Sunday 22 March, 15:00
(Doors open at 14:30)
Uranienborg Church
Adult: 300 NOK
Senior/student: 200 NOK
Child: 100 NOK
Duration: approx. 1 hour
ORGAN CONCERT WITH ESPEN MELBØ
WORKS BY OLSSON, WAGNER, LAUKVIK, DURUFLÉ, AND PRÆSTHOLM(WORLD PREMIERE)
Concert with Tønsberg Cathedral’s exceptional organist
Espen Melbø is one of our leading concert organists. He has held important organist positions in Leipzig, and is now the organist in Tønsberg Cathedral. The festival audience will also know him from our annual organ trips with the Boysen Bus. For this year’s festival, we have invited Melbø to hold an afternoon concert in Uranienborg Church. He is bringing a varied and exciting program with music by Richard Wagner, Otto Olsson, and Maurice Duruflé, as well as newer music by Jon Laukvik. The concert also features the world premiere of Pavane by the Danish composer Christian Præstholm.
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Otto Olsson (1879−1964)
Prelude & Fugue in D sharp minor, op. 56 (1935)
Richard Wagner (1813–1883)
“Tannhäuser”:
Overture, WWV 70 (1845)
transcribed by Edwin H. Lemare (1865−1934)
Jon Laukvik (b.1952)
Aria, Fugue & Final (2012-13)
Christian Præstholm (b.1972)
Pavane (2025/26, world premiere)
Maurice Duruflé (1902–1986)
“Suite, op. 5” (1932/33)
I. Prélude
II. Sicilienne
III. Toccata -
Espen Melbø is the cathedral organist in Tønsberg Cathedral and a virtuoso concert organist. He has his education from the Norwegian Academy of Music, the Royal Danish Academy of Music, and the Hochschule für Musik in Leipzig. From 2012−2017, he worked as the cantor in Naunhof outside of Leipzig, where he, among other things, performed all of Bach’s organ works. 2013−2015, he was also the organist in Stadtkirche St. Wenzel in Naumburg, on the Hildebrandt organ from 1746, which Bach in his time played himself. Since December 2018, Melbø is the cathedral organist in Tønsberg. Beyond this, he is an active concert organist, both as a soloist and chamber musician.
Photo: Espen Melbø: Studioline, Leipzig
