GLORIA SANGUINI JESU:
A new masterwork of
organbuilding in the convent church of the Sisters of the Precious Blood,
Schellenberg, Liechtenstein Principality.
On April 21st, 2007, Archbishop
Wolfgang Haas presided over the festive dedication and blessing of the new organ
of the Convent Church of the Sisters of the Precious Blood, in the company of
the family of sisters, and many invited guests. After the blessing, the sisters
sang the first Sunday Vespers, with Gregorian chant accompanied by the new
organ. Following the service, well-known Liechtenstein organist Thomas Nipp
presented a masterfully-performed recital, during which the audience experienced
the wonderful fullness and beauty of tone produced by this, the first Hey organ
in the Principality of Liechtenstein. With virtuosic flair, Mr. Nipp played a
varied program of works by Bach, Handel, Rheinberger, Pachelbel and Guilmant, as
well as a pair of his own meditations on Gregorian themes.
The German organbuilding firm of
Hey, located in Urspringen, Lower Franconia, has with this new organ created a
memorable and impressive example of their craftsmanship. Regional Cantor
Wolfgang Kraus, who served as consultant for this project, concluded in his
final examination of the instrument:
"The new Hey organ in the
Schellenberg convent is a masterwork from a technical, visual and tonal
perspective. Although certainly one of this firm�s smaller instruments, it is
nonetheless outstanding in its richly nuanced tone, liturgical serviceability,
and as a textbook example of how to build an organ in an acoustically and
physically challenging space. The Sisterhood now has an instrument which is a
joy to play, technically flawless, and which will provide a never-ending
fountain of tonal discoveries for the player. The tonal palette, from the
colorful, characteristic and varied individual ranks right up to the nearly
symphonic plenum, gives the listener the impression of a much larger
space than is actually there."
The tripartite organ case, blending
artistically with its gallery location, is made of the finest white oak. There
are 17 ranks over two manuals and pedal, and the organ sings with almost 1000
pipes. And from the builder himself:
"Organ and church belong together,
and in creating an instrument of high artistic value, architectural, technical
and acoustic considerations are of utmost importance. This is especially true
with regard to the complexity of organ tone. Going into this project, we took
into account how the instrument would be used, and were then able to establish
some tonal prerequisites: warmth and fullness of tone, transparency and a fine
brilliance without an overbearing shrillness. Next to these tonal
considerations, the architectonic integration of organ and space was of the
highest priority. Rather than creating a slavish force-fit, we strove for an
artistic melding of the instrument to the church. Both manual divisions are
centrally located in the gallery, and are under general expression. Great and
Swell are flanked on either side by the pedal towers. Although conceived at its
core to be a classical instrument, contemporary building techniques were also
applied.
In essence, the conception of this
instrument has its basis in the rich history of our own building tradition,
using the finest materials, naturally aged woods, and solid construction. The
two-manual console is positioned so the organist has a good view of the altar,
and from here all functions of the organ are controlled."
In his homily, Archbishop Haas
intimated that this new church instrument should be considered a Jubilee Organ.
The Convent of Schellenberg celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2008,
having begun its ministry in 1858. The current church building was completed in
1880, and underwent a major restoration in 2001. It was then that the Sisters
desired to set a very special liturgical accent for their upcoming anniversary,
in the form of a much-needed new organ for the church. This desire has since
come to fulfillment, due primarily to the generosity of two private sponsors, to
whom the Sisterhood is deeply thankful.
All those who were in some way
involved with the creation of this masterwork, and especially the Convent family
and their faithful community, can rejoice in the new Jubilee organ. And to Hey
Organ Builders: grateful acknowledgement and the highest praise!
During the dedication ceremony,
Archbishop Haas said in his homily:
The new Hey organ stands beneath the
motto Gloria Sanguini Jesu. In its own way, the new organ offers
praise to the most precious blood, which God, in his infinite love, spilled for
the salvation of Man. The Redeemer`s blood is "as a trumpet which calls" (St.
Bernard of Clairvaux); to honor the blood is to "open the treasure chest of
wisdom and holiness" (St. Kaspar del Bufalo).
The new organ`s beauty and fullness
of tone speak of the inexhaustible spiritual treasure of the Precious Blood, and
underscore the special mission of this monastic community, which is to honor the
Precious Blood through prayer and the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist.
The organ landscape of Liechtenstein
has hereby been enriched through this new masterwork; most certainly a fitting
cause for thankfulness and joy!
This article originally appeared in
Vobiscum 03/2007:
A publication of the Diocese of Vaduz.
Translated from the German by Chris
Oelkers
|
