Martin Stephan (organist)

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Martin Stephan (born June 21, 1952 in Gotha ) is a German organist , cantor and church musician .

biography

As a Thomaner , Martin Stephan's life was already dedicated to music as a child. After studying in Eisenach , he went to Weimar , where he took the subjects organ and conducting at the "Franz Liszt" Music Academy. He supplemented this with additional training as a carilloneur in Vilnius and Kaunas . He began his career with a position as Kapellmeister at the Erfurt Municipal Theaters . He then took over the office of organist at the Erfurt museums and that of carilloneur at the “ Bartholomäusturm ” carillon .

In 1986 Stephan began his long-term activity as organist in the Ulrichskirche concert hall and until 2002 as a carilloneur at the Red Tower in Halle (Saale) . From 1997 to 2002 he was also titular organist at St. Georgen in Eisenach, Johann Sebastian Bach's baptistery .

Stephen's teaching began during his time in Erfurt, albeit at the Weimar University of Music, where he taught the subjects of organ, conducting and school music from 1976 to 1989 and served as an assistant in the chamber choir under Gert Frischmuth . Three years after the move to Hall Stephan moved his teaching there, at the Evangelical College of Church Music Hall with the subjects organ literature, improvisation and choral conducting and the management of the university choir .

In 2003 he changed his place of work again when he took over the position of cantor and organist at St. Nicolai in Westerland on Sylt . From there, Martin Stephan also undertakes concert tours as an organist to France, Italy, Belgium, Hungary, Russia, Poland, the former Yugoslavia and the USA. Within Germany, Stephan also enjoyed working with the Philharmonic State Orchestra Halle . He regularly returns to the Ulrichskirche during the annual “Organ Night” that takes place in early June as part of the Halle Handel Festival .

Music genre

The musical style of the traditionalist Martin Stephan is shaped by his preference for romantic organ literature ( Liszt , Mendelssohn , Reger ) as well as the interpretation of baroque works (Bach, Buxtehude ).

A characteristic of Stephan's organ playing, similar to Matthias Eisenberg's , is the common practice of ending his concert with a mostly large-scale and voluminous improvisation on a given topic (e.g. on a theme by Handel during the Halle Organ Night).

Discography

  • Sunday concert . Martin Stephan at the Kemper organ of the Evang. City church St. Nicolai in Westerland on Sylt. Organ doctorate, Westerland / Sylt, 2008.
  • Festive music for trumpet and organ . From St. Georgen zu Eisenach. John Roderick MacDonald (trumpet) and Martin Stephan (organ). Naxos, 2000.
  • Jesus go ahead . Improvisations on songs by the Moravian Brethren. Martin Stephan at the Georges Heintz organ of the Königsfeld Brethren. Organ doctorate, Herrnhut Congregation, undated
  • Johann Sebastian Bach: St. John Passion BWV 245 (Passio secundum Johannem) . Live recording. Kantorei at St. Nicolai / Westerland, Jena Philharmonic (headed by Martin Stephan). Evangelical Lutheran Parish Westerland / Sylt, undated
  • Antonín Dvořák: Stabat Mater . Live recording. Kantorei at St. Nicolai / Westerland, boys' choir, Jena Philharmonic (headed by Martin Stephan). Evangelical Lutheran Parish Westerland / Sylt, undated
  • Shout, rejoice . A Christmas organ music. Improvisations and arrangements on themes by Handel, Bach and others Martin Stephan on the Sauer-Ahlborn organ of the New Apostolic Church in Gifhorn. Organ promotion, Gifhorn, undated
  • Alleluia - songs for Christmas . Martina Rüping (soprano) and Martin Stephan (organ). Ulrichskirche concert hall, Halle, undated

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Event tip on December 24th, 2009: The organ lesson on Christmas Eve
  2. ↑ Program for the 11th Organ Night in Halle (Saale)  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2Template: Toter Link / www.haendelfestspiele.halle.de  
  3. ^ Pastor Christoph Bornemann: Description on the Beoton-Musikproduktion website, accessed on June 12, 2012.

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Stephan, Martin
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German organist
DATE OF BIRTH June 21, 1952
PLACE OF BIRTH Gotha