Jean-Luc Ho

A major figure in the history of the keyboard, on a par with Bach and Chopin, the organist of Amsterdam's Oude Kerk was nicknamed The Phoenix of Music or The Prince of Musicians. Renowned for his improvisational talents and expertise in instrument making, he trained a whole generation of Northern European musicians, whom he welcomed into his home. His considerable output of vocal and keyboard music can be traced back to his lifetime in England, Central Europe and Northern Italy.

Familiar with Sweelinck's works for many years, Jean-Luc Ho never ceases to explore the different facets of this keyboard genius. The Amsterdam organist has an absolute mastery of polyphonic writing, which is revealed in every page of a brilliant and virtuoso work that is always sensitive and poetic.

Jean-Luc Ho excels in bringing the composer's works closer to the instruments on which they were created: organ, harpsichord, muselaar, spinet, claviorganum, clavichord... To explore this repertoire, he commissioned Émile Jobin to build a transposing harpsichord, a reconstruction in its original state of the 1612 harpsichord by Ioannes Ruckers in the Amiens museum. Several recital programmes are possible, depending on the instruments chosen.

Complete discography planned from 2022 to 2027.

Sample programme:

Ballo del granduca
Erbarm dich mein, o Herre Gott
Fantasia in d
Toccata in a
More Palatino
Echo Fantasia in d
Hexachord Fantasia
Mein Junges Leben hat ein End’
Fantasia Chromatica