Neuenfelder Orgelmusiken

An organ that makes sonic history

In the south of Hamburg, in the Neuenfelde district of Altes Land, stands the St. Pankratius Church – and within it, an organ that draws organists from all over the world to Northern Germany. Built in 1688 by Arp Schnitger, the most important North German organ builder of the Baroque era, the Neuenfelde Schnitger organ, with its 34 stops across two manuals and pedal, is one of the oldest largely original works of his oeuvre. Schnitger himself is buried in the churchyard – Neuenfelde was his last place of work; he lived here with his family on a nearby farm.

Since 1952 – one of Hamburg's oldest concert series

The Neuenfelder Orgelmusiken were founded in 1952, making them one of the Hanseatic city's oldest continuous church music series. For over seven decades, the concerts have established themselves as a fixture in Hamburg's musical life – supported by the Förderkreis Arp-Schnitger-Orgel (Friends of the Arp Schnitger Organ) and the Neuenfelde parish. Renowned organists from Germany and abroad perform.

2026 Programme

From April to December, a one-hour concert is held every first Sunday of the month at 4:30 PM, featuring works from the early Baroque to the Romantic period. The focus is traditionally on composers who wrote for Schnitger organs – Buxtehude, Praetorius, Scheidt, Bach – supplemented by repertoire that showcases the instrument's versatility.

Neuenfelde as a sonic location

The Neuenfelde district in the Harburg borough is part of Altes Land, Northern Germany's largest contiguous fruit-growing region. Those who combine a concert visit with an excursion can combine the journey through the apple and cherry orchards with a stop at one of the traditional farm cafés. St. Pankratius Church itself, built of brick, is a typical example of North German marshland architecture and its oldest parts date back to the 12th century. Admission to the concerts is free; a collection for the organ's upkeep is requested.