Almut Roessler

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Almut Rößler (born June 12, 1932 in Beveringen ; † February 13, 2015 in Düsseldorf ) was a German organist and church musician .

Live and act

Rößler completed his studies at the Evangelical State Church Music School in the Rhineland (today a department of the Robert Schumann University in Düsseldorf ) and at the Northwest German Music Academy in Detmold . Her teachers included Michael Schneider on the organ, Hans-Richter-Haaser on the piano, Wilhelm Maler in composition and Kurt Thomas in conducting. Further studies followed in Paris with Gaston Litaize .

In 1967 she went to the Johanneskirche in Düsseldorf as the successor to Gerhard Schwarz , where she worked as a cantor and organist until 1997 and founded the "Johanneskantorei". In 1959 she took on a teaching position at the regional church music school. In 1977 she was appointed professor at the Robert Schumann University in Düsseldorf.

Organ concerts, radio and television recordings

Rößler has given concerts all over Germany, most European countries, the USA, Japan, Korea and Canada. Among others in the Berlin Philharmonie, the Alte Oper in Frankfurt, the Royal Festival Hall in London, the Osaka Symphony Hall in Japan as well as on Messiaen's organ in La Trinité (Paris) , Paris.

Radio and television recordings were made at the BBC , NHK , Radio France , PBS in Boston and all West German broadcasters.

World premieres and premieres

Rößler premiered and premiered various works . These include compositions by André Jolivet , Johann Nepomuk David , Jürg Baur , Kei Kondo , Ernst Ludwig Leitner , Diether de la Motte , Dimitri Terzakis , Giselher Klebe and Ivana Loudovà . Many of these organ works are dedicated to her.

In 1972 Rößler played the European premiere of “Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte-Trinité” by Olivier Messiaen . She was also the soloist at the world premiere of Giselher Klebe's “Concerto for Organ and Orchestra” in 1980. This work is dedicated to the organist.

In addition, on July 1, 1986, the world premiere (in Detroit , USA) and the European premiere (in Bonn) of “ Livre du Saint Sacrement ” by Olivier Messiaen.

Music festivals and international music weeks

Rößler played a key role in the following events:

  • at the Messiaen festivals in 1968, 1972, 1979, 1986 (as organizer and soloist)
  • at the Stravinsky Festival in 1971
  • at the Berliner Festwochen
  • at the English Bach Festival
  • with the American Guild of Organists
  • at the National Convention of the American Guild of Organists
  • at Printemps musical de Paris
  • at the Lucerne Festival

Conducting and choral works

  • Conductor of the Johannes-Kantorei - one of the largest amateur choirs in Düsseldorf
  • From the repertoire: the great Bach oratorios, Mozart and Haydn masses; Mendelssohn: Paul ; Franck: Les Beatitudes ; Brahms: A German Requiem ; Duruflé: Requiem; Stravinsky: Psalms Symphony ; Poulenc: Gloria; Lili Boulanger: the great choral and orchestral works; Frank Martin: In terra pax and Requiem
  • Various radio and television broadcasts
  • Choir and concert tours to France, England, Finland, Poland, Hungary, Italy, Austria and Switzerland with a cappella program from Gabrieli to Kodály, with all Bach motets

Lectures, seminars, guest classes

Rößler was invited to lectures, seminars and visiting professorships at the following universities: Yale University , University of Michigan (USA); Kunitachi University of Music , Yonsei University Seoul, Kobe Jogakuin Daigaku ( Kobe College ) Nishinomiya (Japan), American Guild of Organists Conventions / meetings and at European music academies, etc. a. Vienna and Reykjavík, Prague, Oslo, Wroclaw, Vilnius, Amsterdam, Piacenza, Jerusalem.

Awards

  • 1994: Federal Cross of Merit, 1st class
  • 1986: “Organist of the Year” from Ann Arbor University, Michigan
  • 1981: Chevalier dans l'ordre des palmes academiques
  • 1973: German Record Critics' Prize for Messiaen "Meditations ..."
  • 1961: Winner of the Berlin organist competition
  • 1960: Sponsorship award for young artists from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia
  • Member of the jury of several international organ competitions, including Chartres, France; St. Albans, England

Fonts (selection)

  • Messiaen's organ works 1961 and 1969. In: Ahrens-Möller-Rößler: Messiaen's organ works. Gilles & Francke, Duisburg 1976.
  • On the interpretation of Messiaen's organ works. In: Hohlfeld-Ufer: Olivier Messiaen's spiritual world. Gilles & Francke, Duisburg 1978.
  • Entretiens avec Olivier Messiaen. In: Jeunesse et Orgue , No. 58, Floriac 1984.
  • Contributions to the spiritual world of Olivier Messiaen. Gilles & Francke, Duisburg 1984, English translation 1986.
  • Articles about Jürg Baur and Dimitri Terzakis in specialist journals

Recordings and sound carriers

  • Olivier Messiaen: Livre d'Orgue. Schwann Studio 506.
  • Olivier Messiaen: Messe de la Pentecôte, Verset pour la fête de la Dédicace. Schwann Studio 508.
  • Olivier Messiaen: Les Corps Glorieux. Schwann Studio 509.
  • Olivier Messiaen: La Nativité du Seigneur. Schwann Studio 517.
  • Olivier Messiaen: L 'Ascension, Diptyque, Apparition de l'Eglise éternelle. Schwann Studio 518.
  • Olivier Messiaen: Méditations sur le Mystère de la Sainte Trinité. Schwann Studio 702/703. (German Record Award 1973)
  • Olivier Messiaen: The Organ Works, Complete Edition. (7 LPs) Schwann Studio 350.
  • Jürg Baur: "Christ has risen", choral triptych (1970). In: Organ City Düsseldorf. Schwann Studio, 4514/4515.
  • Almut Rössler plays Bach on the Beckerath organ of the Johanneskirche Düsseldorf. (2 LPs). Motet Ursina, No. 1019.
  • Festive organ concert in Limburg Cathedral. Almut Rössler plays works by Bruhns, Bach, Alain and Franck. Motet Ursina, No. 1025.
  • Olivier Messiaen: Livre du Saint Sacrement. Almut Rössler plays the organ in Passau Cathedral.
  • Various composers on the organ of the Wesel Cathedral. Motet 13071.
  • Bach, 18 Leipzig chorales in the Thomaskirche Leipzig. Motet 13151.

literature

  • Almut Rößler - 29 years cantor at the Johanneskirche in Düsseldorf. Ed. Evangelical Church District Association Düsseldorf. Evangelical Johannes-Kirchengemeinde Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf 1997.
  • Jörg Abbing (Ed.): ... it blooms after us. Festschrift for Almut Rößler. Dohr, Cologne 2007, ISBN 978-3-93665545-2 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Dohr Publisher: Almut Rößler
  2. ↑ Mourning Almut Rößler. ( Memento from February 16, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Obituary on the homepage of the Evangelical Church in Düsseldorf from January 15, 2015 (accessed on January 16, 2015).
  3. ^ The Popess - badische-zeitung.de. Retrieved February 18, 2015 .
personal data
SURNAME Roessler, Almut
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German organist and church musician
DATE OF BIRTH June 12, 1932
PLACE OF BIRTH Beveringen
DATE OF DEATH February 13, 2015