THE ALPS
ALONG THE RHINE AND DANUBE

Hear and Play Historic Organs
in Germany, Austria, France
See the Passion Play at Oberammergau

A Matterhorn Travel Program

Our 4th Season at the Oberammergau Passion Play
1980 - 1990 - 2000 - 2010
Travel With Experience

The Passion Play at Oberammergau

Scene from the Passion Play - Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem

The Passion Play at Oberammergau is a unique experience on a grand scale. The Play combines dramatic grandeur with a faithfully observed religious tradition. Each of our tour members will receive a first class seat at the Play.

The history of the play dates back to 1633, when the Bubonic Plague or "Black Death" was devastating Europe. The villagers of Oberammergau vowed to re-enact the Passion of Christ every ten years if the village were spared further deaths by the plague. The village was spared and, beginning in 1634, Oberammergau has kept its promise and performed its Passion Play for over 370 years!

The Passion Play has become world famous. Nearly half a million people of many religious faiths and nationalities attend the Play. The performance lasts from 2:30PM to 5:00PM and from 8:00PM to 10:30PM. More than 1,000 villagers perform in the Play.The men grow long hair and beards to conform to the traditional images of Jesus and the Apostles.

During the evening break, there will be time to explore this charming village. Many of its inhabitants are wood carvers and its shops are full of wood figures, mostly of religious themes.

Fly this afternoon from your departure city to Frankfurt. Beverages, dinner and continental breakfast will be served
in-flight. There is also a movie for your in-flight enjoyment.

The Rhine. We will cruise on the Rhine.

Arrive Frankfurt in the morning, local time. Upon arrival, we will be met and transferred to your hotel.

Morning at leisure.

This afternoon enjoy a delightful cruise on the Rhine. See the vineyards of the famous Rhine wines, the many barges on this busy waterway and perhaps best of all, the fairy tale castles around almost every bend in the River. Of particular note are the famous Lorelei rocks immortalized in the classic poem of Heinrich Heine. Set to music, the poem tells the story of boatmen lured to their death by a beautiful maiden sitting on the rocks, combing her long blond hair while singing her fateful song.

After your cruise, arrive at Rudesheim am Rhine. Just a couple blocks from the pier is Rudesheim's Drosselgasse. Stroll on this quaint street, dating back to medieval times.

Dinner and entertainment are included this evening at the delightful Rudesheimer Schloss, one ofthe Rhine's most popular restaurants. Enjoy some of the finest wine in Germany, excellent food, and entertainment - a lively setting for your first evening in Germany.

This morning we will travel south to Ulm on the Danube. We'll attend an organ concert at Ulm Cathedral.

The Cathedral at Ulm on the Danube. We will take a boat ride on the Danube.

After the concert, we will have an opportunity to play the organ.

The Protestant Cathedral at Ulm is the second largest in Germany; only the Cathedral at Cologne is larger. The steeple of the Cathedral, 528 feet high, is the tallest church steeple in the world.

Albert Einstein was born in Ulm.

Yesterday we were on the Rhine. Today we'll enjoy a boat ride on the Danube.The Danube has become famous all over the world, due to the waltz of Johann Strauss. Although the Danube is not blue, it is beautiful, nevertheless, as it flows through the German countryside, to Austria, Eastern Europe and the Black Sea.

This morning we will visit the Benedictine Abbey at Neresheim, built between 1699 and 1714, to hear and play the great Holzhey organ from 1797.

Our second organ visit today will be to the St.Verena Parish Church at Rot-an-der-Rot, where we will hear and play two Holzhey organs from 1786 and 1793.

Our next organ visit - to Ottobeuren Abbey - will be one of the highlights of our trip. The two choir organs, built by French organ builder Karl Joseph Riepp (1710-1755), are still in pristine condition after some 250 years. The Riepp double organ is one of the most treasured historic organs in Europe. The third (Steinmeyer) organ makes Ottobeuren an organ paradise.

The Basilica is among the finest examples of South German architecture.

After time to hear and play the organs in this magnificent setting, we will cross into Austria and arrive in the Tyrol, our home for the next four nights.

The grand organ at Neresheim Abbey	Holzhey organ at Rot-an-der-Rot	Trinity Organ at Ottobeuren Abbey

The Italian Organ, (about 1580) in Innsbruck

This morning we'll drive south into the Inn Valley and visit Innsbruck, Capital of the Tyrol.

We'll visit the 16th century Franciscan Court Church (Hofkirche), best known for its 28 larger than life size bronze statues of Hapsburg royalty.

We will hear and play the Ebert organ dating from the years 1555- 1561.

Next, we will visit the Silver Chapel at the Imperial Palace. We will hear and play the Italian organ, a unique instrument due to its pipes being made of wood.

After our organ visits, there will be time to stroll in the quaint Old Town, filled with interesting buildings, some dating back to medieval times.

Be sure to see the Roof of Gold, Innsbruck's famous landmark.

Return to our hotel in the late afternoon.

Organ at the Church in the Wies

Organ (1753) at Ettal Basilica

Most organs in Europe are found in the cities and towns. But today we'll visit two beautiful churches in the magnificent, Alpine countryside. Our first visit is to the Church in the Wies, just across the border in Bavaria. In the rural, off-the-beaten-path setting, we'll savor the beauty of this rococo church, completed in 1754. The organ dates from 1757.

Next, we’ll continue to Ettal and it's Benedictine Abbey founded in 1330. St. Benedict (died 547) is considered the father of western monasticism and the cloistered life.

Although all of the churches and cathedrals on our program are beautiful, the Basilica at Ettal is certainly one of the most impressive.

Morning at leisure.

This afternoon we will attend the Passion Play at Oberammergau.

The Oberammergau Passion Play concludes with a powerful scene: The Triumph and Glorification of Christ.

Amid the adoring songs of the Chorus and the symphonic tones of the music, the just men of the Old Testament gather before the Divine and Glorious Majesty: there are our First Parents, Adam and Eve, Moses, John the Baptist, Mary, Mother of God and the Apostles. An Angel with the Cross symbolizes the Redemption; another, with the Chalice, signifies the unbloody renewal of the sacrifice of the Cross. All join in the chorus: “Alleluia! Praise, honour, power and glory be to Thee for ever and ever!” Return to our hotel after the performance.

Gabler Organ (1750) at Weingarten Abbey

Organ at St. Blasien Cathedral

This morning we'll drive south into the Inn Valley and visit Innsbruck, This morning we will leave the Tyrol and arrive at Weingarten, Germany, to visit the magnificent Baroque basilica of Weingarten Abbey. The Abbey is Germany's largest Baroque church, and is called the St. Peter's of Germany.

We will hear and play the famous Gabler organ from 1750. The organ has four manuals; the case is ingeniously grouped around the six windows at the rear of the church.

This magnificent example of German Baroque organ building remains largely unchanged. Throughout the centuries, the organ has been repaired and cleaned, but the original Gabler pipe work has not been touched.

Unique in its design, the organ contains 63 stops on four manuals and pedal. The Gabler organ is among the largest and finest examples of South German organ building.

Depart Weingarten this afternoon and drive into the Black Forest. We will visit the Benedictine Abbey of St. Blasien. Because of its enormous size (it's the third largest church north of the Alps), the Abbey is called a cathedral.

The organ, dating from 1913, copies the 1775 façade of Johann Andreas Silbermann, brother of Gottfried Silbermann. The organ has preserved its unique symphonic character, underlined by the huge cathedral-like acoustics with a reverberation of about ten seconds.

Continue in the Black Forest to the lovely Lake Titisee, named after the Roman Emperor Titus, where we will overnight. Along with lovely scenery and friendly people, the Black Forest is famous for cuckoo clocks.

Original console of the Silbermann Organ (1741) at St. Thomas Church in Strasbourg, France.

This morning we will cross into France and visit Strasbourg to hear and play the organ at St. Thomas Church, dating from 1741. The organ was built by Johann Andreas Silbermann, nephew of the more famous Gottfried Silbermann of Saxony.

On this grand organ in 1908 Dr. Albert Schweitzer began the tradition of concerts of remembrance on the anniversaries of the death of J.S. Bach on July 28.

Mozart visited Strasbourg in 1778 and played the Silbermann Organ. The console that the Great Master played is still on display.

St. Thomas Church embraced the Reformation as early as 1524. It has remained a Protestant church ever since.

		After time for lunch and walking in Strasbourg, we will continue north to Heidelberg, the romantic university town in the valley of the Neckar River. “Down where the Neckar flows swiftly along Nestles a town that is famous in song Twilight comes stealing and moonlight shines down Painting with silver old Heidelberg town!” Golden Days, from The Student Prince Sigmund Romberg Founded in 1196, Heidelberg University is the oldest in Germany. We'll see Heidelberg Castle, overlooking the city. Continue to Darmstadt and our hotel for our farewell dinner and overnight.
Heidelberg and the Neckar River

Angel children below the organ at St. Blasien in the Black Forest.

This morning we will be transferred to Frankfurt airport to board our return flight to the U.S.
Beverages and meals will be served in flight, and a movie will also be available.

Arrive back in the U.S. this afternoon.

"Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in
your heart to the Lord”
Paul’s letter to the Ephesians 5:19 (NIV)