KU European Organ Study Tour III:
Switzerland & South Central Germany May 22 - June 4, 2007
In the summer of 2007, students, alumni, and friends of the KU Division of Organ and Church Music will be traveling throughout Northern Switzerland, Alsace-Lorraine, and Germany, seeing many of the great cathedrals, playing and hearing wonderful organs, and spending time at some of Europe's leading tourist attractions. The instruments include examples of French and Germanic organ building from the baroque to the twenty-first century, with an emphasis on organs appropriate to the music of Buxtehude and Bach.
Added attractions include the Marc Chagall windows in Zurich, the wonderful 'Isenheim Alterpiece' of Grunewald, a tour through the Kern organ building shop, liturgies in Strasbourg Cathedral and at Bach's church in Leipzig, and time to explore some of Europe's most richly rewarding cultural centers. While this may not be possible on each occasion, our goal is for every tour member to play all the organs on the tour.
Itinerary
Tuesday, May 22
Fly to Zurich
Wednesday, May 23
We take a city tour of Zurich, including stops at the Fraumunster to see the marvelous windows by Marc Chagall and at Uldrich, Zwingli's churhc, the Grossmunster. Bus to Basel.
Evening and Overnight in Basel
Thursday, May 24
The tour begins at the Arlesheim-Cathedral, playing the J.A. Silbermann organ. That afternoon we will play the copy of a Schnitger by Bernard Edskes at teh Waisenhauskirche followed by the Edkes-Blank renaissance copy at the Predigerkirche.
Evening and Overnight in Basel
Friday, May 25
We travel to Colmar where we view Grunewalds' masterpiece, the Isenheim Alterpiece. That afternoon we will play the J.A. Silbermann organ at the Ettenheim Munster followed by the A. Silbermann organ at Ebers-munster.
Evening and Overnight in Strasbourg
Saturday, May 26
Visit the kern organ factory followed by playing the J.A. Silbermann organ at St. Thomas. That afternoon we travel to the Abby of Marmoutier in Alsace-Lorraine, where we play the A. Silbermann.
Evening and Overnight in Strasbourg
Sunday, May 27
We attend Pentecost Sunday services at Strasbourg Cathedral. Later we travel to the stunning rococo abbey of Amorbach where we play the Stumm organ. Evening and Overnight in Wurzburg
Monday, May 28
We visit Trochtelborn where we play the 1767 organ by Volkland. That afternoon we play the Trost organ in teh Stadkirche at Waltershausen.
Evening and Overnight in Ehrfurt
Tuesday, May 29
We travel to Ponitz where we play our first
instrument by G. Silbermann.
That afternoon, free time in Dresden.
Evening and Overnight in Dresden.
Wednesday, May 30
We visit the magnificent recently re-built Frauenkirche and play the Kern organ. That afternoon we travel a shore distance to Freiberg where we play the G. Silbermann organs at the Cathedral and the Jacobikirche.
Evening and Overnight in Dresden
Thursday, May 31
We travel to the Leipzig and visit the Thomaskirche, where we play the Sauer organ. Later we visit the suburb of Rotha where we play two famous G. Silbermann organs at the Georgenkirche and the Marienkirche.
Evening and Overnight in Leipzig
Friday, June 1
In the morning we play the Ladegast organ associated with Liszt and Reubke at Merseburg Cathedral. That afternoon we play the wonderful Hildebrandt organ at Naumburg that has been touted as one of the finest instruments for Bach in the world.
Evening and Overnight in Leipzig
Saturday, June 2
The morning is free to visit Bach sites in Leipzig. That afternoon we play of the earliest organs by Hildebrandt at Stormtahl.
Evening and Overnight in Leipzig
Sunday, June 3
On Trinity Sunday we attend services at the Thomaskirche. That afternoon we travle to Wittenberg, view the Luther sites and play the Ladegast/ Sauer organ in the castle church. Evening and Overnight in Berlin.
Monday, June 4
Free day in Berlin.
Evening and Overnight in Berlin
