Series of public performances continue on Offaly church organ

THE series of organ concerts at the Church of the Assumption in Tullamore will conclude next Tuesday with a performance by acclaimed German organist Christos Theel.

Last Tuesday's recital saw organist Peter Barley bring the music of three great Danes to the Tullamore International Summer Organ Series.

The opening piece Praeludium in D minor was by Dietrich Buxtehude (1637-1707). Buxtehude was a baroque composer who was an influence on Bach and on Carl Nielson.

Joseph Jongen (1873-1953) was the next Dane on the programme with the short, light, whimsical Scherzetto.

Carl Nielson (1865-1931), also Danish, composed Commotio - one of his last major pieces before he died. This was a long piece on the symphonic scale with very few pauses.

There were two fuges with a gentle passage between them before a thundering C major chord brought the recital to a magnificent ending.

The recital also included Christ der du bist der helle Tag by J.S. Bach. There were seven variations here which showed the versatility of the organ.

The audience also heard two pieces by composer and organist David Liddle (born 1960). Toccata was a very energetic piece which again showed off the amazing Frobenius organ in Tullamore's Church of the Assumption and the prowess of organist Peter Barley.

Arabesque was light-hearted but difficult to play as it was fleeting and elusive in character. These pieces were made even more special when those listening heard the composer is blind and, before recent advances in technology, he composed in Braille.

Japanese born organist Megumi Hamaya is scheduled to play at this evening's recital (Tuesday, July 22) and Christos Theel brings the series to a close on July 29.

Megumi Hamaya has played the piano and harmonium since early childhood. She studied organ with Kimiko Nakayama and completed her bachelor's degree in Kyoto, Japan.

From 2009 she studied organ at the State University of Music in Freiburg with Prof Helmut Deutsch and graduated with a master's degree.

She has won several prizes at international organ competitions, such as the 2nd prize at the renowned international Schnitger organ competition in Alkmaar, Netherlands.

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Next week's organist Christos Theel was born in Kassel, Germany and received his first organ lessons at the age of 13. He studied church music and organ in Frankfurt am Main and Paris, graduating with a Master's degree and the Grand Prix de Perfectionnement. Carsten Wiebusch and Éric Lebrun were among his most influential teachers.

Today, Theel is organist and choirmaster at the Frauenfriedenskirche and the Catholic University Community (KHG) in Frankfurt am Main. As cantor of the Frauenfriedenskirche, the home church of Frankfurt poet and priest Lothar Zenetti, he began setting various Zenetti texts to music. He is also active internationally as a concert organist.

Christos Theel also studied theology at Goethe University and the PTH Sankt Georgen in Frankfurt.

The Frobenius organ in Tullamore was gifted to the parish by members of the Lutheran National Cathedral parish of Our Lady (Vor Frue Kirk) in Copenhagen when the cathedral in the Danish capital was replacing it.

The series hosts encouraged everyone to come and hear gifted organists on the magnificent organ in Church of the Assumption,Tullamore where there is an 8pm start with refreshments afterwards in the parish centre.