Laacher Organ Impulses

Few things in this world capture the grandeur of the divine quite like the sound of a pipe organ filling a sacred space. This was especially true at Maria Laach Abbey on Sunday, March 9, 2025, where organist Gereon Krahforst brought the abbey’s magnificent organ to life with a carefully curated program of Bach’s masterpieces. The selection reflected not only the technical brilliance of the composer but also his deep spiritual insights; affirming the eternal majesty of Bach’s music.

The concert began with the Prelude and Fugue in F minor, BWV 534; a work that exemplifies Bach’s ability to balance somber intensity with an almost architectural sense of order. The deep, brooding tones of the prelude contrasted beautifully with the fugue’s intricate counterpoint; setting the stage for the journey ahead. Following this, Krahforst performed several of Bach’s Chorale Preludes; starting with “O Mensch, bewein’ dein Sünde groß” BWV 622; a piece from the Orgelbüchlein that meditates on human sin and redemption. The long, flowing melody; woven over a subtle yet expressive accompaniment; created an atmosphere of profound reflection.

The program continued with two settings of “Aus tiefer Not ich schrei zu Dir”; BWV 686 and BWV 687; each showcasing a different approach to the same powerful Lutheran hymn. The former, written in organo pleno a pedale doppio; was grand and imposing; demanding mastery of the instrument; while the latter, labeled manualiter; offered a more intimate and intricate meditation. The Trio in D minor, BWV 583; provided a lighter, more lyrical interlude; demonstrating Bach’s mastery of trio textures with its playful interweaving of voices. After this, the concert returned to the realm of faith with the Chorale Prelude “Ehre sei Dir, Christe” BWV 1097; an exultant declaration of praise and devotion.

No Bach organ recital would be complete without a grand finale; and what better way to conclude than with the Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 582? This piece stood as one of Bach’s greatest achievements for the organ; featuring a powerful repeating bass line that served as the foundation for an increasingly complex and dramatic set of variations. The fugue that followed built to an overwhelming climax; leaving listeners in awe of Bach’s genius.

Beyond the sheer beauty of the music; concerts like this at Maria Laach Abbey remind us of the organ’s role as a bridge between the earthly and the divine. Whether in the thunderous majesty of the full organ or the hushed reverence of a single sustained note; Bach’s music spoke to the soul; offering moments of both grandeur and peace. As the final notes of the Passacaglia faded into the abbey’s sacred silence; the audience was left in deep reverence. Bach’s music, performed in such a setting, was more than just sound; it was a spiritual experience; an invitation to reflect; to feel; and to connect with something greater than ourselves.

The audience was encouraged to support the continuation of these concerts through donations; ensuring that the tradition of great organ music at Maria Laach lives on. After all, in the words inscribed on the program:

Im gewaltigen Klang der Orgel können wir Gottes Größe erfahren; in ihren stillen Klängen seinen Frieden. (In the mighty sound of the organ, we can experience God's greatness; in its quiet tones, His peace).

The concert program reads:

Maria Laach
Laacher Organ Impulses
Sunday, March 9, 2025, 16:00

Gereon Krahforst, Maria Laach, Organ

Program

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)

1. Prelude and Fugue in F minor, BWV 534
2. Chorale Prelude “O Mensch, bewein’ dein Sünde groß”, BWV 622
3. Chorale Prelude “Aus tiefer Not ich schrei zu Dir”, BWV 686 (in organo pleno a pedale doppio)
4. Chorale Prelude “Aus tiefer Not ich schrei zu Dir”, BWV 687 (manualiter)
5. Trio in D minor, BWV 583
6. Chorale Prelude “Ehre sei Dir, Christe”, BWV 1097
7. Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 582

We kindly ask for your generous donation at the exit to support the continuation of the beloved matinée series.

"In the mighty sound of the organ, we can experience God's greatness; in its quiet tones, His peace."

LSD Studies on Artistic Creativity

When I was young, I remember covetously looking up on the bookshelf at my grandparent's house and, amongst their rather fine collection of Reader's Digest subscription tomes, was a book by Gordon Rattray-Taylor called the Science of Life: A Pictorial History of Biology. The first time they allowed me to look in it, I was utterly wrapped by the pictures, photos and stories within. I later became a biologist, and I sometimes think without this early influence, would I have even gone in that direction? Incidentally, my grandparents eventually gave me their copy of the book and I am pleaseed to say it is still a treasured possession. In The Science of Life is a vivid description of 1950's psychological experiments into artistic creativity, which I have summarised below. 

Beginning in 1954, psychiatrist Oscar Janiger embarked on a pioneering study to understand how LSD influenced artistic creativity. Over seven years, he administered the drug to more than 100 professional artists, who collectively produced over 250 drawings and paintings under its effects. One such experiment, believed to be part of Janiger’s research, involved an unidentified artist who was given two 50-microgram doses of LSD, spaced an hour apart. The artist was then asked to sketch a series of portraits of the doctor who had administered the drug.

Over an eight-hour period, the artist created nine portraits, each capturing the shifting perceptions induced by LSD. As they worked, they described their evolving experience, offering a rare window into the psychedelic state and its impact on the creative process. Despite years of research, Janiger later reflected that no scientific consensus had been reached on the core elements of the LSD experience or the precise mechanisms by which the drug could enhance creativity. “Even 45 years after I started my studies,” he noted, “no scientific consensus has emerged clearly defining the core elements of the LSD state. Nor has research illuminated the specific mechanisms by which LSD can be used to stimulate creativity.” Still, he hoped that future studies would build upon his work, ensuring that his early explorations were just the beginning, not the end. You can see Janiger's experiment unfold below:

20 Minutes After First Dose:
Artist Claims to Feel Normal

85 Minutes After First Dose:
I can see you clearly. I’m having a little trouble controlling this pencil.

2 hours 30 minutes after first dose:
I feel as if my consciousness is situated in the part of my body that’s now active;  
my hand, my elbow… my tongue.

2 hours 32 minutes after first dose:
I’m trying another drawing…
The outline of my hand is going weird too.
It’s not a very good drawing is it?

2 hours 35 minutes after first dose:
I’ll do a drawing in one flourish… without stopping… one line, no break!

2 hours 45 minutes after first dose: 
[Agitated and changing medium to Tempera]
I am… everything is… changed… they’re calling…
your face… interwoven… who is…

4 hours 25 minutes after first dose:
[After taking a break, changes to pen and water colour]
This will be the best drawing, like the first one, only better.

5 hours 45 minutes after first dose:
[Holding a crayon]
I think it’s starting to wear off.
This pencil is mighty hard to hold.

8 hours after first dose:

Final drawing. The intoxication has worn off.

References:

Rattray-Taylor, G. (1967). The Science of Life: A Pictorial History of Biology. Panther. 

https://www.learning-mind.com/nine-drawings-experiment/

https://www.openculture.com/2024/05/artist-draws-9-portraits-on-lsd-during-1950s-research-experiment.html