Witweg: Zwolle, pipe organs and books

A free day pass for the train, a free upgrade to first class and a special pipe organ festival in Zwolle, also free! I had planned to go further north to see the tall ships docked at Harlingen, but the trains did only go as far as Zwolle, so I changed my plans. And I am not sorry. It was a dull day, with the occasional heavy shower, but that didn’t matter.

I had to leave early, as the first stop would be the splendid bookshop which has been housed in a former church, the Broeren church, way back the chapel of a monastery (see my post of the February of this year). The owner of the shop and publishing company has restored the paintings on the vaults and kept the beautiful pipe organ. Since the opening of the shop I have wondered what the organ would sound like, and now was my chance. It is played regularly on Wednesdays by students of the adjoining school of music. This Saturday it would be played by a well-known organist. As there is also a coffee shop and lunchroom in the former choir, I could sit there and enjoy coffee and cake while listening to the music. However, because of the many people browsing in the shop which is in the nave, the sound wasn’t very good in the cafe, so as soon as I finished my coffee and cake, I went up to one of the galleries to hear and see better. It must be disconcerting for the organist, Harm Jansen, to know that people are hovering over him, watching him play! The programme was conventional, J. S. Bach, Carl Philip E. Bach, but an opportunity to use most of the stops, especially in Mendelssohn.

Harm Jansen playing the organ in the Broeren Church in Zwolle

What is more satisfying than a fabulous bookshop and a beautiful pipe organ? After the concert I browsed the bookshop, which is a Mecca for book lovers. However, the thought of having to carry them all day made me very virtuous and I left the shop empty handed!

The next stop was a rather unattractive and non descriptive church from the outside, but rather remarkable inside. Built as a protestant church, it looked more like a shoebox. However, the organ is a jewel, the sound very clear and bright. Just as the organist, who did not provide us with a programme, but bent over the organ gallery and told us what he was going to play and which organ stops he was going to use to get the effect het wanted. Usually the secret of the organist. He was young, enthusiastic and played very well and inspired. It was hard to take a good photo of the organ, because of the bright light through the windows behind it. But I got a picture of the decoration on one side.

Plantage church, Zwolle

After this recital had some time to spare and had a bite in a very small cafe in an alley which I happened to walk through. A funny place, full of old and enamelled pots and pans and kitchen utensils, the things our grandparents used to have which chipped quite easily.

Next was the St. Michaels Church, the main church of Zwolle. It is splendid, but whenever I was in Zwolle, it was never ever open to the public in spite of a notice on the door saying otherwise. Now it was! I was impressed by the width of the church. It is not in the form of a cross, but has a nave with two aisles, of approximately the same height. The organ is famous, built by Schnitger, and very impressive. Under the organ are stairs and beautifully carved oak doors leading to the octagonal vestry which is on a higher level. I have never seen anything like it in the Netherlands. As a work of art the organ case is a gem, with lots of gilding and decorated with many figures, angels and musicians. It is a big instrument, with four manuals and of course a full pedal. And the sound is fantastic! Toon Hagen gave a recital which lasted an hour. Apart from Buxtehude, Johann Gottfried Walther and Camille Saint-Saëns, he played two of his own compositions, variations on psalms. Especially the composition on Psalm 27, composed that week so brand new, was surprising. It was a long piece, beginning and ending with variations on the psalm melody, the tune we use in protestant churches in Holland. But the middle part was fascinating. It had a haunting quality, very mysterious, and reminded me of the Canto Ostinato by Simeon ten Holt. Not so surprising, as I read afterwards that Toon Hagen has performed and recorded the Canto Ostinato! Little did I know. I was intrigued, but I did not grasp what it had to do with psalm 27. Perhaps I should hear it again. But there is no recording of it – yet.

Toon Hagen Playing Canto Ostinato -just a fragment

The entrance to the vestry

Some unusual views of the organ

As the organist is wedged high up between the two parts of the organ, we couldn’t see him. So they had a webcam and we could see him at work via a large screen.

After the recital I had drinks and some tapas in a wine bar /restaurant on the church square. And so did the organist and his assistants! I would have liked to ask him about this composition of psalm 27, but did not want to disturb him enjoying a well-earned drink with his assistants – and perhaps some admirers. The rain had stopped and it was warm enough to sit outside.

A view into the vestry

Ceiling and chandelier in the vestry

A side aisle

I resisted the temptation to buy the gorgeous silver sandals which I came across, works of art, which fitted me to a T and were reduced as well. Neither did I buy any books or one of those beautiful handbags in the shop in the church square, which has a gable stone with David playing the harp. I wonder what the story is behind it.