Mozart for organ?

[Organiste]

As a pianist, this seems a strange question, but as an organist, I'm curious: did Mozart write for organ? Alternately, is there anything he wrote for piano that would be adaptable? I have played many Mozart sonatas, but can't imagine them on organ.

I could just do a Google search but thought I'd give forum members a chance to show off their expertise

Anne

[GoneBaroque]

Hello Anne and welcome to the forum. Way back in the dark ages of monaural vinyl records E. Power Biggs made a three disc of recordings of 17 Church Sonatas for Organ and Strings and a number of pieces for Mechanical Organ which are playable on Pipe Organ. I do not have the recordings any more but as you can see from this link http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/...er=1&genre=116 they have received a number of recordings on CD. Hope this helps.

[Corno Dolce]

Janka Hekimova and Jean Guillou have played tons of Mozart on organ - be it piano sonatas, symphonies, or transcriptions from operas.

Btw, welcome aboard Ms. Anne - Please do feel at home on this most superwonderful site with supergreat members all.

[Krummhorn]

Here are two of Mozart's works for mechanical organ:

Andante in F Major, k 594
Fantasia in F Minor k 608

(These scores are in the Public Domain ... source: IMSLP)

[wljmrbill]

Welcome to the forum. I have played a number of pieces of Mozart on the Organ.. some are transcribed for organ from scores.. some I just used the pianoforte/harpsichord manuscripts. They worked well as far as I am concerned.

[Ghekorg7]

Hi Anne, welcome !!

Mozart said the organ is the king of instruments. He wrote many works for it, as well as he worked as an organist in Saltzburg. In December 1769 at the age of 13 he did a recital in Verona at San Tommaso's organ where he played the Veronese Allegro, probably written for the occasion.
There's a painting by Heinrich Lossow of 1864 with Mozart as a kid on a pipe organ console and his legs not reaching the pedals of course :-) I'll try to scan and post here.

Mechanical organs with clockwork mechanism were very popular in Vienna at the time (became a rage!!), because people could afford some pipe organ sound at home. There was a company who asked Mozart to compose some music for their models and indeed the pieces linked here by Lars are some of them. Though the Adagio & Allegro in F minor K594 is more suited for funerals..... khmm

Famous are the Church sonatas for two violins, bass and organ, where Mozart wrote on score "only copulas" for registration (ie Copula 8+4) as the mild flute tones mix well with strings. My favourite is the F major K244 one.

These sonatas can also be played with a wider string orchestra and positiv organ as well as originally written for the small ensemble.

I got two performances to offer : Marie-Claire Alain's on Haerpfer-Ermann organ at St.Nicolas in Haguenau (Bas-Rhin) with Chamber orchestra of Jean-Francois Paillard in 1972.
And Herbert Tachezi's at the organ of the Basilica Maria Treu (Pianistenkirche) Vienna, with Alice Harnoncourt & Walter Pfeiffer violins and Nikolaus Harnoncourt cello in 1969.

There is also Fugue in G minor KV401 (KV 357e) for big organ (with Thomas Trotter is a good example) as well as the beautiful Andante in F KV611 (good with the two copulas on...), the Andante in F K616, the Allegro in G major K72a and Gigue in G major K574.

Daniel Chorzempa did all the sonatas and the other solo pieces for Phillips too, part of Mozart complete bundle.

Good option for playin' Mozart on organ are the choir, positiv and/or continuo organs, as they can be placed not only in churches but in halls too, thus giving more options to the performer and the inclusion of a chamber orchestra. At Mozart's time there were many positiv organs in Palaces ....

So, as you see there's a lot to be played... :-D
Have fun !

Best
Panos