Die Ladegast-Orgeln, Vol. 4: Die Ladegast-Orgel im Dom zu Schwerin

Featuring

Jan Ernst
Gabriel Henri Constant Pierné
Théodore Dubois
Eugène Gigout
Max Reger
George Frideric Handel

Otto Dienel
Charles Villiers Stanford
Ernst Richter
Johann Sebastian Bach
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Georg Wilhelm Derx
Cor Kee

Did you know?

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Compositional Technique

Ladegast was known for his innovative approach to organ building, being the first in German organ-building history to incorporate a pneumatically operated swell pedal in an organ, as seen in his 1871 Schwerin Cathedral organ.

Critical Reception

Ladegast's organs were highly regarded by his contemporaries, with French organ-builder Aristide Cavaillé-Coll considering him the best of his time, and Albert Schweitzer placing Ladegast's tonal quality even above Cavaillé-Coll's.

Composer Biography

Johann Friedrich Ladegast, a significant organ builder of the 19th century, was born in 1818 as the eighth child in a family not traditionally musical, but he developed a love for music and craftsmanship.

Historical Context

Ladegast's decision to become an organ builder was likely influenced by his older brother, Christlieb, who also chose the profession, and the legacy of Gottfried Silbermann, a famous compatriot who worked 150 years earlier.

Composer Biography

Ladegast's business activity extended internationally, with organs being delivered to the USA, throughout Germany, and as far as Russia.

Historical Context

Ladegast was a progressive organ builder who embraced aspects of industrialization, such as building a large assembly hall in 1865, which allowed for the simultaneous construction and pre-intonation of multiple instruments.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Ladegast, though primarily a craftsman, considered himself musically inclined, stating to his friend William Hepworth, the Chemnitz organist, that he had the same musical bent but lacked the opportunity to develop it.