Karl-Heinz Hofmann The organ virtuoso and church musician Roberto Seidel played himself on the royal instrument in the pilgrimage church "Maria Geburt" into the hearts of the Frankenwalder. Roberto Seidel is himself a son of the Franconian Forest. The organist, conductor and choirmaster was born in Kronach and grew up in Neuglosberg.
He calls the connection with the landscape and the language of his homeland as well as with the many people, who are connected with his family and him, very valuable and important. Therefore, he wanted to make a contribution to the present with this contemplative evening in the pilgrimage church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary Glosberg, in order to convey hope to all visitors through the Christian faith. He left the donations of the audience to the parish for the upcoming renovation of the organ.
In his greeting the organ musician said. "Ultimately, through the combination of music and the spoken word, I intend that each listener may ask himself and find answers as to what love, hope and faith mean to him as a triad". Each theme was accompanied by a chorale, which through its textual content expresses what is essential in the Christian message. The following free organ compositions gave the listener the opportunity to reflect on the respective theme, and in Corona times of distance and gloom should give some hope and the feeling of cohesion in faith.
Parish administrator Father Waldemar Brysch welcomed the church musician and initiator with warm words. The pastor also expressed his gratitude to church caretaker Martina Stumpf, who was the organizer of the event and also thus responsible for the exemplary hygiene precautions for compliance with the Infection Protection Act in the wake of the Corona pandemic, which is why the number of visitors also had to be limited to 40.
After studying in Munich and Salzburg, Seidel served as guest conductor of the Munich Bach Choir, Oratorio Choir and NDR Choir, among others. He is currently a full-time church musician in the parish of St. Sebastian-Gilching near Munich. Since 2001, the versatile musician has led the orchestra and choir community Maria vom Guten Rat Munich. The original plan was for Roberto Seidel to perform with his choir in the sanctuary, but this could not be realized because of the Corona requirements.
The parish is all the more pleased that Roberto Seidel visited his home country as a soloist and is doing good things for the audience and for the renovation of the organ here. With the motto Faith, Love, Hope, Seidel followed the words of St. Paul in the 13th century. The first chapter of Corinthians: "For now abide faith, hope, love, these three, but greatest of these is love". The organ played the prelude and fugue in D major and chorale variations on the hymn "Wie schon leuchtet der Morgenstern" after the composition by Dietrich Buxtehude. On the subject of hope, the organist intoned the cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach: "Would God not be with us this time". Bach works were also heard on the theme of faith, such as Prelude and Fugue in C major, Fantasy in G major and the chorale "I call to you Lord Jesus Christ".
The organ virtuoso concluded the concert with the Allabreve in D major, also a Bach composition. Seidel rewarded the long-lasting applause of an audience fascinated by the sounds that the organist conjured from the royal instrument with two encores.