Connoisseurs of the keyboard

Tucked beyond the massive front doors and entrance corridor of St. James' Basilica is a tiny, winding staircase that leads to the sanctuary's seldom-seen second level. Lined with cobwebbed bookcases and a few dusty pews, the area is strictly off-limits to visitors. So only a select few are able to relish this bird's-eye view of the church's majestic nave, with its gilded angels and detailed frescoes, as well as the thrill that comes from seeing the basilica's behemoth organ, with its 8,277 pipes and 91 speaking stops, similarly ensconced in a jaw-droppingly beautiful Baroque facade.

For resident organist Irena Chřibková, it's a routine experience that she takes in stride. But soon, the basilica and its gigantic organ - the largest in the city, and the second-largest in the country - will play host to seven guest musicians from around the world, each of whom will arrive in Prague as part of the 14th annual International Organ Festival.  

As usual, concertgoers will have a chance to hear pieces ranging from Baroque to French Romantic to contemporary. This year's festival is dedicated to the work of renowned Czech composer and organist Petr Eben, who died in 2007. Among Eben's best-known work is "Chagall's Windows," an organ concert based on Gregorian plainchant, inspired by a stained-glass window in a Jerusalem synagogue. Other well-known pieces include music written for productions of Goethe's Faust in Vienna, and Shakespeare's Hamlet in Germany. Calling Eben "the greatest modern-day organ composer," Chřibková notes that the 2009 event coincides with his 80th birthday.   

"Along with being simply rhythmic and melodic, his music is extremely spiritual," says Chřibková, who, along with many of this year's performers, had firsthand experience studying under Eben's tutelage. An accompanying exhibition, "Windows into the Life and Work of Petr Eben," will offer additional insight through rare photographs, letters and other artifacts.

Accompanied by Czech opera singer Jana Sýkorová and trumpet player Vladimir Rejlek, Chřibková will personally kick off the festival with an Aug. 6 concert that includes pieces by Eben as well as J.S. Bach. The festival then continues over the next two months, with different performers every week.

An organist since age 10, Chřibková declines to say which of the seven subsequent performances she's most excited about, "Everyone is so different; each performance will be amazing for different reasons," she says. "Every player brings a new attitude and a new vibe, so I want to let the audience make their own decisions."

Chřibková did acknowledge a few personal highlights. French organist Susan Landale, who traveled extensively with Eben throughout the United States as well as much of Europe, performs his work along with selections by Bach, Wesley, Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Brahms and Tournemire Sept. 3. The following week, Eben's son, David, will serve as artistic director for local organist Tomáš Thon's performance, in a program that includes works by Eben Sr., Bach and 17th-century Parisian composer Guillaume Gabriel Nivers.

Other performances include Torsten Laux from Germany Aug. 12, Edward De Geest from Belgium Aug. 20 and Romanian organist Ursula Philippi Aug. 27. The festival concludes Sept. 24 with a concert by Slovak organist Marek Vrábel commemorating the 800th anniversary of the founding of the St. Francis Order.

Convincing new performers to appear at the festival every year isn't difficult, according to Chřibková. "I tour the world as a performer myself, so, in many cases, I already know the participants, and I know the style in which they play," she says. In some cases, the organists approach her, eager to play the basilica, renowned for its fabulous instrument and solid acoustics.

Disappointed with the organ's glaring omission from existing music events around town, Chřibková founded the festival in 1996. Though she acknowledges that interest in organ music has waned over recent years, she shrugs off the common perception of the instrument being used solely for church services and funerals. "I believe that, even if someone isn't interested in this type of music already, if he or she takes the time to relax for one hour, they will find themselves moved."

Curtis Wong can be reached at
cwong@praguepost.com