Gorrissen, Robert Curt von

Violinist, organ virtuoso, composer

born: 16.07.1887 in Hamburg

died: 11.07.1978 in Heidenrod

Gorrissen studied civil engineering at the TH Hannover. His real interest, however, was music. As a child, he had already received violin lessons from Max Reger's friend Robert Bignell. This was followed by musical training in Hamburg and Berlin and organ studies in Warsaw. He was a soldier in the First World War from 1914-18, lived in Hanover from 1920 and in Biebrich from 1929-78, interrupted by stays at Rheinfels Castle in St. Goar between 1952-69.

Gorrissen worked as a composer from 1925 and created, among other things, the "Abendkantate", op. 3, which was performed in over 50 cities. He also became widely known as a performer and composer, particularly for the Heldenorgel in Kufstein. This largest free-standing organ in the world, inaugurated in 1931, was built as a sounding memorial to the fallen of the First World War and at the time had 2 manuals, pedal, 26 stops, 1813 sounding pipes and 30 bells.

His serious and thought-provoking works were also performed in Wiesbaden, including such contrasting orchestral pieces as the "Capriccio" and the "Miserere" under Carl Schuricht and the composer Hans Vogt. Gorrissen's organ works as well as a "Partita for two violoncellos" were performed several times in local and foreign churches.