January 15 18 p.m. Vilnius University (VU) St. John's Church will host the first one this year concert from the cycle "Music Hour". The concert is dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the Vilnius Organ Workshop, and four organists will play these unique instruments: Aušra Motūzaitė-Pinkevičienė, Vidas Pinkevičius, Gediminas Kviklys and Bernardas Vasiliauskas.
Rimantas Gučas, founder of the organ workshop and organ restorer, VU Šv. John's Church organ is called the most important work of the workshop. "The activity of our workshop started with them and basically ended with them - in 2000. this organ was consecrated and presented to the guests of the "Balticum 2000" congress of the International Society of Organbuilders (ISO). About 100 of the most famous organ workers from 18 countries participated", says R. Gučas.
Today, the largest organ in Lithuania at VU was restored by the Vilnius Organ Workshop. During the Soviet era, the church was turned into a warehouse, and the organ was broken and taken away. When in 1965 St. John's Church was handed over to VU, the organ was restored, and between 1983 and 2000 The Vilnius organ workshop was entrusted with the restoration of the instrument. in 2000 the inauguration of the largest Lithuanian organ took place and the same organists who played on January 15 music by St. John's Church.
The unique history of the instruments
University of St. The history of the organ in St. John's Church began in the Polotsk Jesuit Church, from where it later came to Vilnius. In the beginning, they were much smaller. It is believed that their author may have been famous in the 3th century. organ master from Karaliaučius AG Casparini or famous representative of the Vilnius organ school Mikalojus Jansonas. Later, masters Theodor Tiedemann and Juozaps Radavičius expanded St. The organ of John's Church surprised contemporaries with its size. Even now, after many years of reconstruction work, this organ with 64 manuals and XNUMX registers is the largest in Lithuania.
This instrument has been reconstructed based on the Casparini/Radavičius disposition and is most suitable for playing in the XNUMXth century. - XNUMXth century music by German composers of the first half. However, the works of French and other composers also sound great with it.
The concert is part of the series "Music Hour at VU St." organized by the VU Culture Center. John's Church" part. The organizers of the series aim to introduce listeners to the king of musical instruments with a history of more than 2000 years, the largest organ in Lithuania, to reveal the beauty and extremely wide possibilities of this instrument, and offer a free video tour of VU St. John's Church organ.
The concert will feature works and improvisations by WA Mozart, MK Čiurlionis, ME Bossi, E. Elgar, D. Buxtehude's, JS Bach, GA Mankell. The concert is free, participants must have a valid opportunity passport.
Registration will be done on site.
