Interview

Arvid GAST

17 October 2009, 12:56

A concert of musician Arvid Gast was held at Kazan’s Saidashev Grand Concert Hall as a part of the organ music season “Organo Pleno”. The musician from Germany is laureate of prestigious international contests, principle organist and conductor of St. Jacob Cathedral of Lubeck, chairman of the Organ and Church Music Department at Lubeck Hoger School of Music. Professor Arvid Gast kindly agreed to answer questions of Tatar-inform reporter.

Why did you decide to devote your life to such a difficult instrument – organ?

A.G.: My father was an organist. He played in the church. I grew up in such atmosphere.

Is organist a profession for men?

A.G.: Both men and women play the organ these days. That’s life. An interesting fact is that in Asia this profession is popular among women. There are more men-organists in Europe. There are more men among famous organist musicians, but a lot of successful women-organists have appeared recently. It is a good trend.

I think you are acquainted with work of Russian organists. Whom of them do you consider to be interesting for you; who would you like to point out?

A.G.: Well, I think, Kazan Conservatoire Rector Rubin Abdoullin, Daniel Zaretsky from St. Petersburg, Marina Zagorskaya (but she’s working in Germany now), Sergei Cherepanov – a professor of Lubeck Academy of Music.

Isn’t it difficult to combine concerts with teaching?

A.G.: I don’t believe in the statement that a good teacher may be not a perfect performer. Theory cannot be separated from practice. One must be able to let through the things one is trying to pass to students, to experience what one is telling about.

Organ music is religious music, in the first place. Where does an organ sound better – in a church or a concert hall?

A.G.: This is a very difficult question. Organ music origins come from the church, divine services. But organ music performance in concert halls has already got quite long and interesting history. It is more challenging to play in a hall – it requires playing very distinctly, with demonstration of the choral. But one may feel liturgical psalm too.

Do you have a favourite hall?

A.G.: I cannot point out any specific hall. For instance, I like to perform in Germany, also in Japan. Kazan hall is also cosy; I was pleasantly surprised by it.

There is an opinion that organ music is more for a performer rather than for a listener, that it is a so-called “thing in itself”. What is your view on such statements?

A.G.: It is a wrong point, but it suggests important ideas. The instrument itself – organ plays a very important role in the link “performer-listener”. It carries a certain imprint of its creator. For instance, German organ masters have a different work style comparing with the French. All these peculiarities are of much importance in performance.

Writing by Nina Narykova
Photos by Yekaterina Krasutskaya