Whenever one hears that in amongst the plans of an organist he would like to perform the complete organ works of Bach, perhaps one's first reaction is one of some degree of respect and admiration, simply because of the extent and complexity of the task. But very soon after that there is likely to arise some straining curiosity about how the performer will rise to the challenge. As the year 2,000 approached-the year of the 250th anniversary of Bach's death-and even more so in the last few months before the turn of the second and third millenia, more and more was to be heard about plans of that nature. The breadth of events offered to the friend of organ music became considerable, to the extent that when one took into account the deep meanings lying within Bach's music one could see that the danger might arise of there not being as much merit in these events as was really deserved.

One such event-and a very special one-took place on the 23rd September, 2000, in the St Margareta Basilica in Düsseldorf-Gerresheim in Germany. For a long time Alexander Fiseisky had had it in mind to attempt his great ambition of performing all of Bach's organ works in a single day. It was his hope that during such a performance a "very special meditative contact between the listeners, the composer, and the interpreter" would be achieved. Much in his mind was the great hope that by doing this he would be able to "come to a new level of understanding of the world of Bachs' ideas" not attainable by performing merely parts of Bach's organ output. After long and intensive preparations, which included a detailed creation of the whole programme and structure of the day, a series of preparatory performances of greater and greater length, and lastly and importantly arriving at attaining that right and appropriate spirit and stamina, he was able to embark upon this task to which he aspired.

This extraordinary event was appointed to start at 6.30 a.m. Although the morning had still not come, there were already standing outside the church many people who wanted to take part in that very special moment of the beginning of the concert. Punctually Alexander Fiseisky began his first programme with the Prelude and Fugue in C major, BWV 545, a short, clear work, full of optimism and tension, which therefore very well fitted this early morning hour and immediately caught the audience's attention. Thus was it that this concert started, of altogether 19 hours' duration, with its minute planning running like clockwork.

Professor Fiseisky had arranged his performance of the complete organ works of Bach in a very careful and thoughtful way, making it into a series of 16 recitals, each of one to one and a half hours' duration. His aim, besides giving the audience the benefit of hearing all of Bach's organ works, was to give even a listener who might be able to attend only a single one of the sixteen recitals a pleasing and well balanced programme. Therefore each segment of the day's concert, with only a few exceptions, was arranged as an attractive mixture of small and large works (preludes, toccatas, fantasias, trio sonatas) and various chorales. His way of choosing the various selections of works was seen to have been eminently successful. Only the 45 chorale preludes of Orgelbüchlein, the third part of Klavierübung, the Neumeister Chorales and The Eighteen were played in complete, continuous, thematic form. Just how well it had been planned can be realised from the record showing that Alexander Fiseisky never departed from his timetable by more than a very few minutes.

Another special feature of the entirety of the event was that a church service was incorporated into its midst, becoming part of the programme of the Bach Marathon. The various parts of this service were each underlined in a very impressive and contemplative way by the six Schübler Chorales. In his sermon the priest explained the liturgical relevance of each chorale, yet also showed the theological meaning of Bach's organ music, demonstrating that it should not only be seen as the expression of the deep religious faith of the composer, but that it should be also appropriated into that special dimension of the mediation of faith and trust in God.

St Margareta's Basilica was visited by many listeners during the Marathon's course. It was not just a few who stayed for the whole duration to witness this unique event. Although the author of this report took part in the audience for not less than 15 hours, yet whilst he was absent for a short time he found himself very quickly drawn back to the event through its magic and mystery.

In many respects Alexander Fiseisky performed at the highest of levels. It was seldom that short breaks in tension or some technical difficulties were noticed. His interpretations were impressive for their great precision and virtuosity when such qualities were required by the music (such as in the Trio Sonatas, the big free style works, and chorale partitas). They were also marked by great expressiveness and blissful deep feeling (for example, in the large chorales), and were given lively and colourful registrations, sometimes not hesitating to play them organo pleno.

Alexander Fiseisky perfectly married the character of the Rieger organ, on the one hand, and the acoustic of the building, on the other, although that did not seem to be an easy task because of the differences between the three manual organ's frugal, French oriented specification, with the unusual transparency of its voices and divisions, and the gentle reverberation of the Basilica built in a late Roman style.

He was able to rely completely upon the conscientious work of his eight registrants, whose work had been made easier by the installation just two weeks before the event of a new electronic combination system. Nevertheless, they admirably discharged their responsibilities in the bringing of everything to a successful conclusion. Quite a considerable number of listeners stayed until the very end of the day's concert, becoming witnesses of that dramatic moment in which, after Alexander Fiseisky played the last chorale Vor Deinen Thron tret ich hiermit, he stepped before the audience and received its long and warm applause.

It was an impressive adventure to have taken part in-the intensity of the music, the tension during the whole of the day, and an extremely positive rapport with the audience. Altogether it gave great support to the organisers who had had the boldness to accept Professor Fiseisky's then extraordinary proposal. Once the support of his first choice of the St Margareta Basilica in Gerresheim had been obtained Cantor Klaus Wallrath provided every possible assistance.

(Translated by Michael Cole)

Dieter Hafner
Geschäftsführer des Förderkreises für Musik an der Basilika St.Margareta

Adress:
Dr.Dieter Hafner
Bergische Landstr.293
40629 Düsseldorf
Tel.: 0211-287304