Thursday, May 22, 2014

Around Lake Lucerne




Day 10: Pipedreams Trip in Switzerland

By bus and by ferry, we have found delightful churches, talented organists, and welcoming smiles on this tenth day with Michael Barone's Pipedreams Tour of Switzerland. Swiss organist Els Biesemans presented demonstrations on organs in two churches very near the River Reuss, within walking distance of the hotel today.

The Jesuit Church, pictured above, is used as a concert hall and has a three manual Metzler organ that Els played. She began the day with the magnificent Bach Prelude and Fugue in G and concluded the first concert with Fanny Mendelssohn's D Major Prelude. 


The ornate ceiling in the Jesuit Church reminds me of brocade fabric. Many of the churches we have seen use scroll work, florals, feather patterns, and spiral flourishes as designs on walls and ceilings.


We boarded a ferry after lunch and enjoyed beautiful Lake Lucerne's scenery as we transited to our afternoon organ visits. Swans along the shoreline add a graceful touch to the docks and shoreline.


The distant mountains with sparkling snow caps contrasted with the wooded hills along Lake Lucerne. The Alpine scenery was breath taking, the air was invigorating, and the day went by quickly as we drank in the beauty sight and sound.




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