"The joy of playing and lively freshness depict Ulrike Northoff's organ soirée on Sunday evening in the Chapel of Solitude Castle. She demonstrated these qualities above all in her performance of a work entitled 'Floeten-Concert fuer die Orgel' ('Flute concert for the organ') by the lesser known master, Christian Heinrich Rinck. Northoff masterfully used the possibilities of the not-so-abundant disposition. She proved herself to be extraordinarily versatile: Northoff created an excellently performed and exceedingly diversely registered organ spectacle full of the joy of playing. At the end of the flashingly performed Rondo, she rightfully received an extra 'applause-between-the-scenes'. The sprightly presentation of the echo effects in the e-minor Sonata of Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach became a seldomly heard experience. In the Allegro, Northoff let both manuals vigorously compete with rapid runs and dotted chords. Once more she presented the public with pure listening pleasure in the Toccata by François Clément Dubois. Northoff brought a rare freshness and liveliness to the organ. She worked with fine aural shadings and played with dazzling bravura." Stuttgarter Nachrichten/LKZ |
"Johann Sebastian Bach's Prelude and Fugue in e-minor (BWV 548) formed the entrance: it was flowing, unpretentious and rhythmically distinct Max Reger's Fantasia on the chorale 'Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme' Opus 52, No. 2 ... the powerfully performed fugue perceptible joy of playing Her personal identification with the work was also apparent in Olivier Messiaen's 'Apparition de l'Eglise éternelle' from the year 1931. Messiaen achieved the impression of a remote 'manifestation' by means of the so-to-speak meditative repetitions of well-defined chord patterns, which the organist from Heidenheim competently performed with the appropriate tranquility. As a brisk, totally 'anti-meditative' counterpoint, Ulrike Northoff then presented Alexandre Guilmant's 'Scherzo symphonique' Op. 55, No. 2 the positive impression of a stirring, effective Scherzo-gesture." Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung |
"In her local program one could read her versatility." Schwaebisches Tagblatt, Tuebingen |
" ... the soloist presented compositions which thoroughly corresponded to the character of the organ and stylistically perfectly fit into the ambience of the wonderfully restored Castle-Church." Bad Homburger Woche |
" with works of 2 of Bach's sons : The Sonata No. 4 in a-minor by Carl Philipp Emanuel with its bright sound won as much in poignancy as the Variations on 'Morgen kommt der Weihnachtsmann' ('Nicholas is coming tomorrow') by Johann Christoph Friedrich won in merriment. High points were Northoff's formally well thought-out improvisations on the Advent chorales, 'Die Nacht ist vorgedrungen' ('The night is advanced') and 'O Heiland, reiss die Himmel auf' ('O Redeemer, fling open the heavens'), which linked freely atonal with quite consonant sections." Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung |
""The church music director from Bad Homburg, Ulrike Northoff intonated an accompaniment on the English Walker organ, which sensitively suited the vocal fluidity of Laurie Reviol. The solo pieces by John Stanley were successfully light and cheerful." Frankfurter Rundschau |