MDG 317 0757-2
Rudolf Innig,
Sauer Organ, Bremer Dom
Felix Nowowiejski (1877-1946) Complete Organ Symphonies
9 Organ Symphonies op. 45
Excerpts from the booklet
A Few Thoughts on this Recording
A German organist undertakes an extensive recording of music by a Polish composer who is practically unknown in Germany. This is the sort of venture that may require a few explanatory words by way o justification and with respect to intention. I have become acquainted with the Polish “organ landscape” as the result of a number of concert tours since 1988. The tours were in the Masuria region of Poland, in a number of large cities such as Warsaw, Cracow and Wroclaw and in Southern Poland, the former Silesia…
The true significance of Nowowiejski’s organ works can only be assessed if they go on to play a role in the international music world. The new edition and this first complete recording of his organ symphonies represent only the beginning of a process that we hope will include the broader dissemination of his works. In this connection we have to issue an urgent warning about uncritical use of the new edition. The nine volumes with the Organ Symphonies op. 45 contain such an extraordinary number of errors that they could be rendered usable only after a thorough correction on the basis of the autograph as made available to me by the National Library in Warsaw. Basically, the edition is in need of thorough revision from a historical-critical standpoint. (Rudolf Innig)
Excerpts from the reviews
„Grandiose Orgelsinfonien, ein exzellenter Organist und ein adäquates Instrument machen die Wiederentdeckung des Polen Felix Nowowiejski zum Ereignis.“ (FonoForum, 1998)
„Rudolf Innig vollbringt mit dieser Gesamtdarstellung eine organistische Großtat. Mit großer Umsicht und hinreißendem Engagement wird er den verschiedenen Ansprüchen der anspruchsvollen Partituren glänzend gerecht. Die eben restaurierte Orgel des Bremer Domes bietet mit ihren 100 Stimmen eine weite orchestrale Palette, die der Organist treffend einzusetzen weiß. Zugleich betont er in seinen Registrierungen auch den musikalischen Zusammenhang dieser neun Sinfonien, die in dieser Interpretation seltenen Ausdrucksstärke und tiefen Ernst ausstrahlen.“ (Klassik heute, 1998)
„Ein ganz großer Wurf!“ (Musica Sacra, 1998) „Rudolf Innigs Interpretation ist schlicht mustergültig.“ (Orgel International, 1998)
„Innig is a convincing player and writer…“ (American Record Guide, 1998)
„Add all of this together, and we have a person deeply involved in this music, and one, who certainly has all the necessary virtuosity. The clarity of his fingers in the fast passages is quite breathtaking, his feet equally producing a brilliant display of dexterity, and his accounts have vigour to recommend them. I equally admire that wonderful response he brings to the slow movements. In fact it would be difficult to imagine a more persuasive advocate of this music.” (Fanfare, 1998)