The Catholic church on the corner, St. Urban, is kindly allowing me practice on their 1936 three-manual electropneumatic organ on Thursday mornings. In theory, I have a generous amount of time twice a week at St. Petrus Canisius, but have only been able to practice there once in the past month, due to various secretarial summer vacation schedules and our trip to Copenhagen. This morning, I attended my third service at the only Lutheran (vs. Evangelisch) church in Freiburg--conveniently located in the neighborhood--and met the regular organist, who had been gone the other two Sundays for Sommerferien. As soon as I told her I was an organist, she said "oh, would you like to play or practice here sometimes? It would be great to have more people using this instrument!," for which I am immensely grateful.
As I am usually at a loss for words trying to describe being a Jewish church organist in the states, I won't even attempt to describe being one in Germany.
LOL But perhaps not so odd in Germany as in the States. Would it have been surprising to see Mendelssohn playing an organ in an Lutheran church?
ReplyDeleteAh, but while Felix Mendelssohn's ancestors were Jewish, he himself was a devout Lutheran. He [was] converted in 1815. Wagner's complaints about Mendelssohn were about blood lines and "race," not religious belief.
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