Recording in Borstel

Last week we had the enormous privilege and pleasure to record in the exquisite St. Nikolai, Borstel. Nestled between picturesque apple farms busy at work harvesting perfect fruit, we spent our days soaking in not only the beauty of the region but also this incredible church and it’s organ.

With special guests Erika Tandiono (soprano) and Michael Fuerst (organ) we rehearsed and recorded 3 works as preparation and promotion for future concerts. Hieronymus Praetorius’ Te Deum Patrem ingenitum (1599) and Musica est Divinum Donum (1618) were both recorded with the main organ, however for a collection of Schop dances we chose to highlight the sound of a stand alone regal and the change of acoustic heard when performing in front of the altar.

It was another wonderful week spent making music together especially with the presence of this remarkable organ. The organ probably dates from the second half of the 16th century but builder is unknown. However what is known is that it was repaired in 1637/38 by Gottfried Fritzsche from Altona-Ottensen and in 1677 by Arp Schnitger (then still living in Stade). We absolutely loved exploring the range of colours the organ produced, creating music full of variety and tonal depth.

Photo of the church kindly supplied by Iris Herzog www.iris-herzog