The organ did not make a timid appearance in Russia until the beginning of the 20th century. The European basis for the wide spread of the instrument - ecclesiastical use - was lacking in Russia and so it was only when the typical European 19th-century concert hall with organ was taken over that this instrument became somewhat known in Russia. The disadvantage, or the advantage of this, is that
… Russian composers who write for organ are much less attached to the traditional genres than their European colleagues, as is shown on this CD by the German organist Friedemann Herz. The works of Alexander Knaifel (* 1943) and Viktor Ekimovsky (* 1947) still refer to traditional genres in their titles (respectively "Passacaglia" and "Prelude and fugue"), but the interpretation given to this makes any further comparison flawed. This also applies to "Lamento" from 1989 by Viktor Suslin (* 1942), which is based on the idea of the baroque 'lamento', a short, chromatically descending series of notes. Suslin takes this concept to the extreme by letting the 'lamento' figure run from the highest (c6) to the lowest note (C2) of the organ. This process is then surrounded by all kinds of strictly regulated polyphony. The title of the CD is taken from "White music" (1990) and "Vox humana" (1992) by Alexander Vustin (* 1943); the first two parts of an unfinished triptych. The first part aims to achieve a fusion between dodecaphonic principles and old Russian church music (of which no trace can be recognized by the way), while the second part is conceived around the organ register of the same name. The only two more famous works are Arvo Pärt's "Pari intervalo" and Dimitri Shostakovich's "Passacaglia" from "Lady Macbeth by Mtsensk". Although there is something to criticize about his playing, Herz deserves praise for his choice of repertoire. The organ used (Fischer & Krämer (1984)) is unfortunately an ugly and uninteresting instrument. (JvG) _ from Dimitri Shostakovich. Although there is something to criticize about his performance, Herz deserves praise for his choice of repertoire. The organ used (Fischer & Krämer (1984)) is unfortunately an ugly and uninteresting instrument. (JvG) _ from Dimitri Shostakovich. Although there is something to criticize about his playing, Herz deserves praise for his choice of repertoire. The organ used (Fischer & Krämer (1984)) is unfortunately an ugly and uninteresting instrument. (JvG) _more
