Gereon Krahforst

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Gereon Krahforst at the organ of St. Thomas Church, New York City, 5th Avenue

Gereon Krahforst (* 1973 in Bonn ) is a German composer , concert organist , pianist , harpsichordist and church musician .

education

Krahforst received his first piano lessons at the age of 5; his first organ teachers from 1987/1990 were John L. Birley ( Himmerod Monastery ) and Markus Karas ( Bonn Minster ). He studied composition during school from 1990 to 1993 (junior studies with Hans Werner Henze and Günter Fork ), then after graduating from high school (from 1993) composition, piano (instrumental pedagogy) and church music with Clemens Ganz , Henning Frederichs , Günter Ludwig , Johannes Schild and Phillip Langshaw at the Cologne University of Music and Dance . He passed his A-exam with distinction for organ improvisation , after which he studied organ with Daniel Roth at the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts (KA) . He supplemented his training with master classes with Marie-Claire Alain , Tomasz Adam Nowak , Jon Laukvik , Wolfgang Seifen , Peter Planyavsky , Guy Bovet and Franz Lehrndorfer .

Employment and Life

In 1985, at the age of 12, Krahforst became organist at St. Martin, Kirchsahr (Ahrweiler district); from 1989 he regularly played organ substitutes in Bonn Minster and St. Josef, Bonn-Beuel. 1993-1997 he often represented his organ professor Clemens Ganz at Cologne Cathedral while studying church music ; In 1998 he was organist at St. Aposteln in Frankfurt am Main for a short time. He received his first prestigious position in 1998 at the Kreuzbergkirche in Bonn , where he performed all of Bach's organ works in 16 concerts in 2000 . In 2000 he became organist and cantor at Mönchengladbach Minster St. Vitus and the local main parish church of St. Mary of the Assumption ; there, too, he played Bach's complete organ works again. At the end of 2001 he moved to Minden Cathedral as cathedral organist and choir director . In 2001 he also held a teaching position for organ improvisation at the Detmold University of Music . In 2003 he was finally appointed cathedral organist at the High Cathedral in Paderborn . In 2004 he also took up a position as a lecturer for organ and organ improvisation at the Hanover University of Music and Theater . In 2011 he moved to Marbella on the ( Costa del Sol ) in Andalusia , Spain , as organist at the Iglesia de la Encarnación - his family has had a second home there since 1987. In 2012 he moved to the USA and became Cathedral Organist, Associate Director of Sacred Music and Artistic Director of the International Organ Concert Series at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis ( Missouri) ); there he teaches several times for the AGO . In 2014 he returned to Germany and initially worked as a cantor at St. Lutwinus in Mettlach . In 2015 he finally returned to his old home with the appointment of abbey organist and artistic director of the international organ concerts at the Maria Laach . Since January 2017 he has been a part-time committee member of the artistic planning group for the OrgelWochen Rhineland-Palatinate in the Ministry of Culture, Education and Research in Mainz , since 2018 also organist and custodian of the great organ of the Rhein-Mosel-Halle in Koblenz and director of the Bonn Organ Festival; Since 2019 he has also been working part-time as a church musician in the Plaidt Parish Association, where his instruments include the valuable historical Keates organ of the St. Kastor parish church in Andernach - Miesenheim .

In addition to the International Laacher Organ Concerts and the organ matinées he founded on Saturdays, apart from the International Organ Weeks of Rhineland-Palatinate, he also oversees the organ concerts on the oldest playable organ in the Rhineland-Palatinate of the former monastery church of St. Leodegar in Niederehe , and in 2019 the music he founded zum Sonntag "concerts at the St. Severus Basilica in Boppard and another series of concerts in Boppard- Buchholz . As a composer he writes for various instrumentations, primarily for organ, piano or choir; since 2010 he has been receiving more and more commissioned compositions.

Krahforst's repertoire of organ music includes all organ works by Bach , Buxtehude , Mendelssohn , Schumann , Liszt , Franck , Duruflé , Brahms , Zachow , Couperin , the 8 organ sonatas and individual works by Guilmant , the 10 organ symphonies by Widor , all organ works by Vierne a large part of the Organ works by Dupré , Langlais , Rheinberger and Reger as well as a large pool of standard works, less well-known and works of the so-called "early music" and the Romantic period in addition to a large selection of English, American and Canadian organ literature. His piano repertoire includes The Well-Tempered Clavier (Volumes I and II), the Italian Concerto , the Goldberg Variations , the Inventions and Symphonies , the 6 Partitas, the French Overture, the Toccatas and some individual works by Bach , all of Mozart's piano sonatas and works by Haydn , Beethoven , Schubert , Schumann , Chopin , Liszt , Rachmaninoff , Scriabin , Ravel and Debussy .

As a harpsichordist he has a. a. busy with the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book and Scarlatti's sonatas . Krahforst also often appeared as a song accompanist. At a young age, Krahforst created a song album with rock and pop songs, for which he wrote the English lyrics himself and which even received a prize in a competition for light music; in addition, he occupied himself from time to time with jazz piano music. In 1993 he was allowed to record parts of his "Magic Lake" from 1991 for the radio station WDR 5 ; further appearances on television and radio as well as CD recordings round off his wide range of activities. The "Zaubersee", next to the "Picture Book Andalusia" Krahforst's most personal work so far on the border between serious music and popular music, will be completely revised and digitized in 2020, after which the musical text will be published.

Concerts have taken Krahforst to almost every country in Europe, both in cathedrals (e.g. Notre Dame , Paris, St. Thomas, New York City, St. Paul's Cathedral, London, Kyungdung Church, Seoul) and churches in concert halls, from smaller concert series to renowned international festivals, as well as - even before his time in St. Louis - in the USA , Canada , Israel , Korea , Japan and the Russian Federation . In 2007 he received the highest commendations and recognition from the American Guild of Organists for his Reger interpretations and his improvisation lessons. Gereon Krahforst is the dedicatee of various contemporary compositions from Germany, Belgium, Israel and the USA. He is a member of the Rotary Club and the American Guild of Organists.

family

Compositions

  • Concerto for piano and orchestra in B minor, op. 1 (1987) (1st prize "Young people composed", 1988 NRW competition)
  • Piano Sonata No. 1 in D minor, Op. 2 (1988/1995/2020)
  • 24 Preludes for piano op.3 (1996)
  • String Quartet in E minor, Op. 4 (1989)
  • Sonata in G major for violin and piano op.5 (1989)
  • Sonata in F minor for violoncello and piano op.6 (1989)
  • Piano Sonata No. 2 in E minor, Op. 7 (1990)
  • 8 organ pieces op.8b (1989)
  • Piano Sonata No. 3 in C minor, Op. 9 (1990)
  • Symphony in D major "Eifelsomme for large orch." Op. 10 (1990) (2nd prize "Youth composed" 1990 NRW competition)
  • “Der Zaubersee”, a fantasy story with 36 piano pieces (1991) (1st prize “Young people composed” 1992 NRW competition)
  • Romantic Mass in E major for 4 parts according to SATB choir and organ op.11 (1991–1995)
  • Song of the Red Roses for piano (1992)
  • Piano Sonata No. 4 in F sharp minor, Op. 12 (1993)
  • 3 Berlin sketches based on poems by Theophil Krajewski for high soprano voice and piano (1993/1994)
  • Concertino for organ and string orchestra (1993)
  • Variations and fugue on the Bonn cathedral song "Cassius und Florentius" for organ (1993)
  • First organ symphony (1993)
  • Memory of a Dead Friend for clarinet and organ (1994)
  • "Der Rosenhag" based on poems by Theophil Krajewski for high soprano voice and piano (1994–2002)
  • Suite francaise for organ (1995)
  • 2 Mary motets for 4–7-part. Choir a cappella (1995)
  • Cologne Cathedral Festival for soprano solo, female choir, organ and orchestra (1997)
  • Organ arrangement of Andante con Variazioni in G major KV 501 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1999)
  • 24 Preludes and Fugues for Organ (2001–03)
  • Toccata Buxtehudina for organ (2001)
  • 7 easy chorale preludes on Polish hymns for organ (2002)
  • 5 Minnelieder for tenor and piano after Walther von der Vogelweide (2002)
  • Missa puellarum for girls 'choir (girls' choir) and organ (2002)
  • Cantata Mariana ad inaugurationem Arae Mindensis for gem. SATB choir and organ (2002)
  • Song motet "Now thank all God" 3stg. according to Choir a capelle (SABar) (2002)
  • Nocturne for organ (2002)
  • Hommage à Flor Peeters for organ (2003)
  • Missa in honorem Sancti Liborii for choir, long-distance choir, brass ensemble, percussion and organ. Premiere 2004 in Paderborn Cathedral with more than 80 church choirs from the Archdiocese under the direction of Hartwig Diehl, the Chamber Choir at St. Josef, Siegen-Weidenau under the direction of Franz-Josef Breuer, a wind ensemble and the composer on the organ.
  • Trois Carillons pour Orgue (2004)
  • Choral partita "Wunderschön gächtige" for organ (2004)
  • Four Advent chorale partitas on “Come, you Savior from all over the world” (2005), “O Savior, tear open the heavens” (2005, revised 2017), “Creator alme Siderum” (2005) and “Maria went through a thorn forest “(2005) for organ
  • British Suite for Organ (2005).
  • Two chorale preludes for organ in the style of Robert Schumann (2006)
  • Theme, variations, fugue and coda in the style of WA Mozart for organ (2006)
  • Hommage à Jean Langlais for organ (2007)
  • Seven sketches for trumpet and organ (2007)
  • 10 chorale preludes on Marienlieder (2008)
  • Variations on an Old Polish Dance for organ (2008)
  • Organ arrangement of the "Variations sérieuses" op. 54 by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (2009)
  • Cheerful organ variations on the St. Nicholas song "Let's be happy and lively" (2009)
  • Die Sieben O-Antiphone for organ (one to seven voices) (2009)
  • Fantasia on "Ave Maris Stella" for organ (2009)
  • Piano piece on "I lost my heart in New York" (2010)
  • 10 chorale preludes to Advent songs (2010)
  • Variaciones sinfonicas sobre el canto de Alcala de los santos ninos para órgano (Symphonic Variations on the Church Hymn of the "Holy Children" by Alcalá for organ) (2011)
  • Variaciones sobre una canción japones para órgano (Easy Variations on a Japanese Song for Organ) (2012)
  • Leonhard´s Piano Album (piano pieces in different styles) (2012)
  • Seven Chorale Preludes on British and American Hymn Tunes (2012)
  • American Trilogy for organ (2012)
  • Organ arrangement of the second movement "Largo ma non tanto" from the Concerto in D minor for 2 violins and orchestra BWV 1043 by Johann Sebastian Bach (2012)
  • Organ arrangement of the aria "My soul hears in seeing" by Georg Friedrich Händel (2013)
  • Seven chorale preludes with accompanying movements, published in the organ book of the cathedral organists (Bärenreiter)
  • 10 chorale preludes to Christmas carols (2010)
  • Organ arrangement of the "Polka de WR" by Sergej Rachmaninoff (2015)
  • Second Organ Symphony (2015)
  • Pietà for organ (2017)
  • Symphonic variations on the Lutheran Marian song "She is dear to me, the worthy maid" for organ (2017)
  • "Picture book Andalusia" - 18 organ pieces about a paradise (2018)
  • Orchestral arrangement of 5 Christmas carols by P. Willibrord Ballmann Osb (2018) (originally composed for voice and piano)
  • Orchestral arrangement of the Christmas carols by Engelbert Humperdinck (2018) (originally composed for voice and piano)
  • Small solo cantata for soprano solo and chamber orchestra on "Silent Night, Holy Night" (2018)
  • Ten chorale preludes with accompanying movements, published in the Ecumenical Organ Book (Bärenreiter) (2015, published 2018)
  • Five Tunes for Organ (2020)
  • Roots and Traces for Organ (Four pieces with stylistic metamorphoses) (2020)
  • Beethoven anniversary toccata for organ (2020)

Sound carrier

  • Bells and organs in Minden Cathedral. Liturgical improvisations on the works of art in the cathedral and their theological statements (on the three organs: main organ, transept organ, chest organ) and chime combinations. Axel-Gerhard-Kühl-Verlag (AGK) Haselbach
  • “Out of love for home” Vol. 1-3 Easy to moderately difficult organ music and improvisations on 8 village organs in the Voreifel around the town of Rheinbach . (Christian and Theo Schmitz, Euskirchen)
  • Organ concert in Cologne Cathedral. Works by Marcel Dupre (Offrande a la Vierge, Evocation), Couperin, Mozart, Rheinberger, Hessenberg, Lämmer Werner Mohr, Cologne 2001
  • Le Chemin de la Croix (Way of the Cross by Marcel Dupre) with texts by Paul Claudel (recitation Propst Paul Jakobi), Minden Cathedral.
  • "Christ on the Mount of Olives" - improvisations with two organists for the Year of the Bible on two organs. Gereon Krahforst and Matthias Mück , Magdeburg, organ; Paul Jakobi , recitation. Karl Adrion 2003
  • “Apocalypse” - improvisations with two organists for the Year of the Bible on two organs. Gereon Krahforst and Otto M. Krämer, Straelen, organ; Paul Jakobi, recitation. Karl Adrion 2003
  • Improvisations on the Lukas Fischer organ in the main parish church of St. Mary's Assumption in Mönchengladbach.
  • Johann Sebastian Bach: The Art of Fugue BWV 1080 (Arr.Helmut Walcha and Gereon Krahforst)
  • Works by Johann Sebastian Bach - on the Schorn organ in the parish church of St. Nikolaus in Euskirchen -Kuchenheim
  • Works by Johann Sebastian Bach (other than above) - on the Ott organ of the Protestant church in Bad Münstereifel .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. Westfalen-Blatt from September 15, 2011
  2. Saarbrücker Zeitung from September 6, 2014
  3. Rheinzeitung from July 3, 2015
  4. A more recent complete performance of Bach's organ works can be found in the foreword of this program booklet on page 2: [1]
  5. Church music communications of the Archdiocese of Paderborn 2007/1, to be read on p. 48 [2]
  6. Localbook Wittlich with the announcement of the Widor project and the first concert [3]
  7. ^ Website of the Laacher Organ Concerts; Under "Matinéen / Events" and "Laacher Orgelkonzerte 2020" you can see the complete performance of Viernesche Orgelwerke [4]
  8. Biographical information from: www.gereonkrahforst.org ; accessed on April 4, 2020
  9. Generalanzeiger Bonn of August 4, 2015
  10. Reports of the Pastoral Association of Dortmund West, to be read in the section on the year 2004 [5]
  11. ^ Tuba Tune , interpreted by Engelbert Schoen, published on Youtube in 2013
  12. Performance in Altenberg Cathedral on YouTube [6]
  13. Documentation of the handing over of the score to the client as well as excerpts from the work on YouTube [7]
  14. Freiburg Cathedral Organ Concerts 2015 [8]
  15. Blick Aktuell, July 2017 [9]
  16. Magdeburg Cathedral Music, Program 2019 [10]
  17. YouTube [11]