Sebastian Küchler-Blessing

Reinhold Friedrich & Sebastian Küchler-Blessing – Oh Mensch! Gib Acht! (2023)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:18:26 minutes | 1,44 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Ars Produktion

Trumpet and organ – and yet conceivably far removed from the usual of this popular line-up: that is “O man, pay attention!” – not just an eye-catcher, but program, when the world-class trumpeter Reinhold Friedrich and the Essen cathedral organist Sebastian Küchler-Blessing contemporary works, which as A reaction to the horrors of the Third Reich, placed in dialogue with arrangements of romantic works: in addition to the eponymous slow movement from Mahler’s Third, “Kol Nidrei” by Max Bruch and Brahms’ “O Tod, wie bitter bist Du” can be heard. Zsigmond Szathmáry, who was highly esteemed by György Ligeti, wrote an “…ad memoriam…” about the Holocaust Memorial in Berlin especially for this production. The siblings Kristina Schoch (recorder) and Andre Schoch (trumpeter with the Berlin Philharmonic) also take part in other works – for example in four epigrams based on Hebrew songs for recorder and organ pedal by Freiburg’s Otfried Büsing. Recorded on the Rieger organ in Essen Cathedral, which was rebuilt after the war’s destruction, war is raging on European soil at the same time: Rarely should a “Oh man! Be careful!” may have been more topical.

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