MAC No. 15: O Heiland, reiß die Himmel auf

Michael Schneider (1909-1994) studied piano, organ and composition in Weimar and afterwards church music in Leipzig with Karl Straube, Robert Teichmüller and Kurt Thomas.

In 1936 he became professor at the Cologne Musikhochschule. From 1942 to 1965 he worked in Berlin, Munich, and Detmold, until he became again professor in Cologne. He was one of the most important organ teachers of his time. The list of his students includes Jürg Baur, Paul Damjakob, Johannes Geffert, Jon Laukvik, Heinz Lohmann, Andreas Rothkopf, Almut Rößler, and Gerd Zacher.

Published by Bärenreiter in “Choralvorspiele für den gottesdienstlichen Gebrauch”, Vol. 3

I have recorded two versions: the first one is manualiter, as published, the other one is in trio style, the melody transferred to the pedals, but played from the original score – something to practice from time to time to keep one's brain flexible…