Essays | papers

A Bull, a Byrd, a Tallis | Das Fitzwilliam Organ Book

Part 1, in: organ - Journal für die Orgel 2023/04 , p. 38-43.  

Part 2, in: organ - Journal für die Orgel 2024/01 , p. 45-51. 

This look at the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book (= FVB), perhaps the most important collection of keyboard music from around 1600, focuses on pieces of music that may have been composed for the organ. The FVB as a source of organ music: an idea that flashes up again and again in various places. A look at the FVB focuses on pieces of music that were possibly composed for the organ - Fitzwilliam Organ Book, an idea that was brought to life by Thomas Tallis, John Blitheman and William Byrd. 


César Franck - Olivier Penin | Premier plan et arrière-plan

Observations sur la scène de l'orgue à Paris à l'occasion de la commémoration de César Franck 2022.

Cet essai a été publié sous forme abrégée dans Ars Organi numéro 4 / 2023

Olivier Penin et César Franck. Zum Franck-Gedenkjahr 2022, dans : Ars Organi 71, 2023, 271 s. Essay PDF


Dans la tribune de l'orgue: Zu Besuch bei Ernest Chausson

in: Ars Organi, Heft 3 / 2023, p. 174-182.

The monumental painting "À l'Orgue" by Henry Lerolle (1885) has special significance as a musical scene, since it shows the composer Ernest Chausson (1855-99) as an organist. This essay is devoted to Chausson, his organ music, and his environment.  

Reading sample


Johann Speth (1664–1721): Ars Magna Consoni et Dissoni, Music for Organ. Brilliant Classics, in: organ 2022/04, S. 60-61. Short Essay | Review PDF


Ein Münchner und sein Kuckuck Oder: Murschhauser und sein Spezl

1. part, in: organ - Journal für die Orgel 2022/04, p. 40-46. 

2. part, organ 2023/01, p. 48-55. 

The Munich composer and Music Director Franz Xaver Anton Murschhauser (1663–1738) gave the cuckoo call an unmistakable presence in his keyboard music. On Murschhauser's organ books and his significance for clavier suite and keyboard music variations. 

" ... der du bist Licht und Tag." Variationen über den altkirchlichen Hymnus “Christe qui lux es et dies” (Teil I), in: organ, Journal für die Orgel, 2008/01, p. 46–53.  On Hymnussettings for organ. A comparasion of different arrangements from late 15th until the 20th c. 


Am Fuße des Vulkans – Orgelkunst und Kontrapunkt in Neapel um 1600, in: Anuario Musical, 61 (2006), p. 55–79. On Rocco Rodio, organist and composer in Naples, his contrapunctal art and his Southitalian and Roman backgrounds Essay PDF • Resumen Pdf


Juan Cabanilles und der iberische Reformorgelbau im 17. Jahrhundert, in: organ, Journal für die Orgel, 2005/04, p. 58–61. On the spanish composer Cabanilles, his organs in the cathedral of Valencia and the keys of some of his compositions Essay PDF


»Tratadistas« im 16. Jahrhundert – IBERISCHE Orgelmusik: Bermudo & Zeitgenossen, Webtext 2004. Short essay on J. Bermudo´s El libro llamado declaración de instrumentos musicales , 1555 and other masters  Essay PDF


Die Kunst des Intavolierens: Gebundenheit und Freiheit, in: Anuario Musical, 58 (2003), p. 61–85. On intabulations of polyphonic vocal music for keyboard instruments – De Cabezón, G. Gabrieli, P. Philips, H. Scheidemann, a.o. Essay PDF • Resumen Pdf


Padre Manuel Rodrigues Coelho und das meio registo, in: organ, Journal für die Orgel, 2003/01, p. 40–46. On the portugues composer M. Rodrigues Coelho, his compositions and the contemporary iberian scene of organ composition and organ builting Essay PDF


Der spanische Komponist Sebastían Raval und die Karwoche (Semana Sancta) im Rom des 16. Jahrhunderts. The paper was presented at the Hispanistentag 2001 in Leipzig / 13 Congreso de la Asociación Alemana de Hispanistas (unpublished) 


A Groovy Kind Of Love: Phil Collins (1988) trifft Muzio Clementi (1797), 2001, unpublished.  On a sonatina of M. Clementi and a song performed by Phil Collins 


Beispiele zyklischer Elemente in mehrstimmigen Lamentationen des 16. und frühen 17. Jahrhunderts, in: Anuario Musical, No. 53 (1998), p. 61-76. On cyclic musical elements in polyphonic lamentations of the 16th and 17th c. Essay PDF • Resumen Pdf

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Im Schattenreich der Orgelsinfonie: Aloÿs Claussmann (1850-1926) Au royaume de l'ombre de la symphonie d'orgue : Aloÿs Claussmann (1850-1926) 

Charles Villiers Stanfords französische Orgelsinfonie (1917)

Who composed the first keyboard batalla? 

Ut-re-mi-fa-so-la: an European idea?

Die Kirchenhymnus- und Magnificatversetten in den 1620ern: Ein Stilvergleich der Komponisten G. Frescobaldi, S. Scheidt und J. Titelouze. M.A.thesis, Heidelberg 1993. On the liturgical organ music of the three and more composers (France, Germany and Italy) in the 1620s – a comparative study. 

Studien zu den mehrstimmigen Lamentationen im 16. Jahrhundert: Escribano, De Morales und Raval, Hamburg 2001. On the polyphonic music of the Holy Week in Rome composed by spanish master of the 16th c. With references to the work of F. Guerrero, T. Tallis, G. P. da Palestrina, T. Luis da Victoria a.m.o. Doctoral thesis PDF