Ernst Helmuth Flammer: Organ Works

Featuring

Reimund Böhmig
Ernst Helmuth Flammer

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Composer's Artistic Vision

Ernst Helmuth Flammer's organ compositions are deeply influenced by the theosophical world cosmos, similar to Olivier Messiaen's organ works, and a rational, enlightened philosophical approach.

Compositional Technique

Ernst Helmuth Flammer's technical approach to organ composition involves analyzing the instrument's tonal palette and developing a personal 'hermeneutic of colours,' which translates into specific stop combinations.

Recording & Production

This album features world premiere recordings of Ernst Helmuth Flammer's works, with three pieces recorded in 2019 and 2023, and one from a 1986 live recording.

Composer Biography

Ernst Helmuth Flammer, the composer, was prevented from learning to play the organ during a difficult childhood, leading him to compose for the instrument as a way out of a personal crisis.

Historical Context

In post-war Germany, composing for the organ was largely discredited due to the instrument's association with the National Socialist era, unlike in France where Olivier Messiaen revitalized the tradition.

Instruments

The organ work '… aber es fehlt ihnen der Glaube' anticipated a revolutionary development in organ building in the late 1980s, moving towards digital and pre-programmable stop control, while also necessitating a return to mechanical stop action for nuanced air control.

Performer Biography

Reimund Böhmig, the organist on this recording, is considered a leading figure in new organ music, known for numerous world premieres and his ability to perform orchestrally styled pieces even on small organs.