Liszt - The Friend and Paragon Anna-Victoria Baltrusch

• Carl Müller-Hartung (1834 - 1908): Organ Sonata No. 2 in F Minor ("Who only lets dear God Rule"):
• 1Müller-Hartung: Organ Sonata No. 2 in F Minor ("Who only lets dear God Rule"): I. Im Zeitmaß des Chorals04:00
• 2Müller-Hartung: Organ Sonata No. 2 in F Minor ("Who only lets dear God Rule"): II. Sehr Getragen07:27
• 3Müller-Hartung: Organ Sonata No. 2 in F Minor ("Who only lets dear God Rule"): III. In gleichmäßgier Bewegung, streng Gebunden06:06
• Johann Gottlob Töpfer (1791 - 1870): Organ Sonata in D Minor, Op. 15:
• 4Töpfer: Organ Sonata in D Minor, Op. 15: I. Allegro Maestoso06:19
• 5Töpfer: Organ Sonata in D Minor, Op. 15: II. Andante04:07
• 6Töpfer: Organ Sonata in D Minor, Op. 15: III. Finale. Allegro Vivace04:34
• Bernhard Sulze (1829 - 1889): Concert Fantasia in F Major, Op. 63:
• 7Sulze: Concert Fantasia in F Major, Op. 63: I. Einleitung01:47
• 8Sulze: Concert Fantasia in F Major, Op. 63: II. Variation 101:13
• 9Sulze: Concert Fantasia in F Major, Op. 63: III. Variation 201:05
• 10Sulze: Concert Fantasia in F Major, Op. 63: IV. Variation 301:13
• 11Sulze: Concert Fantasia in F Major, Op. 63: V. Variation 4. Pastorale01:45
• 12Sulze: Concert Fantasia in F Major, Op. 63: VI. Variation 501:31
• 13Sulze: Concert Fantasia in F Major, Op. 63: VII. Variation 6. Adagio02:22
• 14Sulze: Concert Fantasia in F Major, Op. 63: VIII. Variation 703:37
• 15Sulze: Concert Fantasia in F Major, Op. 63: IX. Molto Maestoso01:08
• Salomon Jadassohn (1831 - 1902): Fantasia for Organ in G Minor, Op. 95:
• 16Jadassohn: Fantasia for Organ in G Minor, Op. 95: I. Praeludium (Kanon). Allegro Moderato03:19
• 17Jadassohn: Fantasia for Organ in G Minor, Op. 95: II. Aria. Adagio04:01
• 18Jadassohn: Fantasia for Organ in G Minor, Op. 95: III. Fuge. Allegro03:15
• August Gottfried Ritter (1811 - 1885): Free Choral Prelude "Herr Gott, nun schleuß den Himmel Auf":
• 19Ritter: Free Choral Prelude "Herr Gott, nun schleuß den Himmel Auf"02:13
• Organ Sonata No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 19:
• 20Ritter: Organ Sonata No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 19: I. Rasch und Entschlossen02:54
• 21Ritter: Organ Sonata No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 19: II. Ruhige Bewegung02:44
• 22Ritter: Organ Sonata No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 19: III. Lebhafter01:21
• 23Ritter: Organ Sonata No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 19: IV. Vorige Bewegung00:59
• 24Ritter: Organ Sonata No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 19: V. In freier Bewegung00:51
• 25Ritter: Organ Sonata No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 19: VI. Rasch und Feurig04:28
• Johann Heinrich Löffler (1615 - 1683): Fantasia Eroica:
• 26Löffler: Fantasia Eroica: I. Maestoso (Bonus Track)01:37
• 27Löffler: Fantasia Eroica: II. Andante Amabile (Bonus Track)00:48
• 28Löffler: Fantasia Eroica: III. Maestoso (Bonus Track)00:47
• 29Löffler: Fantasia Eroica: IV. Allegro Moderato (Bonus Track)06:29
• 30Löffler: Fantasia Eroica: V. Moderato Hymnoso (Bonus Track)02:56
• Total Runtime01:26:56

Info for Liszt - The Friend and Paragon

Franz Liszt was introduced to the organ during his time in Weimar by a number of organists working there. In turn, he was a great source of inspiration for many musicians here. This album pays tribute to these personalities and some of their compositions, for without them Liszt's organ works might never have been written.

Weimar in the middle of the 19th century, in Franz Liszt's artistic circle: after years as a travelling piano virtuoso, he now devoted himself to composing and conducting. When the city was only drawing on its past greatness under Goethe and Schiller, Liszt re-established Weimar as a musical centre of European standing; in the process, he met important organ virtuosos who introduced him to the multi-faceted instrument. His large-scale organ works were written here.

In a two-part series of publications, Anna-Victoria Baltrusch first presents compositions from the pens of those organists who reflected Liszt's musical innovations. She will then turn to the master himself in the second part, next month's release: Here we will hear her recording of Liszt's great original works as well as her own arrangement of his Dance of Death.

Anna-Victoria Baltrusch, Alte Tonhalle-Orgel Neumünster, Zürich

Anna-Victoria Baltrusch
was born in Berlin, Germany, in 1989. From the age of four she got piano lessons and from the age of nine lessons in organ playing. From 2002 onwards she was a junior student in piano and organ at the Julius-Stern-Institut of the University of Arts (UDK) in Berlin. After her finals at school in 2008 she studied Church Music, Organ and Piano at the Hochschule für Musik in Freiburg im Breisgau (organ with Professor Schmeding, Professor Zsigmond Szathmáry and Frédéric Champion); she earned the Bachelor`s degree in 2012 and the Master`s degree in 2014. In October 2016 she graduated with honours („mit Auszeichnung“) as an Organ Soloist. Anna-Victoria was awarded the following renowned prizes at international organ competitions: In 2009 the first prize at the Internationaler Orgelwettbewerb der Bach-Gesellschaft Wiesbaden; in 2010 a scholarship of the Deutscher Musikwettbewerb connected with the inclusion into the Bundesauswahl Konzerte junger Künstler and the Künstlerliste des Deutschen Musikrats; in 2011 second prize at the 60th International Music Competition of the ARD in Munich; in May 2013 first prize at theInternationaler August-Gottfried-Ritter-Wettbewerb in Magdeburg; in July 2013 second prize at the International OrganCompetition St. Albans (Great Britain). In 2015, she was awarded second prize at the Internationaler Bach/Liszt-Orgelwettbewerb Erfurt-Weimar.

Anna-Victoria Baltrusch has performed in recitals and concerts throughout Europe. She made her Solo Debut at the Philharmonie Berlin in January 2012. She often plays chamber music and is a sought after lied–accompanist.

From 2010 to 2014 she received a grant by the Evangelisches Studienwerk Villigst and in 2012 received a scholarship by the Brahms-Gesellschaft Baden-Baden e.V. From September 2014 until October 2015 she worked as Director of Music at the protestant church in Bad Krozingen, Germany. From 2015 to 2019, Anna-Victoria taught organ at the University of Music Leipzig and additionally, since February 2016, was working as an organist at the Alte-Tonhalle-Orgel at Neumünster Church, Zurich, Switzerland. Furthermore, she was from 2017 until 2021 conductor of the chamber choir TonArt Zürich.

In 2021, Anna-Victoria was appointed professor of organ at the „Evangelische Hochschule für Kirchenmusik“ in Halle, Germany.

Booklet for Liszt - The Friend and Paragon