Dubois | TOCCATA IN G MAJOR | Diane Bish at the Cathedral of Bern, Switzerland

Описание: Bern Cathedral (Berner Münster) in Bern, Switzerland houses one of the most historically layered pipe organs in the country. The cathedral itself, the largest late-Gothic church in Switzerland, began construction in 1421 and has been a central landmark of the city ever since. Over the centuries the church has contained several different organs, reflecting changing musical traditions and the dramatic effects of the Protestant Reformation.

Before the Reformation in 1528, historical records indicate that at least three organs existed in the cathedral. When Bern adopted the Reformed faith, instrumental music was removed from worship and the organs were dismantled. For nearly two hundred years the cathedral remained without an organ.

Organ music finally returned in the 18th century. Between 1726 and 1736 a major instrument was built by Leonhard Gottlieb Leu of Bremgarten. This organ contained 38 stops and represented the restoration of organ music in Bern after the long post-Reformation silence. In 1748 the instrument was rebuilt and expanded by Victor Ferdinand Bossart to 43 stops, giving it a richer late-Baroque sound.

During the 19th century the cathedral’s organ underwent further transformation. A new gallery was constructed above the west entrance and a larger organ was installed by Friedrich Haas of Winterthur between 1845 and 1848. This instrument contained 55 stops and reflected the growing Romantic orchestral style of the period.

Another rebuild followed in 1903–1904 by Friedrich Groll of Lucerne, introducing pneumatic technology. The instrument was later redesigned again in 1930, creating the basic structure of the organ that exists today. While the internal mechanism has been modernized and restored—most recently in 1998–1999—the historic organ case from earlier centuries remains an important visual feature of the cathedral.

Today the organ stands high on the west gallery, projecting its sound through the vast Gothic nave of Bern Cathedral. It is used regularly for worship services and concerts and continues a tradition of organ music that now spans nearly three centuries since its return after the Reformation.

In this video, Diane will be performing a piece on the current Bern Cathedral organ, demonstrating the instrument’s powerful sound within the remarkable acoustics of this historic Swiss cathedral.