the future of Western European music in the eighteenth century—all brought to life with the invaluable help of the organ and its authentic baroque sound.