Sunday | March 8 | 5:00 p.m. | Wittenberg Castle Church

Rev. Stefan Günther, Spiritual Reflections • KMD Ulrich Hirtzbruch, Organ • Free Admission - Collection

Organ music for Passiontide will be the focus of a concert on Sunday, March 8, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. in Wittenberg Castle Church. Works by Georg Böhm, Johann Sebastian Bach, Johannes Brahms, Max Reger, Sigfrid Karg-Elert, and Jean Langlais will be performed on the historic Ladegast organ by KMD Ulrich Hirtzbruch. Pastor Stefan Günther, Director of Studies at the Seminary, will offer spiritual reflections on Passiontide. Admission is free; a collection will be taken at the exit.

The program opens with the Prelude in D minor by Georg Böhm. This will be followed by the Fantasia in C minor and arrangements of the Passion chorale "O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde groß" by Johann Sebastian Bach. From Johannes Brahms's eleven chorale preludes, Op. 122, two expressive arrangements of the chorale "Herzlich tut mich verlangen" (My heart longs for you) will be performed; these are based on the melody of the Passion hymn "O Haupt, voll Blut und Wunden" (O Sacred Head, Now Wounded).

With his Chorale Improvisations, Op. 65, and Preludes and Postludes, Op. 78, Sigfrid Karg-Elert made a significant contribution to the late Romantic organ repertoire. Chorale preludes on "Herzlich tut mich verlangen" and "Aus tiefer Not" (Out of the Depths) will be performed.

The collections 9 Pieces for the Organ, Op. 129, and 30 Chorale Preludes, Op. 135a, were composed during the last years of Max Reger's life and contain expressive miniatures. The program includes Intermezzo, Melodia, and Prelude and Fugue in B minor, as well as an arrangement of "Aus tiefer Not."

These works include Intermezzo, Melodia, and Prelude and Fugue in B minor, as well as an arrangement of "Aus tiefer Not."

The collections 9 Pieces for the Organ, Op. 129, and 30 Chorale Preludes, Op. 135a, were composed during the last years of Max Reger's life and contain expressive miniatures. Jean Langlais composed "Chant de Paix" – "Song of Peace" – under the profound impact of the Second World War. Characterized by its profound tranquility, the composition musically paints a counterpoint to war and unrest and is performed towards the end of the concert.

Through its music and lyrics, the concert takes the listeners on a journey of meditation on the Passion narrative; it is also an expression of a plea for peace.