Johannes Berger is the organist for the forthcoming church concert on 13 February. Together with the Orchestra La Scintilla, he will perform works by Georg Friedrich Händel and Antonio Vivaldi, among others. Georg Rudiger contacted him beforehand.
Most organists are employed by the church. You work exclusively as a concert organist and musical director of the Baroque orchestra Concerto München. Why did you choose this path?
In addition to my main subjects of organ and harpsichord, I completed a very thorough, wide-ranging course of study in church music. I still benefit enormously from this training today. At the same time, not being tied to a permanent church position allows me to concentrate fully on my artistic work – as an ensemble director, soloist and orchestral musician.
How does your work as an ensemble director influence your organ playing?
Working intensively with scores, for example in terms of instrumentation and sound balance, sharpens my perception of colour and structure. This helps me a lot when registering organ works. An organ, with its diverse timbres – from the softest pianissimo to the powerful plenum – is ultimately like an orchestra in itself.
You have performed with many orchestras, such as the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and the Lucerne Festival Orchestra. This time you are playing with the Orchestra La Scintilla in Klosters. What makes this orchestra so special for you?
La Scintilla enjoys an excellent reputation in historically informed performance. I am fascinated by this orchestra’s special tonal sensitivity and stylistic competence – so I am really looking forward to playing with them.
With your own organ, a so-called chest organ, you will be playing several works in the Church St. Jacob, Kloster, such as Antonio Vivaldi’s Concerto for Violin and Organ, in the middle of the orchestra. What kind of an instrument is this?
My chest organ is a portable instrument that can be used for solo performances with chamber orchestras as well as for basso continuo. It is precisely this versatility that makes it ideal for Baroque concert forms.
Will you also be playing the Händel concerto on the chest organ?
Yes. Händel himself wrote his organ concertos as interlude or interval music for his oratorio performances. He himself played similar instruments, known as theatre organs, in the orchestra.
You will interpret organ solo works such as Johann Sebastian Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in F major on the Goll organ. Why is this organ so well suited to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach?
The Goll organ is ideal for Bach’s works because its sound is based on Baroque models: clear registers, a powerful plenum and differentiated reed voices allow the polyphonic structures to emerge with particular transparency. In addition, it is a mechanical instrument, in keeping with the Baroque era. The direct connection between the keys and valves enables an extremely nuanced, immediately ‘tangible’ performance.
What do you find particularly appealing about this 15-minute piece?
I love the toccata with its grand pedal solos and energetic, almost dance-like motoric rhythm. The fugue that follows provides an exciting contrast: complex, densely crafted and full of chromatic twists and turns. I heard this piece for the first time in a concert when I was seven years old – and was immediately fascinated.
As a concert organist, you are used to playing on very different instruments. Your regular organ is outdoors – it is the famous Heldenorgel in Kufstein, built in 1931, which was originally intended to commemorate those who fell in the First World War. What is it like to play this open-air organ?
The Heldenorgel is a truly curious and yet unique instrument. The mere fact that almost 5,000 pipes are located in the tower of a medieval fortress is extraordinary. When it is played every day, at noon, its sound can be heard up to ten kilometres away when the wind is favourable. When you play it, you really feel as if the whole town is listening – it’s a very special experience.
You come from a mountain village near Oberaudorf am Inn. How do you like Klosters and the surrounding countryside?
I am very impressed by Klosters and the stunning landscape here. As a keen skier, I have been here several times in winter – so it’s really nice to be able to experience this place through music now.