GIOA Podcast

GIOA

The Göteborg International Organ Academy spotlights the remarkable organ landscape of the city of Göteborg with concerts and lectures by leading organists from around the world. The Göteborg International Organ Festival and The Göteborg Youth Organ Festival are cross-cultural platforms for early and new music, with the goal of being a sought after entrance to a world of tactile passion and new sounds.

  1. Afternoon Seminar – Thursday, October 16, 2025 – Ludger Lohmann

    10/17/2025

    Afternoon Seminar – Thursday, October 16, 2025 – Ludger Lohmann

    Göteborg International Organ Festival October 8-19, 2025 A World of Tactile Passion and New Sounds – for All! www.organacademy.se/programoversikt SOUND DOCUMENTATION Afternoon Seminar Thursday, October 16, 2025 14:30–16:30 Gothenburg Concert Hall Visionary Organ Music by Franz Liszt and Julius Reubke Ludger Lohmann, lecture demonstration (This seminar is for registered participants only) When Franz Liszt arrived as Capellmeister in Weimar in 1848 the local organists, notably Töpfer, raised his interest in the organ. With his first published organ composition, the utterly visionary Fantasy on “Ad nos, ad salutarem undam”, till then probably the longest organ piece ever composed, he revolutionized organ music both in a technical and a musical sense. Julius Reubke, then still a teenager, might have listened to the first performance of the piece in 1852. He became one of Liszt's most talented students, both as a pianist and as a composer, and emulated the example of his teacher in two sonatas, one of them for piano. His organ sonata takes clues, not only from “Ad nos” but also from Liszt's piano sonata, and adds the concept of programme music by basing it on lines from Psalm 94. This icon of 19th century organ music shows what a loss the young genius' premature death has meant for the organ world. The seminar will explore the relation between the two masterworks, their musical content and performance implications. (In collaboration with Göteborg Symphony Orchestra) SOUND RECORDING Jon Liinason Göteborg International Organ Festival October 8-19, 2025 A World of Tactile Passion and New Sounds – for All! www.organacademy.se/programoversikt

    1h 59m
  2. Afternoon Seminar – Wed, October 15, 2025 – Saint Jacob Church – Joel Speerstra & Harald Vogel

    10/17/2025

    Afternoon Seminar – Wed, October 15, 2025 – Saint Jacob Church – Joel Speerstra & Harald Vogel

    SOUND DOCUMENTATION Afternoon Seminar Wednesday, October 15, 2025 14:30–16:00 Saint Jacob Church (Admission free) Visions of Jerusalem´s Temple in Seventeenth Century Keyboard Collections Johann Kuhnau and Visions of the Temple of Solomon Joel Speerstra, presenter Juan Bautista Villalpando’s 1604 masterpiece of visionary architecture, Ezechielem Explanationes, was a landmark publication that influenced art, architecture, and music throughout the 17th century. Villalpando collaborated with his master on the building of the Escorial Palace outside Madrid, Philip II’s own vision of Solomon’s Temple. This building and the book that followed resonate throughout the 17th century. Our exploration will look at visual and musical resonances from church architecture and book illustrations to the remarkable model of the Temple built for the Hamburg Opera and still preserved in the Hamburg Museum of History. We end this part of the seminar with a speculative new reading of Johan Kuhnau’s Frische Clavier-Früchte from 1696 and suggest it is his own vision of the Temple in number, proportion, emblem, and music. Vision of Organ Sound A new recording resource of the historical organs in Northern Germany Harald Vogel, presenter PODCAST Jon Liinason Göteborg International Organ Festival October 8-19, 2025 A World of Tactile Passion and New Sounds – for All! www.organacademy.se/programoversikt

    2h 19m
  3. 06/16/2025

    ORGAN HUNTING in the Netherlands - SEASON 2 - Ep. 3 – Amsterdam 1

    ORGAN HUNTING in the Netherlands – Season 2 Episode 3: Amsterdam-Watergraafsmeer, Koningskerk "Something COMPLETELY different" EPISODE THEME Postwar idealism, architectural controversy, and the unexpected sonorous beauty of a 1960s organ In this episode, Jon Liinason and organ builder Sander Booij visit Amsterdam’s Koningskerk (King’s Church) in the Watergraafsmeer district—a striking white modernist building with a rich and unexpected history. Here stands a remarkable organ built in 1960 by Mense Ruiter, one of the founding figures of Dutch postwar organ craftsmanship. The organ itself almost didn’t happen. The church’s architect resisted the idea of placing any organ in the space at all. But Ruiter insisted—offering to let the architect demolish it if he didn’t approve of the final result. The bold compromise was a slanted installation, and a sonorous, powerful instrument that ultimately won over even some of its most skeptical critics. Today, the organ is preserved nearly in its original condition. From secret tuning doors to unusual pipework and bold tonal experiments, the instrument tells the story of a time when tradition and innovation collided in unexpected ways. The Koningskerk—now home to a Surinamese congregation—adds yet another cultural layer to this living musical space. If you’re curious about modernist sacred architecture, mid-20th century organ aesthetics, or the behind-the-scenes world of pipe organ restoration, this episode is for you. Episodes of ORGAN HUNTING in the Netherlands – Season 2 are published weekly on Saturdays at 19:00 (CET) on: GIOA Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/organacademy GIOA YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@gioa GIOA website https://www.organacademy.org/organ-hunting-in-the-netherland FILM Jon Liinason Göteborg International Organ Academy A world of tactile passion and new sounds – for all! www.organacademy.org

    21 min
  4. "A New Organ is Born" – Episode 2: Renswoude – Season 2 – ORGAN HUNTING in the Netherlands

    05/24/2025

    "A New Organ is Born" – Episode 2: Renswoude – Season 2 – ORGAN HUNTING in the Netherlands

    This full-length feature film (2 hours and 44 minutes) was premiered on Saturday, May 24 at 19:00. ORGAN HUNTING in the Netherlands – Season 2 Episode 2: Renswoude "A New Organ is Born" EPISODE THEME The balance between innovation and preservation—between creating something new and honoring what has come before. Five years after their first journey, Jon Liinason and organ builder Sander Booij reunite in the Netherlands to continue their exploration of remarkable pipe organs. This time, the destination is Renswoude, where Sander and his team at Mense Ruiter & Van Rossum Orgelmakers have just completed a magnificent new organ for the Koepelkerk. This episode explores a fascinating blend of Dutch architectural heritage and modern organ building inside a unique octagonal church dating back to 1639. The church, originally built as a private chapel for a local baron, features an unusual square and octagonal layout, surrounded by forest and filled with rich historical detail. The conversation in the film turns to its origin, acoustics, and a remarkable new organ installation that draws on centuries of tradition. Built with reverence for history yet informed by modern craftsmanship, the organ incorporates pipes from the 17th, 19th, and 21st centuries, offering a unique tonal palette in a carefully reconstructed case. We follow the builders and musicians as they explore the space, troubleshoot access to the organ loft, and share stories of design choices, wood patinas, and tuning challenges. A recurring theme is the balance between innovation and preservation—between creating something new and honoring what has come before. If you're interested in historical architecture, the craft of organ building, or simply enjoy hearing passionate experts reflect on their work, this episode offers a quiet, thoughtful look into a lesser-known corner of the Netherlands and the music that fills it. Episodes of ORGAN HUNTING in the Netherlands – Season 2 are published weekly on Saturdays at 19:00 (CET) on: GIOA Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/organacademy GIOA YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@gioa GIOA website https://www.organacademy.org/organ-hunting-in-the-netherland GIOA Soundcloud page https://soundcloud.com/gioa-academy FILM Jon Liinason Göteborg International Organ Academy A world of tactile passion and new sounds – for all! www.organacademy.org

    2h 44m

About

The Göteborg International Organ Academy spotlights the remarkable organ landscape of the city of Göteborg with concerts and lectures by leading organists from around the world. The Göteborg International Organ Festival and The Göteborg Youth Organ Festival are cross-cultural platforms for early and new music, with the goal of being a sought after entrance to a world of tactile passion and new sounds.