Organist Halgeir Schiager’s first release on the LAWO Classics label, “Der Orgelkönig”, is a tribute to the German composer and organist Johann Gottlob Schneider (1789-1864).

Schneider is today virtually forgotten, but in his time he was compared to Paganini and given the sobriquet “king of organists”. He represents organ literature between Bach and Mendelssohn, traditionally regarded as a period of decline. However, his works provide important insight into the development of organ music in the transition from Classicism to Romanticism and can be viewed as a missing link between the two aforementioned composers.

Schneider’s music is shown to good advantage on the new Torkildsen organ in Steinkjer Church. Some works are first recordings.