Thierry Escaich is one of the best known French organists and composers of the younger generation. Since 1997, he has been the organist of St-Étienne-du-Mont church in Paris besides being professor at the Paris Conservatory. Originally Escaich wrote Deux Évocations and gave the first performance of in 1996. In 2008 he added a third that uses the ancient Advent hymn Veni redemptor genitum, in English Now, come Saviour of the heathens. Évocation IV had its first performance in Reims in 2014.

Tickets are sold in the church one hour before the concert and also online on www.midi.is

Saturday July 21 at 12 noon

Thierry Escaich organist at the Saint-Étienne-du-Mont church in Paris plays César Franck’s Piéce Heroique and one of his own improvisations among other things. Admission: ISK 2.000. Tickets are sold in the church one hour before the concert and also online on www.midi.is

Programme:

César Franck 1822‒1890 Piéce Heroïque
From Trois Pièces

Chorale in B minor, nr. 2
From Trois chorals pour grand orgue, 1890

Thierry Escaich *1965 Andante et scherzo
Improvisation

Sunday July 22 at 5 pm 

Thierry Escaich plays pieces by O. Messiaen, T. Escaich, Mendelssohn’s Organ Sonata nr. 1 and L. Vierne’s Romance & Final. 

Admission:ISK 2.500. 

Tickets are sold in the church one hour before the concert and also online on www.midi.is

Programme:

Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy 1809‒1847
Orgelsónata in f-minor, op. 65, no. 1
Allegro – Adagio – Andante recitativo – Allegro assai vivace
Prélude et fugue improvisé en style romantique

Louis Vierne 1870‒1937 Romance og Final
From : Orgelsinfónía no. 4, op. 14

Olivier Messiaen 1908‒1992
Verset sur la fête de la Dedicace

Thierry Escaich *1965 Evocation 4
Tryptique symphonique improvisé sur 2 thèmes donnés 

Improvisation is well known in continental Europe with rich traditions, especially in France and Germany. It is a special study within the organ playing and there are many well-known international improvisation competitions. Every now and then the organists participating in the International Summer Organ Series have improvisation on their programme. This can be a theme they are given on site or they let the moment inspire them. They can also decide on the form prior to the concert as Mr. Escaich does here, but he will be given two themes to work with within the form he has given himself.