ORGEL•PUNKT 12 at the Münster with the "Moonlight Sonata"

Petr Kolař, the organist at Brno Cathedral, is one of the most distinguished concert organists in the Czech Republic. On the largest and most versatile organ in the region, located in Basel Cathedral, he will perform the first movement of Ludwig van Beethoven’s so-called “Moonlight Sonata” as well as works by Bohemian and Moravian masters such as Jan Křtitel Kuchař

and Leoš Janáček.

Vladimír Werner (1937–2010) served as a professor at the Brno Conservatory. His organ compositions are closely linked to the liturgy of the Church and frequently draw on Gregorian chants and ancient traditions of church music. "Victimae paschali laudis" from the cycle *Sequentiae* features a virtuosic musical language and great expressiveness, which impressively showcase the monumental capabilities of the cathedral organ.

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) composed his Piano Sonata in C-sharp minor, Op. 27, No. 2, in 1801 and dedicated it to his student, Countess Giulietta Guicciardi. The title “Moonlight Sonata” does not come from Beethoven himself, but stems from a later comparison made by the poet and music critic Ludwig Rellstab. With its ethereal character, deep emotionality, and extraordinary sonic poetry, the sonata already points far beyond the Viennese Classical period and opens up new realms of expression for Romanticism.

As an outstanding organist, Zdeněk Pololáník (1935–2024) knew liturgical practice as well as the organ’s diverse possibilities down to the last detail. His “Pastorale” combines an intimate, lyrical atmosphere with a gradual build-up of tension. From this quiet contemplation, a festive crescendo develops, symbolically leading toward the goal of the Christmas message—the encounter with the newborn Savior.

Jan Křtitel Kuchař (1751–1829), a personal friend of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, played a key role in promoting the performance of Mozart’s works in Prague. His Fantasy in G minor ranks among the outstanding works of Bohemian organ literature from the late 18th century. Free form, striking contrasts, and improvisational freshness combine with melodious lines and harmonic ingenuity to create a composition that is as virtuosic as it is expressive.

Leoš Janáček (1854–1928) is one of the most significant figures in 20th-century Czech music. His life and work are inextricably linked to Brno, where he left a lasting mark as a composer, educator, choir director, organist, and organizer of musical life. His distinctive musical language combines elements of Moravian folk music with a unique rhythmic and melodic structure inspired by the characteristics of the spoken language. His major works include the operas *Jenůfa*, *Katya Kabanova*, *The Cunning Little Vixen*, and *The Makropulos Case*, as well as the *Sinfonietta*, *Taras Bulba*, and the monumental *Glagolitic Mass*. The Postlude from this Mass is today considered one of the most impressive works in the international organ repertoire. With its overwhelming sonic splendor, its architectural coherence, and its rousing energy, it provides a brilliant conclusion to the program.

Petr Kolař is from Prostějov. From 1982 to 1988, he studied organ and voice at the Conservatory in Brno. He then graduated from the Janáček Academy of Music in Brno in the class of Prof. Alena Veselá. He took interpretation courses with Martin Haselböck, Stanislav Heller, and Michael Radulescu. He is a prize winner at international organ competitions (1988 Brno, 2nd prize; 1989 Prague Spring, 3rd prize; and 1991 Deventer, 1st prize). 1993–2000: Lecturer in organ performance and improvisation at the Janáček Academy of Music in Brno. Since 2000: Professor of organ at the Brno Conservatory and the Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno. From 1990 to 1997, he served as music director and organist at the Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary in Old Brno. Since 1998, he has been choir director and organist at St. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Brno. From 1995 to 2002, he served as choir director for musical theater productions at the National Theater in Brno. Since 2001, he has been choir director of the Brno Philharmonic Choir “Beseda brněnská,” the oldest choir in the Czech Republic. In 1998, he founded the Cathedral Choir of St. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Brno. During Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to Brno in 2009, he directed the music for the festive Mass. As a concert organist, he performs both domestically and abroad, including in Austria, Germany, France, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Italy, the Vatican, Japan, Hong Kong, and Macau.

ORGEL•PUNKT 12: Saturdays after the noon bells: 30 minutes of organ music, varied programs, internationally renowned concert organists—a time to recharge, relax, and find inspiration: The thousand-year-old “Klangraum Münster” is equally popular with locals and tourists alike in this format. The region’s largest and most versatile organ will feature a colorful mix of works by the old masters—from Bach, Mozart, and the Romantics to Messiaen and the avant-garde—in 19 concerts. In addition to Münster organist Andreas Liebig, the program will feature distinguished guests from Germany and abroad.

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