After breakfast at the Abbey, Gereon drove me to the Andernach train station where I purchased my rail ticket for the day and boarded an 11:22 a.m. train to the central train station in Bonn. From there I boarded the Strassenbahn (street car) for a short ride over the Rhine (Rhein) River to the Beuel area of Bonn. There I was met by the organist from St. Joseph's Church for about a five block walk to that church. The main organ was designed in the French Romantic style. Even though the console is off to the side of the chancel, the organ itself is in the rear balcony. There is also a small two division organ hidden behind the high altar. This organ is played from the same console and is used primarily for choral accompaniment when a choir performs from the chancel. This smaller organ may, however, also be used in conjunction with the main organ as an antiphonal instrument. There are myriads of stops and combinations as well as too many gadgets to even mention.
After a short demonstration of the organ, the church organist helped register a few pieces for me to play (one could spends days trying out various registrations). He then left me on my own, and I spent in total about an hour and a half playing this instrument. I should also mention that the acoustics provide an enormously long reverberation. This provided me with an opportunity to work on more pronounced articulation and slower tempos for pieces that I have always played faster and less detached on most American instruments on which I have performed. You may listen to two video clips at https://youtu.be/SBXEO6cGa4A and
https://youtu.be/tCJE4sWOf7g.
From St. Joseph's I took the Strassenbahn back a few stops to visit the Beethoven House. This is where Beethoven was born in December 1770. Taking a tour of the house one is overwhelmed with the various manuscripts and instruments of Beethoven which are on display.
As it was now after 4:00 p.m., I again boarded the Strassenbahn and returned to the central train station to board the train to Cologne. Walking out of the main train station in Cologne, all one can say (if a sound even comes forth) is WOW! Rising up directly in front of you is the awe-inspiring Cologne Cathedral. Absolutely amazing. It is impossible to capture the entire building in one single photo, so here are a couple to give you a glimpse.
Even though I was not able to play on the organ in the Cologne Cathedral, someone was playing the entire time I toured the interior of the Cathedral, so I was at least able to hear the instrument. Below are a couple of photos of the organ facades.
Following my tour of the Cologne Cathedral it was time for dinner. I was able to continue to enjoy of wonderful view of the Cathedral while eating dinner at an outdoor cafe just across from the front of the Cathedral.
It was then back into the train station for the 7:32 p.m. train back to Andernach and the end of another amazing day.