Stage concerts in the Stefaniensaal: Experience organs up close!

Stage concerts in the Stefaniensaal: Experience organs up close!

A new chapter for orgelle lovers in Graz begins! Gunther Rost, head of the Institute for Church Music and Organ at the Graz Kunstuni, staged a special concert format in the Stefaniiensaal on March 20, 2025: the "stage concerts". The audience will take a seat on the stage and experience the organ up close. "Toccata +" is the name of the monthly series of events in which famous Toccates are combined with later compositions to present the variety of the instrument. The aim is to arouse interest in the organ and to inspire a wider audience for the instrument, referred to the rust as a "musical world declaration machine", so reported Orf Styria .

The premiere of the "stage concerts" begins at 3:00 p.m. and will result in further appointments by the beginning of July. The organ in the Stefaniensaal, a 19th century masterpiece by the renowned organ construction company Walcker, is presented in a new light. Rust describes the challenge of playing on such an impressive instrument: "The organ is almost ten meters wide and high. In order to let the sound come into play optimally, you have to use the room correctly." In this way, the audience is associated directly with the instrument, which the concert experience intensifies, reported Organ spring Styria .

In 2025, however, there will be no organ spring in the usual extensive format because there is a structural reorganization. Nevertheless, the passion for the organ remains noticeable, and the new stage concerts offer the opportunity to capture the fine shades of the instrument. In addition to the "stage concerts", further events are planned, such as a choir and organ concert on May 7th in the Herz-Jesu Church in Graz. These initiatives continue to bring momentum to the organ scene and promote the cultural connection to the history of music while celebrating the richness of organ music in Styrian.