INNSBRUCK
AUSTRIA
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Numerous common interests unify Europe in cultural aspects. Originating in the roots of antiquity and Christianity, they led to the notion of culture in the West. As part of this culture we can identify a landscape of organs, grown during many centuries and penetrating our whole continent in the most diverse of ways. Many of the organs, of historic fame, are well known in professional circles. Such illustrious examples are also to be found in Innsbruck, most prominently the Ebert-organ in the Hofkirche (Court church) from the years 1555 – 1561, or the equally famous organ of the Silberne Kapelle (Silver chapel) in the Hofburg (imperial palace), dating back to the time around 1580, and other more. We are proudly looking at this organ-treasure, delighting our guests and ourselves with concerts and competitions.
However, we view ourselves in a much wider, i. e. European context. Therefore we have formed a partnership with the beautiful and signifi cant cities of Alkmaar, Freiberg, Göteborg, Lissabon, Roskilde, Saragossa, Toulouse and Treviso – themselves keepers of heritage of historic organs. The partnership, named ECHO (European Cities of Historical Organs) is aimed at pursuing common interests, as written down in the foundationcharter of Toulouse in 1998.
From the Innsbruck point of view, this partnership in a very specific cultural sector is of great importance and scope, since it will, apart from enabling the exchange of thoughts and experience, artists, experts and audience, above all share the European thought, hereby adding a small, but delicate cultural contribution to the otherwise so dominant economic aspect of the European union.
Hilde Zach
Mayor of the territorial capital of Innsbruck
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