Church Music Festival – Musica Sacra has a new chief: Interview with Lusser

After the retirement of Otto Kargel, this year Ludwig Losser will run the church music festival “Musica Sacra” for the first time, which puts on great performances in St. Polten and the surrounding area each year. Marking the change in management, NÖN’s new festival director spoke about his career and plans for the future.

Noun: Mr. Loser, how did you come to St. Polten as a native of East Tyrol? Ludwig

Loser: I first went to Schwaz in Tirol, where I took the Matura exam. She then studied church music and “organ party theme” in Vienna under Hans Hazelbock and Erwin Fulder. After my studies I started as an organist at St. Polten Cathedral in 2006.

How did you deal with Musica Sacra?

Loser: Firstly especially as an interested listener and lover of church music. Later I was often invited by my predecessor Otto Kargel to play as an organist.

What will be the focus of your management exactly?

Loser: I would like to address the question of the contradiction of the practice of historical performance.

what do you mean by that?

Loser: I trained in early music myself, but you still have to ask yourself if you don’t cling to much of a museum-like state. The question is not about questioning the realization of the practice of historical performance. not at all. But composers from the past, such as Bach or Mozart, wrote their compositions for the public at that time. Therefore, in the framework of the festival, we would like to use the means of today to try to synthesize established musical works in a modern way for the existing audience. And I think that’s also the unique selling point of Musica Sacra.

How did you actually come up with this idea?

Loser: The idea came about many years ago through countless conversations between Benny and Wolfgang Mitterer. Since then I’ve always wanted to give it a try. However, I haven’t had a chance to do that yet. However, this has now changed.