CONCERT ORGANIST

Contents of this page:

• The International Concert Organist Frederik Magle
• Listen to Audio Samples & Read Reviews
• Repertoire
• Contact

Widely recognised as an organ virtuoso, the concert organist and composer Frederik Magle has given hundreds of organ recitals in Denmark and abroad. A small selection:

- Saint Peter's basilica, Vatican, Rome
- St. George Chapel, Windsor Castle
- Riga Cathedral, Latvia
- Niguliste Church, Tallinn, Estonia
- Barcelona Cathedral, Spain
- Danish National Radio Concert Hall
- Aarhus Cathedral, Denmark
- Warsaw Philharmonic Hall, Poland
- Temppeliaukio Church, Finland

As a soloist in concertos with orchestra, Frederik Magle has played with The London Philharmonic Orchestra, The Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Odense Symphony Orchestra, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Riga Philharmonic Orchestra, Aalborg Symphony Orchestra, South Jutland Symphony Orchestra, Zürcher Kammerorchester and many other orchestras and ensembles. He has also performed with many outstanding soloists, amongst them the violinist Nikolaj Znaider.

Frederik Magle has been invited to play at royal occasions and concerts several times by the Danish Royal Family.

He is the only organist to have reached the international finals in the history of the Eurovision Young Musicians competition. He did so in 1994 (at the age of 16), performing Francis Poulenc's Organ Concerto to an audience of more than 100 million television-viewers worldwide.

Frederik Magle is also involved in the construction of new pipe organs and has created the stop-list and tonal design for a new organ in Jørlunde church, Denmark. You can read an essay about the new pipe organ here.

Frederik Magle in front of the organ in Jørlunde church

Some examples of Frederik Magle playing his own works on the pipe organ:

Excerpts from the double album "Like a Flame", recorded on the organ in Jørlunde church (19 voices, 25 ranks). All free improvisations for organ, recorded in one take and presented unedited as a live recording. A mixture of music, ranging from completely tonal to very atonal:


»...organ virtuoso«

»...fairytale world of sounds (...) that evoke images of towering pipes in Gothic cathedrals«

- SNYK Contemporary Music (Denmark)




»...Magle's music-making is highly creative, sometimes visionary.«


»...The disc ends with a marvellous Widor-like toccata, 'Ascending', followed by the almost extra-terrestrial 'End of the Circle'.

It is this kind of intelligent variation which characterises the whole programme - dramatic window-rattlers alternating with pieces that are serenely uplifting or contemplative and others again that are mischievously eccentric or playful. To complement this there is also a steady flow of ideas, expertly implemented, within the improvisations themselves.

At no point in the two hours is the listener's attention given cause to flag; yet the music is often so emotionally intense that, between discs, a cup of tea at the very least is advisable.«


»...this is a double CD that no fan of original organ music should be without.«



- MusicWeb International (UK)




»...virtuosic and riveting«

- Prof. Christian Præstholm, Royal Conservatory (Writing in the Danish magazine "Orgelforum")




»...He is a composer/player of great depth - his instrument is the organ which he dominates with the control of an ubermeister.«

- Abi Rhodes' Zigzag Wanderings (UK)




»...known here for many years as an organist, virtuoso, and composer«

- Udfordringen (Danish magazine)




»...the results are something any aficionado of organ music will find delightful. His improvisations are varied, inventive and sonically powerful«

- Gapplegate Classical-Modern Music Review (USA)




»...organ genius«

- Bornholms Tidende (Denmark)




More information about Like a Flame (album) | Where to buy

Other Works for Organ
(Click on the links for more information and free recordings):