Lionel Rogg
Encyclopedia
Lionel Rogg is a Swiss organist
, composer
and teacher of musical theory. Among many other distinctions, he has recorded the complete organ works of Johann Sebastian Bach
three times.
Rogg showed exceptional musical gifts at an early age. At 15 he took charge of the Geneva
St Boniface organ, and later, at the Conservatory of Geneva, he studied under Pierre Segond (a pupil of Marcel Dupré
). He obtained degrees in harmony
, counterpoint
and fugue
, and won scholarships, organ and piano prizes, and a First Prize for sight-reading. In 1959 he won second prize for organ at the International Music Competition of Munich
. He also studied with Nikita Magaloff
.
After three years of intensive study, in 1961 he gave a series of ten recitals of the complete organ works of J S Bach at the Victoria Hall, Geneva. These recitals were very enthusiastically received, and were followed by organ recitals in France, Spain, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, and in England at St Albans
and at the Royal Festival Hall
in London
. He gave two recitals devoted to Bach's 'Orgelbüchlein
' at the 1962 International Festival of Montreux
, and participated in Festivals and organ weeks at Bayreuth and Nuremberg
.
Soon after his Geneva recitals, Rogg was invited to record the complete organ works of Bach on the new mechanical-action, electro-pneumatic registration 67-stop organ built in the Zurich
Grossmunster built by Metzler & Sohne Orgelbau (Dietikon ZH), 1958-1960. This programme was begun in September 1961 and completed in September 1964, in ten sessions of three evenings each. The recording was made by the technical service of Radio Zurich using three microphones, two for the Positifs and one for the Great and Pedals, but were processed and mastered in England for Oryx Records. The resulting recordings were issued on the Bach Recordings label.
Rogg also recorded the complete Bach organ works for Harmonia Mundi
, first released in 1970 and re-released on CD in 1992 and 2000, on the Silbermann
organ in Arlesheim
. This instrument was built by Johann Andreas, son of Andreas Silbermann, in 1761, and restored by Metzler in 1959-1962.
In addition to organ recitals, Rogg composed music, played the harpsichord and made recordings with chamber groups. He made organ, harpsichord and piano recordings for the Swiss Broadcasting Company, including a performance of the 6 Trio Sonatas played on his own Wittmayer pedal-harpsichord
. Lionel Rogg wrote a Manual on Counterpoint, and was Professor of Counterpoint and Fugue at the Geneva Conservatory.
Rogg's 1969 recording of J S Bach's Die Kunst der Fuge
, BWV 1080, issued on HMV
CSD 3666-3667, includes a form of the Contrapunctus XVIII with Rogg's own conjectural completion, in addition to the performance of the original (incomplete) Fugue. This performance was given on the organ of St Peter's Cathedral, Geneva.
Lionel Rogg continues to be fully active in recitals, master-classes, adjudication, and the many branches of his work, in Europe and beyond.
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and teacher of musical theory. Among many other distinctions, he has recorded the complete organ works of Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
three times.
Rogg showed exceptional musical gifts at an early age. At 15 he took charge of the Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
St Boniface organ, and later, at the Conservatory of Geneva, he studied under Pierre Segond (a pupil of Marcel Dupré
Marcel Dupré
Marcel Dupré , was a French organist, pianist, composer, and pedagogue.-Biography:Marcel Dupré was born in Rouen . Born into a musical family, he was a child prodigy. His father Albert Dupré was organist in Rouen and a friend of Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, who built an organ in the family house when...
). He obtained degrees in harmony
Harmony
In music, harmony is the use of simultaneous pitches , or chords. The study of harmony involves chords and their construction and chord progressions and the principles of connection that govern them. Harmony is often said to refer to the "vertical" aspect of music, as distinguished from melodic...
, counterpoint
Counterpoint
In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more voices that are independent in contour and rhythm and are harmonically interdependent . It has been most commonly identified in classical music, developing strongly during the Renaissance and in much of the common practice period,...
and fugue
Fugue
In music, a fugue is a compositional technique in two or more voices, built on a subject that is introduced at the beginning in imitation and recurs frequently in the course of the composition....
, and won scholarships, organ and piano prizes, and a First Prize for sight-reading. In 1959 he won second prize for organ at the International Music Competition of Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
. He also studied with Nikita Magaloff
Nikita Magaloff
Nikita Magaloff was a Georgian-Russian pianist.He was born in Saint Petersburg to a Georgian noble family named Maghalashvili. Magaloff and his family left Russia in 1918 for Finland and then Paris, where he studied with Isidor Philipp, chair of the piano department at the Paris Conservatory...
.
After three years of intensive study, in 1961 he gave a series of ten recitals of the complete organ works of J S Bach at the Victoria Hall, Geneva. These recitals were very enthusiastically received, and were followed by organ recitals in France, Spain, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, and in England at St Albans
St Albans
St Albans is a city in southern Hertfordshire, England, around north of central London, which forms the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans. It is a historic market town, and is now a sought-after dormitory town within the London commuter belt...
and at the Royal Festival Hall
Royal Festival Hall
The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,900-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge. It is a Grade I listed building - the first post-war building to become so protected...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He gave two recitals devoted to Bach's 'Orgelbüchlein
Orgelbüchlein
The Orgelbüchlein was written by Johann Sebastian Bach during the period of 1708–1714, while he was court organist at the ducal court in Weimar...
' at the 1962 International Festival of Montreux
Montreux
Montreux is a municipality in the district of Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland.It is located on Lake Geneva at the foot of the Alps and has a population, , of and nearly 90,000 in the agglomeration.- History :...
, and participated in Festivals and organ weeks at Bayreuth and Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
.
Soon after his Geneva recitals, Rogg was invited to record the complete organ works of Bach on the new mechanical-action, electro-pneumatic registration 67-stop organ built in the Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
Grossmunster built by Metzler & Sohne Orgelbau (Dietikon ZH), 1958-1960. This programme was begun in September 1961 and completed in September 1964, in ten sessions of three evenings each. The recording was made by the technical service of Radio Zurich using three microphones, two for the Positifs and one for the Great and Pedals, but were processed and mastered in England for Oryx Records. The resulting recordings were issued on the Bach Recordings label.
Rogg also recorded the complete Bach organ works for Harmonia Mundi
Harmonia Mundi
Harmonia Mundi is an independent music record label founded in 1958 by Bernard Coutaz in Arles . The Latin phrase means "world harmony"....
, first released in 1970 and re-released on CD in 1992 and 2000, on the Silbermann
Gottfried Silbermann
Gottfried Silbermann was an influential German constructor of keyboard instruments. He built harpsichords, clavichords, organs, and fortepianos; his modern reputation rests mainly on the latter two.-Life:...
organ in Arlesheim
Arlesheim
Arlesheim is a municipality in the district of Arlesheim in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland. Its cathedral chapter seat, bishop's residence and cathedral are listed as a heritage site of national significance....
. This instrument was built by Johann Andreas, son of Andreas Silbermann, in 1761, and restored by Metzler in 1959-1962.
In addition to organ recitals, Rogg composed music, played the harpsichord and made recordings with chamber groups. He made organ, harpsichord and piano recordings for the Swiss Broadcasting Company, including a performance of the 6 Trio Sonatas played on his own Wittmayer pedal-harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
. Lionel Rogg wrote a Manual on Counterpoint, and was Professor of Counterpoint and Fugue at the Geneva Conservatory.
Rogg's 1969 recording of J S Bach's Die Kunst der Fuge
The Art of Fugue
The Art of Fugue , BWV 1080, is an incomplete work by Johann Sebastian Bach . It was most likely started at the beginning of the 1740s, if not earlier. The first known surviving version, which contained 12 fugues and 2 canons, was copied by the composer in 1745...
, BWV 1080, issued on HMV
Gramophone Company
The Gramophone Company, based in the United Kingdom, was one of the early recording companies, and was the parent organization for the famous "His Master's Voice" label...
CSD 3666-3667, includes a form of the Contrapunctus XVIII with Rogg's own conjectural completion, in addition to the performance of the original (incomplete) Fugue. This performance was given on the organ of St Peter's Cathedral, Geneva.
Lionel Rogg continues to be fully active in recitals, master-classes, adjudication, and the many branches of his work, in Europe and beyond.
Source
- Sleeve insert, J S Bach: Complete Organ Works (Oryx Records, Walton on Thames 1966).