With drums and trumpets
Immanuel Richter is no stranger to Klosters. The solo trumpet player of the Basel Symphony Orchestra previously played together with organist Rudolf Lutz in St Jakob’s Church in the summer of 2023. Now he and his colleagues will open the new church concert series on 4th January 2025. Georg Rudiger asked him a few questions.
You have already played with organist Rudolf Lutz as part of Klosters Music in St. Jakob’s church in the summer of 2023. How do you rate the atmosphere in this church, with its 800-year-old tower?
I have very fond memories of the concert. The church was filled to the last seat. I’ve never had the audience so close. I was standing in the gallery and the first members of the audience were sitting right next to me. This direct contact with the audience was unique for me.
Now you and your colleagues are opening the festival’s new series of church concerts at the beginning of the year. How much of new beginnings and how much festivity is there in the programme?
It goes without saying that the combination of our instruments is perfect for festive music. For me, the theme of new beginnings in this programme was particularly linked to exploring new repertoire for this instrumentation. If you search the music catalogues for pieces for three trumpets, timpani and organ, you will find practically nothing. You are almost forced to ‘set out’ and create something new, which always gives me great pleasure. But there is also a certain tension as to whether my arrangements, which I have written explicitly for this concert and are therefore being performed for the first time, will work and be playable. I really hope so…
The title of the concert is ‘With timpani and trumpets’ – which means just that. In addition to organist Tobias Lindner, trumpet players Huw Morgan and Jon Flurin Buchli and timpanist Alex Wäber will also be taking part. Which underlines its festive nature, doesn’t it?
Absolutely. The programme was thought out by three of us: artistic director David Whelton, Tobias and myself. It was clear to us that it should be festive and on a grand scale. Nevertheless, I also felt it was important to show that the trumpet can be a very vocal instrument. We also wanted to show off the organ in all its splendour. And there was also no question that the music of Johann Sebastian Bach should be a focal point. So one thing led to another.
The trumpet players are your colleagues from the Sinfonieorchester Basel. What makes a good trumpet section?
First and foremost, obviously, everyone has to be a good trumpet player and a good musician. But we are also very close friends and respect each other. That’s what makes working together so enjoyable and edifying. I’m the oldest, Huw is 13 years younger than me and Jon Flurin is 13 years younger than Huw. I always find it wonderful that we all burn with the same fire for the same project despite these big age differences.
Jon Flurin Buchli comes from the canton of Graubünden (or Grisons). Do any of the other musicians have local connections?
Jon Flurin’s roots are in Scuol, he grew up in Domat/Ems. Huw comes from Wales, Alex our timpanist is from Basel, Tobias is a Bavarian born and bred and I come from eastern Switzerland. No one else has a direct connection to the canton of Graubünden. Having said that, I often spend my holidays in this wonderful mountain region. So I am fairly familiar with many of its valleys and peaks.
You arranged the Concerto in D major by Georg Philipp Telemann, the opening chorus ‘Jauchzet frohlocket, auf, preiset die Tage’ from Johann Sebastian Bach’s ‘Christmas Oratorio’ and the four movements from the ‘Feuerwerkmusik’ by George Friedrich Händel, which conclude the concert, for three trumpets, timpani and organ. What do you have to bear in mind to get the sound just right?
For me, balance is important. If everyone played all the time, it would be boring, ponderous and clumsy. You have to be able to carefully balance the different elements. Less is often more.
What do you appreciate about your Basel colleague Tobias Lindner as an organist?
I have enjoyed a friendly working relationship with Tobias for many years. I really appreciate his direct, fresh and forthright
way of communicating and it always puts a smile on my face. When I wrote the arrangements for this concert in Klosters and sent a first draft to Tobias, as I was afraid it might be almost unplayable for the organ, he wrote back: ‘You’re a bastard – but I’ll manage it for you.’
What are your wishes for the New Year?
I have a wonderful wife and four equally wonderful children. We are all in perfect health. I can only wish that I continue to be as lucky as I have been so far.
If I look beyond my own surroundings into the wider world, I would of course have countless wishes, especially for peace, food for all and more care for nature.
December 2024