Although relatively unknown in this country (hence the thin turnout on Wednesday) the German organist Ludger Lohmann is a respected recitalist throughout Europe, mainly in mainstream repertory.
The spirit of Bach hung heavily over much of his programme a first half of fantasias, followed after the interval by sonatas from JSB's own Fantasia and Fugue in G minor, via Bachian pre-echoes by Froberger and Buxtehude, to Reger's mighty homage work, the Fantasia and Fugue on Bach.
Lohmann gave a scholarly account of the Bach, tersely articulated and unfussily registered, the Fugue rock-steady in its sense of inexorable progression.
Froberger's Fantasia No 1 on Ut Re Mi Fa Sol La also made prominent use of the Klais organ's most Baroque-sounding stops, occasionally sounding like a charming musical box.
In Buxtehude's Chorale Fantasia, a wonderfully inventive set of variations on Nun freut euch, lieben Christen g'mein, Lohmann's registration seemed to transport us back tonally to 17th century Lübeck, effectively exploring quiet nasal reeds and echo effects.
With the Reger, easily the most exciting part of the evening, both performer and instrument were propelled like a tornado into the world of musical German Expressionism, which Lohmann occupied with a measured virtuosity that made this unjustly under-rated composer sound almost as mad and as gloriously excessive as Mahler.
By comparison, Reubke's Sonata for Organ The 94th Psalm, another highly-regarded warhorse, seemed quite tame, despite Lohmann's well-engineered moves towards and away from each emotional peak.
But he could nothing to rescue Hindemith's Sonata No 2 from the arid pit into which so much of his music often falls and is soon forgotten.
