Karg-Elert: Ultimate Organ Works Vol. 8 Elke Völker

• Sigfrid Karg-Elert (1877 - 1933):
• 1 Festive Entry from "Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg" in C Major 06:31
• Three Impressions, Op. 108:
• 2 I. Sunset 05:04
• 3 II. Starlight 05:07
• 4 III. Eligiac Poem 07:46
• Three New Impressions, Op. 142:
• 5 I. Stimmen der Nacht 05:57
• 6 II. Valse mignonne 05:58
• 7 III. Romantisch 06:09
• Three Impressions, Op. 72:
• 8 I. Harmonies du soir 04:15
• 9 II. Clair de lune 03:35
• 10 III. La nuit 05:06
• Three Pastels, Op. 92:
• 11 I. Assai quieto e sempre delicato 05:03
• 12 II. Andantino cantabile 05:21
• 13 III. Pastorale 08:28
• Total Runtime 01:14:20

Info for Karg-Elert: Ultimate Organ Works Vol. 8

We from Aeolus are proud to present one of the most famous late romantic organs of Germany on our new album Volume 8 of our edition "Sigfrid Karg-Elert:Ultimate Organ Works": the G.F.Steinmeyer Organ in the Christ Church in Mannheim, built in 1911.

On this new album Elke Voelker plays several triptyques under the term of "Impressions", a genre of characteristic tone pictures, frequently favoured by the composer. The almost unlimited possibilities of tonal colours and nuances of the famous Steinmeyer Organ leave nothing to be desired by the performer... from the most tender Aeoline, over an original celesta stop until the thunderous fortissimo. The composer himself once described the instrument in a letter to a friend as the "Mannheim marvel"... As a matter of course our recording purely restitues the huge original dynamic range of this instrument without using any limiting or compression tools!

Elke Völker, organ

Elke Völker
studied school music at the Mannheim State College of Music, as well as romance languages at the University of Mannheim.

From 1992 on she studied organ at the Mannheim College of Music with Leo Krämer. Subsequently Concert Diploma (with distinction), Church Music studies (A- diploma) in Mainz (Hans-Jürgen Kaiser, Mathias Breitschaft) and degrees in Musicology (Dorothea Redepenning) and German Studies at the University of Heidelberg.

A scholarship allowed her to study with Wolfgang Rübsam (University of Chicago), with Nicholas Kynaston (London) and with Michelle Leclerc (Schola Cantorum, Paris), where she obtained the Concert Diploma («Premier Prix» with distinction „très bien a l’unanimité”). Master classes and private studies with Jean Guillou and Daniel Roth (Paris), Jon Laukvik and Ludger Lohmann (Stuttgart), and Piet Kee (Haarlem) ensued.

Ms. Völker has been a prizewinner in several international competitions including the Grand Prize and Audience Prize at the “Internationaler Orgelwettbewerb Dom zu Speyer”, in 1995 and the 2nd Prize of the “International Organ Competition Frey- ming/Lorraine”. In 1999 she was finalist of the “Concours International d’Orgue de la Ville de Paris”. “Medaille de la Ville de Paris”. 2001 she got scholar of Rotary International. 2002 3rd Prize of the “International Organ Competition of Erfurt”. Her Karg-Elert recordings have been awarded by the international music press.

She has worked as a church musician for over 15 years at Speyer cathedral.

Her international success has - last but not least - established her excellent reputation as one of the most demanded organists, which led to an extensive international concert and teaching career.

Numerous broadcastings, television- and CD recordings as well as musicological publications testify to her extensive activities.

Booklet for Karg-Elert: Ultimate Organ Works Vol. 8