Samuel Kummer

Samuel Kummer (28 February 1968 – 23 April 2024) was a German organist, from 2005 to 2022 at the Frauenkirche in Dresden. When he took the position at the restored church, destroyed by bombing in World War II, with a new Kern organ, he programmed a first recital with music by Bach, Brahms, Reger, Louis Vierne and his own. In concerts and in church services, he was particularly known for his improvisations. He played concerts internationally and made award-winning recordings. He taught at the Hochschule für Kirchenmusik Dresden from 2007.

Life and career Early life and education Kummer was born in Stuttgart on 28 February 1968. He took master classes with Marie-Claire Alain, Hans Fagius, Lorenzo Ghielmi, Olivier Latry and Jean-Claude Zehnder. Riga Cathedral, the Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, During his tenure he conducted several oratorios, including Frank Martin's In terra pax. He instituted a concert series, Orgelmusik zur Marktzeit (Organ music at market time),

Frauenkirche, Dresden

In 2005, Kummer was appointed the organist at the Frauenkirche in Dresden, when the church was reopened after the completion of its restoration from destruction in World War II. He co-founded a concert series, Dresdner Orgelzyklus (Dresden Organ Cycle), which includes performances on the organs of three churches in Dresden, the Kreuzkirche, the Hofkirche, and the Frauenkirche.

Kummer was dismissed from the Frauenkirche in 2022 with stated reasons of unreliability and unpunctuality. Music journalist Claus Fischer of the MDR commented at the time that Kummer was perhaps more an artist than an organiser, and thus not ideally suited to the position. where he had been appointed to a summer position at the Hochschule für Musik.

Recordings Kummer recorded a CD with organ music by Bach and Duruflé for Carus in 2005, the first CD recorded at the Frauenkirche, beginning a complete recording of the composer's organ works following the new edition by Carus. It was awarded a Diapason d'Or. A reviewer wrote:quote|Kummer takes great care, as the music progresses and the registrations become more imposing, to maintain clarity at all times in the contrapuntal lines. Never did I hear definition lost at any time throughout. He revels in the textures of the denser fugues, such as Contrapunctus 11 a 4, emphasizing the more subtle lines. Registration choices show ingenuity and resourcefulness. In short, Kummer displays a great maturity of vision.