The churchorgan as synthesizer…???

The first synthesizer; the church organ.

Bart van Dongen is fascinated by the church organ. The sounds you can make are diverse. Every instrument is different, including the buildings – usually churches – in which they sound. Van Dongen searches for the unique sounds and imperfections that each instrument has in it. At the same time, he examines the building as a unique sound box; how does it respond to the sounds, which frequencies are amplified or obscured. These are the parameters, the tool with which Van Dongen builds his improvisation. Listening to the instrument, the building, his musical inner voice – Van Dongen gradually builds up the composition to a web of sounds resonating in the beautiful acoustics of the Servatiuskerk.

Bart van Dongen (1959), composer, musician and conceptual artist, won the biennial Brewery Culture Prize for the city of ‘s-Hertogenbosch in 2007. From the jury report: ‘A constant in his work is that composition, improvisation and concept are always a trinity. […] The action on the spot is therefore an important part of his art. ‘ Bart van Dongen is the initiator of various projects, which all have one thing in common: a search for new music or at least new sounds. He does not exclude or reject anything; he knows how to connect and encourage seemingly opposing forces. This also applies to the monumental Smits organ in the Servatiuskerk in Schijndel; the church organ as a synthesizer “avant lettre”.