Susan k. Chen Memorial Foundation for Music Education

Organ Concert of Jörg-Hannes Hahn《Prayer and Briilliance》

“Prayer and Brilliance” Organ Concert
Date / Venue: Saturday, May 2, 2026, 7:30 PM Concert Hall, Pingtung Performing Arts Center

J. S. Bach: Prelude and fugue, Eb major, BWV 552

One of the most representative, impressing and polymorphous organ pieces by Johann Sebastian Bach is his Prelude and fugue in Eb major. At the same time, it is one of his longest preludes (205 bars) with a subsequent giant five-voice triple fugue. At its origin, prelude and fugue do not belong directly together. Rather they are framing the Third Part of the Clavier-Übung, a cycle of various organ pieces, that are all technically very demanding. The prelude contains three structural main elements. First, there is a section characterized by dotted rhythms. This theme frames the prelude: It appears at the very beginning and at the end. A second, short motif is built up of four staccato chord sections. Third, a clearly distinguishable section of runs in sixteenth notes appears. The fugue contains three themes (triple fugue): First, a majestic one with slow notes; second, a run of eighth notes and third theme in with a characteristic rhythmic motif of eighth and sixteenth notes.

J. G. Müthel: Fantasy, F major

Johann Gottfried Müthel was a German composer of the 18th century, the intermediate period between baroque and classical period. So, his music is clearly distinguishable from the typical baroque rigid counterpoint on the one hand (e. g. demonstrated in fugues) and very free improvisation elements (stylus phantasticus) on the other hand. Instead, his music provides harmonic patterns, partially reminiscent to the First Viennese school (e.g. Mozart). However, Müthel developed an own and characteristic composition style which differs considerably from Mozart’s and Haydn’s style: He uses the whole potential of the organ playing, i.e. solo voices, chords, pedal soli in a quite free way compared with the Viennese composers that make his music interesting and various.

F. Liszt: Fantasy and Fugue on the Theme B-A-C-H

Franz Liszt was one of the most appreciated pianists in his epoque. Today, he is one of the most important composers of piano literature. His oeuvre contains some of the most difficult pieces for piano like the Sonata in b minor. Compared to the vast piano work, there are only few organ works known by Liszt that show all a quite pianistic approach to organ composition. From a musical perspective, Fantasy and Fugue on the Theme B-A-C-H reflects the composition characteristics that can be seen also in Liszt’s piano music: Highly experimental approach in harmony, many improvisation elements and strong emotions. The note series Bb-A-C-H is a reminiscence and honor to Johann Sebastian Bach. It is the basis for Liszt’s Fantasy and fugue, as well as for compositions of many other composers (e.g. Max Reger). This piece is a typical example for music of the romantic era.

J. Alain: 2nd dance »Deuils«

“Deuils“, in English „Grief“, is the second of a cycle with three organ pieces. The first is called “Joies” – Joy, and the third “Luttes” – Fights. From joy to grief to fight – this could be the dramaturgy of the cycle with “Deuils“ as the intermediate piece. It begins very quiet, like a mourning person cries inaudibly. In the typical musical language of Jehan Alain, very demanding rhythmic structures and harmony affected by Claude Debussy, Olivier Messiaen and the far eastern music, the grief swells to dramatic heights and calms down to quiet pain.

G. Böhm: Vater unser im Himmelreich

Georg Böhm is an important composer of the North German organ school in the baroque era. He was one tutor of the young J. S. Bach. Perhaps his most important contribution to the North German keyboard music is the invention of the chorale partita. This genre, here a representative with the melody of Martin Luther’s chorale “Vater unser im Himmelreich”, possesses multiple movements. In the first, the chorale’s melody is harmonized, in the subsequent movements the melody is varied with a rich reservoir of ornaments and extensions of the original melody. Many of J. S. Bach’s famous chorale works take up this genre.

J. U. Steigleder: 4 Variations upon “Vater unser im Himmelreich”

Johann Ulrich Steigleder was an organist and composer at the »Stiftskirche Stuttgart« in the early baroque era in southern Germany. He was organist in Stuttgart and it is possible that he had contact there with the young Johann Jakob Froberger. In his 40 variations of Martin Luther’s chorale “Vater unser im Himmelreich” from 1627, he uses many different composition techniques like the rigid techniques including counterpoint and canon but also free genres like toccata and fantasy. Theses variatons show a rich phantasy, strange chromatic style and brilliant scales like in the works of Frescobaldi.

L. Vierne: 3rd symphony, movements I, IV and V

Louis Vierne is one of the most popular representatives of the French organ symphonic music. César Franck paved the way for this style that is strongly related with the organ builder Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, one of the most important organ builders in the 19th century. His organs are characterized by many 8′ stops in a vast array of timbres and strong reeds. Louis Vierne was organist at the huge Cavaillé-Coll organ at the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris. He wrote his organ symphonies, like his teacher Charles-Marie Widor, as secular pieces, i.e. not as liturgic music (in comparison, e.g., with the music of Olivier Messiaen). His music contains a significant amount of chromatism; however, it is still tonal. The mood of the first movemovent is serious and dramatic, the form remembers to a classical Sonata with parts A-B-A. The slow movement is sad and deep in mooed, related to »Deuils« by Jehan Alain (opening the 2nd part of this concert today). The last part is a french Toccata with a through-going movement in 16th-notes. A characteristic theme is introduces, which goes through all voices. This big pieces begins in f# minor and ends in f# major as a triumphatic apotheosis of the whole program.

Jörg-Hannes Hahn

▍Program ▍

  • J. S. Bach (1685-1750): Prelude and Fugue in Eb major, BWV 552
  • J. G. Müthel (1728-788): Fantasy in F major
  • F. Liszt (1811-1886): Fantasy and Fugue on the Theme B-A-C-H
  • J. Alain (1911-1940): 2nd dance《Deuils》from《Trois danses》 
  • G. Böhm (1661-1733): Vater unser im Himmelreich
  • J. U. Steigleder (1593 –1635): 4 Variations upon“Vater unser im Himmelreich”
  • L. Vierne (1870 –1937): 3rd Organ Symphony
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