Organist

For their second consecutive night at the Proms, Jakub Hrůša and the Czech Philharmonic bring to life the blazing fanfares, raw outcries and hushed humility of Leoš Janáček’s unparalleled Glagolitic Mass. Inspiration for the work struck the composer in a misty wood. ‘Its moist scent was the incense,’ he wrote. ‘I felt a cathedral grow out of the giant expanse of woods ... Now I hear the voice of each arch-priest in the tenor solo, a maiden angel in the soprano – and in the choir I hear our people.’

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Prom 50: Janáček’s Glagolitic Mass

Royal Albert Hall

Prokofiev conceived his fiery Fifth as “a symphony of the greatness of the human spirit.” This dramatic work caps a program of brilliant colors and unusual instrumentation: Guillaume Connesson’s Concerto da Requiem, alternately macabre and ethereal, the perfect showcase for Verizon Hall’s incredible Fred J. Cooper Memorial Organ; and Claude Debussy’s dreamy Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun, with harps and unusual string shadings conjuring images of nymphs frolicking in a glade.

Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony

Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts

Christian Schmitt is one of the rising stars in the world of the organ. Having performed in major concert halls from Los Angeles to Tokyo, he makes his debut in Liège with Mendelssohn's exuberant Fourth Sonata, one of Bach's greatest preludes and fugues, and the fiery Sonata by Julius Reubke (a disciple of Liszt), one of the most remarkable works in the romantic repertoire. In contrast, there is the neomedieval music of Arvo Pärt and a composition by the young German composer Maximilian Schnaus.

Christian Schmitt - Organ

Salle Philharmonique de Liège

A regular performer on the global stage, the German virtuoso returns to Walt Disney Concert Hall to breathe life into its organ “Hurricane Mama” once again.

Christian Schmitt
Organ Recital

Walt Disney Concert Hall

Hill Auditorium’s Frieze Memorial Organ, named in honor of Henry Simmons Frieze, a professor of Latin and the founding president of UMS, is the focal point of the auditorium’s unique parabolic interior and one of the first great organs to rely on electrical connections from its keys. Frieze believed the shared experience of music was essential to a liberal education and to community life. Today, the organ is available to the University of Michigan students and faculty for teaching, practice, and performances to continue celebrating the beauty and diversity of the instrument.

UMS Live Session: Christian Schmitt, Organ

With invitations from the Berliner Philharmoniker, the Salzburg Festival and the Musikverein Vienna, ECHO award winner Christian Schmitt is undoubtedly one of the most sought-after concert organists of our time. Known for his virtuosic and charismatic playing, Christian is an “Artist in Focus” of the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich as well as curator of the “International Organ Days.” Join us in welcoming him to the Meyerson!

Christian Schmitt | Gould Family Organ Recital Series

Meyerson Symphony Center

In 2020, conductor Dennis Russell Davies became chief conductor of the Brno Philharmonic, which was founded in 1956 and serves as a living tribute to Leoš Janáček’s music. Janáček was educated in Brno and spent most of his life there, and his extensive experience working with and composing for choirs was evident in his compositions.

Christian Schmitt

Organist

Events

Past events

Aug 28, 2024

Prom 50: Janáček’s Glagolitic Mass · Royal Albert Hall

21 - 23 Mar, 2024

Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony · Philadelphia Orchestra

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