Karg-Elert: Ultimate Organ Works Vol.4 Elke Völker

• Sigfrid Karg-Elert (1877-1933):
• 1 Kaleidoscope 19:31
• 2 The Soul of the Lake 05:13
• 3 Landscape in Mist 04:07
• 4 The Legend of the Mountain 04:07
• 5 The Reed-grown Waters 03:09
• 6 The Sun's Evensong 04:31
• 7 The mirrored Moon 05:13
• 8 Hymn to the Stars 04:46
• 9 Rondo alla campanella 04:36
• 10 Homage to Handel 14:22
• Total Runtime 01:09:35

Info for Karg-Elert: Ultimate Organ Works Vol.4

Volume 4 of our Sigfrid Karg-Elert Edition contains an impressive collection of large scale secular organ works: Kaleidoscope, Seven Pastels from the Lake Constance, Rondo and Homage to Handel.

As already on volume 3 (AE-10431) of this editon, the Georg Stahlhuth organ (1912) of Saint-Martin in Dudelange, restored by Thomas Jann in 2002, again is an ideal instrument for Karg-Elert's music - and Elke Völker is absolutely in her element here. She found incredibly beautiful registrations (based on Karg-Elerts indications of course!), especially in the Seven Pastels from the Lake Constance.

Kaleidoscope op.144 is a rather unknown composition and can be considered as a brother of the big Symphonie in f sharp (op.143, recorded on Vol.1, AE-10121), because of some similarities in structure and harmonic language. The Seven Pastels are really close to the technical limits of the organ. The cycle is Karg-Elert's only large-scale impressionistic composition and takes the expressive potential of the organ to its outer limits.

Rondo alla campanella is a dazzling 169-bar Allegrissimo in 3/8 time, in semiquavers throughout like a french Toccata.

Homage to Handel is a series of 54 variations on a ground bass of Handel. It's a guide through all kinds of registrations of the wonderful Stahlhuth organ.

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.4