Farewell to the master: Andreas Meisner leaves Altenberg Cathedral

Farewell to the master: Andreas Meisner leaves Altenberg Cathedral

Andreas Meisner, a musical veteran and cathedral organist of the Protestant cathedral community of Altenberg since 1985, has now retired after 40 years. An impressive chapter in the region's church music history ended with a festive concert entitled “Andreas Meisner & Friends” in Altenberg Cathedral, which brought together a full house of enthusiastic listeners. The event, which lasted over three hours, not only featured a varied mix of festive and classical music, but also performances by well-known talents and ensembles. Loud kirche-koeln.de This was not only Meisner's farewell, but also a tribute to his remarkable career.

During his tenure, Meisner had a lasting impact on church music in Altenberg and the wider Cologne region. Under his leadership, the cathedral organ, with its 6,000 pipes, became a central element of his musical work, which is why he is known as the “Lord of the 6,000 Pipes”. He has given over 1,000 concerts internationally, taking him to countries such as France, Italy, England and Norway. The special acoustics and the impressive structure of Altenberg Cathedral have created this setting for numerous musical highlights, including the conversion of the cathedral organ and ecumenical services. kirche-rechtsrheinisch.de

Create a worthy farewell

Meisner's farewell ceremonies began at the end of the previous year. In December he conducted Bach's Christmas Oratorio for the last time. The last months of his work were marked by special concerts. In May, Verdi's “Messa da Requiem” was performed in two sold-out performances, followed by a “big night of music” in which various soloists and ensembles took part, including the Ensemble Harmonic Brass from Munich and the Altenberg Cathedral Choir. kirche-koeln.de

The “Andreas Meisner & Friends” concert offered a colorful range of musical performances. From Bach's Toccata in D minor, played by Harmonic Brass, to Jan van Eyck's “Engel's Nightingale” on the recorder by Susanne Ehrhardt, everything was represented. The masterpieces of Romanticism were not left out either: Meisner and Rolf Müller played Gustav Adolf Merkel's Organ Sonata No. 1 and invited the listeners on a journey through music history.

A look back and forward

Andreas Meisner leaves behind an impressive legacy. His special approach to church music was evident not only in his work with various choirs, including the Cologne Oratorio Choir and the Domkantorei, but also in the organization of over 1,500 sacred pieces of music. Despite his retirement, he plans to continue giving organ concerts and addressing social and political issues. kirche-rechtsrheinisch.de

The position of cathedral organist will not be filled directly for the time being; instead, there will be an interim solution with five church musicians, which will be set up for the next two years. In this way, musical work in Altenberg Cathedral remains secure, even if the footsteps left by Andreas Meisner are enormous. kirchenmusik-ekbo.de