Franz Lehrndorfer (1928-2013) used to play Advent music in the Munich Frauenkirche (Cathedral of Our Lady) every Tuesday evening during the Advent season. Over 30 years, from the start in 1973 until Lehrndorfer's retirement as the cathedral's organist in 2002, these Tuesdays were a fixed and popular part of the Munich music scene, eagerly awaited by many every year.
The recitals lasted about 45 minutes and Lehrndorfer always ended with an improvisation on a well-known Advent hymn. The atmosphere of these improvisations remained mostly subdued and meditative, but sometimes also full of expectation and hope.
Lehrndorfer fascinated audiences with the way he treated the melodies during an improvisation - depending on their musical expression in different registers, rhythms and tone colours, in suprising, often striking figures and harmonies.
Enjoy listening to the recordings of these improvisations, provided from the private family archive!
