Aspects of historical performance practice in the organ literature

Research area and keywords of research:
Aspects of historical performance practice in the organ literature
(Keywords: historical performance practice, organ literature)

Name of the researcher(s) and research group:

• Gyula Szilágyi DLA

Name of the Institute:
University of Nyíregyháza, Institute of Music

Research objectives:
To drew the attention of the today Hungarian organist’s society and the estimated audience as well to the importance of the consciousness about the historical data, including information of performance practices, when performing on newly or recently restored historical organs of today Hungary.

Description and results of research:

The organ, and especially the historical or historicising one is the instrument which is incomparable to other instruments. Both require a special preparedness from its player in treating them adequately, especially when one plays music written around the time of the origin of the same. Thanks to few but very motivated organ restaurateurs and manufacturers, the number of both types (restored and newly built-to-style) organs is increasing and get more and more attention in today Hungary. The best way to get the goal of the objectives is without doubt organizing free-entrance didactic concerts about typical organ music of earlier centuries on instruments built more or less in the same epoque of the music in question, making CD-recordings on those instruments as well, translating and publishing information written in foreign languages, organizing masterclasses for “Kenner und Liebhaber” (connoisseurs and lovers), using the lovely descriptions of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach.

Research partners from other institutions:-

Other information:-

Publications (max. 5)

1. A  series of 7 didactic concerts on the early 18th century Castilian style copy organ in the Szent Angyalok (Holy Angels) Church of Gazdagrét, Budapest, the so called Facultad Orgánica (Faculty of Organ), during the year 2018, in which was performed the complete oeuvre, 69 tientos, of the, in 1626 published edition with the same name, of a 17th century Sevillian composer, Francisco Correa, one of the most important keyboard composer of the Iberian Peninsula.

2. A series of 6 didactic concerts, also on the castilian style Aeris-organ in the Szent Angyalok Church, from May until October in 2020 with the title “Flores de Música”, commemorating of the 400th anniversary of the in 1620 printed keyboard music edition, with the same name, of the Portuguese composer Frei Manuel Rodrigues Coelho (ca.1555-1633).

3. Participation in a triple-CD recording, published by the Luther Kiadó in 2018, with the title Historical organs in the Lutheran Church of Hungary, together with renown colleagues, like László Fassang DLA and Dóra Pétery DLA, playing on recently restored historical organs in Hegyeshalom, Nagyvázsony, Nemesleányfalu and Mezőberény.

4. Since 2017 in every year regularly organizing of masterclasses with the issue of the Iberian keyboard music around an on the above-mentioned Castilian copy organ in Budapest and abroad.