Andrew Benson-Wilson
The Grosvenor Chapel
South Audley Street, Mayfair, London W1K 2PA
Tuesday 5 August 2025, 1:10

Arnolt Schlick
Tabulaturen etlicher lobgesang (1512)

Salve Regina (5 verses)
Pete quid vis, Hoe losteleck, Benedictus, Primi toni, Maria zart, Christe
Da pacem (3 settings)

Described as “one of the greatest masters who have left their imprint on the history of organ music”, Arnolt Schlick (c1455-c1525) was one of the most important members of the influential group of late Renaissance German organ composers known as the Colourists, together with Conrad Paumann and Paul Hofhaimer. He lived and worked in the important university city of Heidelberg. In his late 20s, he was appointed court organist to the Palatinate Elector. In 1486 played the organ for the coronation of the future Holy Roman Emperor, Maximilian I, as King of the Romans.

Title page of Spiegel der Orgelmacher und Organisten, 1511

In 1511, he published the Spiegel der Orgelmacher und Organisten, the first German treatise on organ building and performance. The following year, he published the Tabulaturen etlicher lobgesang und lidlein uff die orgeln un lauten (‘Tablatures of Several Canticles and Songs for the Organ and Lute’).

Title page of Tabulaturen etlicher lobgesang, 1512

Conveniently, the twelve organ pieces of the Tabulaturen fit into the length of a lunchtime recital. The large-scale opening Salve Regina could well have been composed in Heidelberg in February 1511 for the marriage of Schlick’s patron, Elector Ludwig V to Sibylle von Bayern. It has been described as “one of the truly great masterpieces of organ art”. The concluding three Da pacem pieces seem to have been composed for organ recital rather than liturgical use. The other pieces in the collection are miscellaneous, some possibly based on vocal models. The whole collection shows the early development of complex keyboard music using the full resources of the Renaissance organ, including complex pedal lines.

Original score of the opening of the Salve Regina

The 1991 Grosvenor Chapel organ is by the distinguished organ builder, William Drake.
It is based on the 1732 Abraham Jordan organ, and uses the original case.
Further details here –
http://www.grosvenorchapel.org.uk/music/william-drake-organ/

A link to the programme notes is here.

Admission is free, with a retiring collection.
Part of the Mayfair Organ Concerts series.