Organ Grandmaster with Geert Bierling
BACH and a bit of Bierling
Geert studied organ, piano, harpsichord and church music at the Rotterdam Conservatory, and later carillon at the Utrecht School of the Arts. In 1978 he won the Albert Schweitzer Organ Competition. At the age of 18 he was appointed organist of the Old or Pilgrim Fathers Church in Rotterdam-Delfshaven, a position he held until 2000. From 1990 to 2022 he was city carillonneur of Rotterdam, and from 1996 to 2022 he served as city organist, playing the Doelen organ and initiating concert series such as ‘Concerts Populaires’. Geert Bierling was the artistic director of the Rotterdam Organ Days Festival until 2014. Since 2000, Geert Bierling has also been active as an improviser on organ and piano in classic silent films.
In 2022 he received the Erasmus pin for his contributions to Rotterdam’s organ culture.
Johann Sebastian Bach –
From Cantate ‘Wir danken dir, Gott, wir danken dir‘ BWV 29
Sinfonia in D for organ & orchestra *
Geert Bierling
Koraalaria over Psalm 130
Cantus firmus in de tenor
Preludium ‘Pro Organo Pleno’ over Psalm 96
Cantus firmus in de bas
Johann Sebastian Bach
Concerto BWV 1041 *
for violin, string and basso continuo Allegro ma non tanto Andante Allegro assai
Johann Sebastian Bach
From Motet ‘Jesu, meine Freude’ BWV 227 Aria ‘Gute Nacht o Wesen‘ * Cantus firmus in de alt
Geert Bierling
Sinfonia over Psalm 81
Cantus firmus in the soprano
Johann Sebastian Bach
From Sonate BWV 1032 for flute & obligaat clavecimbel
Largo e dolce *
Johann Sebastian Bach
From Partita BWV 1004 for viool solo
Ciaccona *
* The Bach Transcriptions in 18th century style for solo organ are made by Geert Bierling
