The fascination with the combination of the art harmonium and piano, which has now almost completely faded into the background of musical interest, with its diverse possibilities in terms of color, sound, and playing technique, has probably not been seriously pursued in composition for 100 years—although the art harmonium was often predicted to play an important role in 20th-century music as a concert instrument . However, this role was later taken over by electronic instruments such as the Hammond organ and the synthesizer. After performances of the most important works from this bygone era, which was predominantly alive in bourgeois salons at the time and represented by composers such as Sigfrid Karg-Elert, César Franck, Alexandre Guilmant, Camille Saint-Saëns, Charles-Marie Widor, Marie Prestat, and Laetitia Sari, I was more than curious to find out how living composers would respond to my age-old idea of writing “new music for art harmonium and piano.” The result of this artistic adventure, which Alois Bröder so aptly describes as entering terra incognita, has now spanned almost a decade. We were able to begin with a first recording session in the winter of 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic and conclude at the beginning of May 2024. I am extremely grateful to all those involved in the composition—and, of course, to Friedhelm for his cover art—as well as to my friend and duo partner Jan, who never tired of introducing them to the incredibly diverse and sensitive possibilities of his fascinating instrument. I would also like to thank my friend and composer Reinhold Finkbeiner (1929–2010), whose influence and music introduced me to contemporary music at a very early age and gave me a growing appreciation for it. Without him, this project would never have come to fruition! Ernst Breidenbach
Ernst Breidenbach