giwro

My favorite recording is one that Michael Murray made with Edo De Waart and the San Francisco Symphony on the big Rufatti (Telarc CD - still available, IIRC)... it seems that this particular Rufatti has a more warm and full sound than some of their other instruments I've heard. The orchestra is top-drawer, as is the conducting and the playing. I'd love to hear the work on a big C-C or Schyven... I daresay that would be more idiomatic. Cheers, -G

Oops... :angry: The link should work now - the file on the server was misspelled. (a pity, too, since the Cmaj is one of my favorites!) Enjoy, -G

I've not heard it performed LIVE, but I have 2 very nice recordings... it is a striking piece. Speaking of Dupré, one must not forget his works for Organ with cello, and the organ/string Trio and Quartet. Nice stuff, and rarely heard these days. Also, he wrote a wonderful Symphonie for Organ and Orchestra (Michael Murray did a nice recording of it at RAH with LSO/Ling IIRC) There is also the Whitlock Symphony for O+O, which hangs together pretty well - Francis Jackson recorded it (along with his charming concerto, albeit using 2 different organs for the respective pieces). Eben wrote 2 concerti - they are a bit acerbic, but one MUST hear his Symphonia Gregoriana for O+O... it is a grand, sweeping (dare I say even romantic?) piece. I've heard the Heiller mentioned earlier above - it takes some dedication to listen to it, but it has its rewarding moments. As this discussion unfolds, more concerti come to mind - I'll post more as I remember <chuckle>. Also, if there is sufficient interest, I do have recording details for most of these that I can share. Cheers, -G

I recorded these at one point.... apologies for the recording quality - I was just experimenting with microphone placement and such... my further efforts are somwhat better, I hope http://orwig.blackiris.com/Saint-Saens/S-SBPandF.mp3 http://orwig.blackiris.com/Saint-Saens/S-SCPandF.mp3 http://orwig.blackiris.com/Saint-Saens/S-SDPandF.mp3 http://orwig.blackiris.com/Saint-Saens/S-SEbPandF.mp3 http://orwig.blackiris.com/Saint-Saens/S-SEPandF.mp3 http://orwig.blackiris.com/Saint-Saens/S-SGPandF.mp3 Like I said, not perfect (but hey, they're free!) Cheers, -G

Hmmm.... In addition to collecting Organ Symphonies, I also collect organ concerti Surprisingly, there are a number of fine concerti out there, most of them are rarely heard... I'll mention a few of my favorite concerti composers: - Dan Gawthrop (a fine tuneful concerto written by one of my collegues here in the USA) - Günter Raphael (a fine late romantic/early 20thC concerto - ends with a Fugue on "Ein Feste Burg" - Harald Genzmer (neo-hindemithean, lots of fun) - Alfredo Casella (early 20thC, nice melodies) - Leo Sowerby (wrote 2 or 3 - the early one sounds a lot like Gershwin harmony-wise - I heard it at Disney hall at the 2004 AGO Convention on the Glatter-Götz french-fry organ ) I'll list more as they come to mind... *** As for organ and other instruments, the 20thC Germans wrote a RAFT of works for organ and solo instrument. When I've got a free moment, I'll list some of my favorites. Cheers, -G

I think this is a wonderful quote from Heiller, and it really does explain the reasons behind such acerbic music. I've tried a translation myself, trying to preserved the idea rather than a direct translation.... it makes more sense in German, but I think it might be better expressed in English thus: The [musical] language demanded by today's culture does not so much rely on pathos, sweetness or devotion, but is more properly clear and harsh, which awakens and reflects the uncompromising truth of the distress and misery of our times. I've taken some liberties, but I think that is the gist of what he is saying... it certainly makes sense to me. I've noticed that much of the organ music from the Communist era and from behind the Iron Curtain also has a certain hardness/coldness to it - no doubt a reflection of the diffcult lives the composers were living. BR, -G

Ah, I wondered about this... I've met my share of Germans, and even to this day it seems there is a sort of national embarassment about WWII. I myself am mostly German and Jewish, but my ancestors arrived in 1737, so I don't have the close connexion. I am usually hesitant to discuss the issue, since I know it is still a sensitive subject, so thank you for being willing to give us some ideas about it from a German viewpoint. I think of Schroeder's early work - things like Prelude and Fugue on “Christ lag in Todesbanden” ... it sounds much more akin to late-romantic music (almost like Reger in places). IIRC that was published in 1929, so it was well in advance of WWII and a number of years after WWI. Already with Sonate 1, though, we have quartal harmony, and the romanticism has begun to disappear. One composer who seems to have worked through his "penitence" is Harald Genzmer - many of his works are quite joyful and even playful. The last I heard he was still living (and writing music!) even at the age of 96 or 97 (he was born in 1909). I've explored some of his music written for other instruments, and it is very interesting also. I mentioned Raphael in an earlier post - he was very grieved by the actions of his government, and actually left the country for a time. While his music does show the anguish he felt, it doesn't stay there for long - much of his output is very listenable. Best Regards, -G

I have the scores to all THREE of Schroeder's Sonatas.... I must confess that I like Sonata 1 the best - it sounds almost romantic in spots. Sonata 2 is also interesting, but doesn't strike me quite as well as #1. (although as I'm listening to it as I type this, I find I like it better than the first time I heard it!) I've not taken the time to peruse #3 - perhaps I should follow my own advice, and see if it is a worthy piece I enjoy Schroeder's Partita on Veni Creator - anyone here that has heard it? ********* I forgot to mention another composer from that era - Günter Raphael - author of a number of organ works, including a fine organ concerto, an organ sonata and a number of other pieces (a fine Prelude and "variation Fugue" - a curious creation in which the theme is varied, and each variation is another fugue... odd). Raphael also wrote a number of Sonatas for organ and solo instrument (as did many others of his era). Cheers, -G

REDA! I forgot Reda.... I have looked also at his stuff - I came across a set of short CP by him, and also have seen a few other scores. Some if this music sounds like nothing else I've ever heard - from arresting to simply zany, but never boring. Cheers, -G I have to say that IMHO the Pepping works are rather variable in quality - the little CP are nice, and the solo concerti for organ. I think much of this music requires a bit of careful study in order to really begin to appreciate it. -G

MM is often heard on these pages giving us a nudge to explore organ music from places we often ignore (or know nothing about!).... I am curious if anyone here plays/enjoys/has explored the modern Germanic repertoire - it seems largely neglected on my side of the pond. I've never heard anyone give a good reason for it, but I would guess it has to do with some left-over stigma attached to composers who lived through WWII in that part of the world. I know many of them tried to stay out of the politics, or even quietly/privately disagreed with the policies of their government, but that seems to have made no difference to most of us (at least it has seemingly consigned their music to be largely ignored) I'm speaking of composers like Hermann Schroeder, Harald Genzmer, Ernst Pepping, JN David, Josef Ahrens, Micheelsen, etc. There is some very fine music written by these gentlemen, and I hardly ever hear it. Further to that, even the Austrians seem neglected - Georg Trexler, Augustinus Kropfreiter, Josef Doppelbauer... The local Uni library has quite a collection of scores from this era, and I have enjoyed exploring this unfamiliar repertoire.... What say ye? -G

Yes, I've written quite a bit... some of it I'm actually proud of(!) I've always meant to revise my op. 1, (Fugue in f-min) but never have done so: http://www.blackiris.com/orwig/Orwig_comps...ue_in_F-min.mp3 Toccata-Flourish on "Wachet Auf": http://www.evensongmusic.net/audio/OrwigWachetTFF.mp3 Toccata and Fugue in Gm: (a double fugue - almost did me in writing it!) http://www.evensongmusic.net/audio/OrwigToccata+FugueGm.mp3 Those are the more "formal" works - the rest are shorter and based on hymn or carol tunes. Hymn based works: http://www.blackiris.com/orwig/Orwig_comps/crucifer.mp3 http://www.blackiris.com/orwig/Orwig_comps/lobe.mp3 http://www.blackiris.com/orwig/Orwig_comps/terra.mp3 http://www.evensongmusic.net/audio/LoveDivineBeecher.mp3 Christmas Suite: http://www.blackiris.com/orwig/Orwig_comps...o_the_World.mp3 http://evensongmusic.net/audio/adagio_silent_night.mp3 http://www.blackiris.com/orwig/Orwig_comps...rald_Angels.mp3 http://www.blackiris.com/orwig/Orwig_comps...ta_Carillon.mp3 Toccata Nervosa (Good King Wenceslas) http://www.evensongmusic.net/audio/OrwigWenceslas.mp3 2 pieces from a 2nd volume of Hymn arrangements: http://www.evensongmusic.net/audio/OrwigJesusShallReign.mp3 http://www.evensongmusic.net/audio/OrwigNettleton.mp3 1st in a series of Spirituals - "Dry Bones" http://www.evensongmusic.net/audio/OrwigSp...ls-DemBones.mp3 Organ and orchestra arr. of Karg-Elert's Lobe den Herrn mit pauken un zimbeln schoen: http://www.evensongmusic.net/audio/LobePaukenFINAL.mp3 ~~~~~ I'm also working on an organ concerto.... Certainly I don't do this to get rich I do like to sell music, but I write primarily because I enjoy it, and frankly, I'd do it even if no one ever bought a single piece. Getting the word to people is difficult, and it costs a lot to promote oneself. I try to be very careful about using online forums or email chatlists - I've found that if I simply stick to posting links to free audio downloads, (without mentioning the fact that the music is for sale) no one seems to feel that I'm abusing the system. Some of you may remember that when I first joined this forum I was publicly whipped (privately, too) when some members thought I was "advertising" my business here - that was not ever my intention to trespass on the good will of Manders or this board, nor to offend anyone. Since I've deleted those posts and refrained from mentioning my publishing venture and stuck to posting file links with minimal (or simply informational) content, I've not had any flames come my way. I hope these links I've put up are taken for what they are - a response to a question about whether we are writing music, not a solicitation for sales. Cheers, -G

Henry Eymieu (1860-1931) a pupil of Widor published a number of organ pieces, among them this Carillon http://www.evensongmusic.net/audio/eymieucarillon.mp3 Enjoy! - Giwro

Hmmm.... Usually I meet with couples about 2 months before the blessed day - I have a requirement that ALL music be chosen and in my hands at LEAST a month before the wedding. It's actually written into the contract that they sign, with the understanding that if that requirement is not met, _I_ get to choose the music. There are perks to the fact that my lovely wife was (until recently) the wedding coordinator at the church (and carefully trained her replacement!) ~~~ I'm usually able to steer folks to good music, and often manage to get them to use some newer stuff - One of the "new" favorites lately has been David German's "Festive Trumpet Tune" which I often suggest for a recessional when couples want something different. My friends Stephen Best and Rany Runyon have written some engaging new Trumpet tunes and processionals, but I've not used any of them for weddings yet... Then there are the raft of TT written by David Johnson - lots of gems there. I avoid the Widor - I simply don't have time to keep it under my fingers these days, since I'm sort of a jack-of-all-trades at this church job, and rarely get the practice I need. ~~~ One wag (getting married later in life for the first time) requested the "Hallelujah Chorus".... I said that that piece was IMHO reserved for either Easter or the entrance to the church by Jesus himself, and since the occasion was not easter (and he SURELY wasn't Jesus!) it was a no-go. I have had some weird requests - folks wanting transcriptions of obscure classical stuff... It's a wild-woolley world out there in wedding-land... ~~~ We had no organ at our wedding - my wife was set on being married in the parish she grew up in, and the organ was an aging analog Rodgers... I had no intention of having that for a memory on such a special occasion, so I hired a string quartet instead. I wrote a piece for her processional and arranged the JSB sinfonia to Cantata #29 for the strings.... it was INFINITELY better than any sound that might have issued from the appliance in the corner of the chancel Cheerio, G

<chuckle> OK, I confess - this is the HW2 sampleset of the Skinner... I usually refrain from mentioning the source of my recordings if they are "virtual", since the organ world has so many folks prejudiced against such things, and it often spoils the enjoyment of a piece if you are listening to see if it's "fake" rather than enjoying the music. I _have_ played Skinners "in the flesh" and I must say this sample set is a good representation of the sounds one would hear on a high-quality CD recording of a Skinner.... Here's another clip, this time strings vs. 1st Open Diapason (egads, I love these strings!) http://www.evensongmusic.net/audio/LoveDivineBeecher.mp3 Enjoy! Giwro (Jonathan Orwig)

<chuckle> Yes, we do have some loud beasts here.... I think also that some organists have the mistaken notion that Tutti means you must use every stop, even if the resulting sound pressure causes ears to bleed... ~~~ The organ in that recording was the E.M. Skinner at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Chicago, Illinois. It is about 57 ranks, but that's plenty. It's original Skinner except for an added Chamade (and maybe a 32' pedal reed, IIRC) The piece was arranged by a friend of mine, David Gotch. Cheers, Giwro

Barry is right.... we have a wide range of quality here in the USA. I've played organs of all kinds in my 42 years, and there are good, bad and mediocre in that lot. One thing most folks across the pond fail to realize about the USA is the staggering amount of LAND it covers - I can leave my house and drive east 2400km and be about in the middle of the country(!). What that means for organbuilding is that there is less tendency to have a "national style" (yes, I know the term "American Classic", but it is far from ubiquitous). There are regional tendencies, but ALWAYS exceptions to that. We do have quite a number of fine builders, some of which are making VERY exciting instruments that are inspiring to play. We also have a fair number of older instruments that time has proven their worth... MM mentioned the fine old Skinners - when "unimproved" (read:left alone) by the Orgelbewewewewewegung crowd, they are among our finest musical treasures, and most English organists would feel quite at home on them, I think. They do have some wonderful sounds in them - herewith a link: http://evensongmusic.net/audio/GotchVaronAdeste.mp3 (14mb 192kbps) or http://evensongmusic.net/audio/LQ/GotchVaronAdeste.mp3 (2.96mb 32kbps) ~~~~ I've not played a Fritts, but I heard one in recital a number of years ago, and it was a stunning sound. It _was_ a north-German inspired, but had been built purposely in that style for a university setting (where there is also a fine romantic organ as well). I'd mention also Dobson - I played a fine 3m tracker in Calvin College - console quite detached and action was still light and responsive (and the SOUND was wonderful!). ~~~~ We _do _ have our share of excessively large pipe organs - I think it's part of our national psyche to worship "bigger as better". Frankly, I've played very few organs over 100rks that were finished well... it seems the larger the organ, the more difficult it is to get it all properly finished Give me 60-70 at most over 3 or 4 manuals (with the correct stops on each manual so the LITERATURE can be played well!). I'd also just as soon forgo the obligatory Honk-en-chamade unless it is voiced well... most of them sound like a blast from a diesel train horn instead of a musical stop... [children run screaming in terror, pacemakers stop, elderly parishioners lose control of their... umm... (well, you get the picture) ] ~~~~ In the last 10 years, I have played some of the BEST organs I have ever heard, most of them rather newly built, some of them from US builders, some from across the pond (a fine Glatter-Götz comes to mind). Come to America - if you're in my neck of the woods (S. California) I'll show you around.... Cheers,

Well, Here is a large, over-grown console that actually HAS pipes: I took this photo at the 2004 American Guild of Organists convention while attending a recital at this church, the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles. Really, at 320+ ranks, this instrument is overkill (the building is not huge, nor is the acoustic generous) It does sound wonderful, though (except for the diesel-train horn/Chamade on 50" of wind..... OUCH! ) Cheers,

Glad you enjoy the music! It is my hope that by doing this, I can encourage organists to explore unfamiliar repertoire... Cheers,

Now, Mvt 2 - a ravishing Andante: http://www.evensongmusic.net/audio/Symmvt2Andante.mp3 (7.42mb, 192kbps) http://www.evensongmusic.net/audio/LQ/Symmvt2Andante.mp3 (1.23mb 32kbps) Cheers,

Now that the Christmas madness is past, and I have some free time, I'm revisiting some projects I set aside... ~~ As part of my research for the Organ Symphonie book, I tracked down the score of Georges Jacob's lone Symphonie. Jacob was a pupil of Guilmant, and played at 2 Paris churches - first at St. Louis d'Antin, then St. Ferdinand-des-Ternes. In addition to this piece, his other major works were 2 sets of 12 pieces one of which was based on paintings by Lena. So, for my last mp3 post of the year, I give you mvt 1 - Prélude Funèbre, Fugue, Variation: http://www.evensongmusic.net/audio/Symmvt1PF+Var.mp3 (8.58mb HQ mp3) http://www.evensongmusic.net/audio/LQ/Symmvt1PF+Var.mp3 (1.42mb LQ mp3 for dial-up) It has been another wonderful year sharing music and our love of the organ - Let's hope it continues for many more. Cheers, -- Jonathan

Hmmm... Maybe guys named Jonathan all have weird tastes - I've certgainly been accused of that before! I'd have a go at Charles Quef's Postlude for Easter (Toccata, uses O Filii for the c.f.) http://evensongmusic.net/audio/Quef/12-1.mp3 Cheerio, - Jonathan

'Reetings to you all as well from the USA (or should that be happy Boxing Day now?) I know this is late, but what the heck - we were (most all of us) busy this weekend, with no time for the list. Here is a charming little piece, Louis Delune's "L'adoration des Bergers" from the collection Les Maitres Contemporains pour orgue. http://evensongmusic.net/audio/DeluneLAdoration.mp3 Hope you all played well, and that you are enjoying a well-deserved rest. Enjoy, - Jonathan

Sadly, I played NO literature this year... Friday one of my kitties was playing, chewing on a button on my shirt front.... silly me, I attempted to get her to stop and CHOMP! there went my left thumb.... OUCH! Bled like a stuck pig..... ~~ Fortunately, I can manage the carols with no left thumb to use, and I can improvise around that limitation, (and my assistant was scheduled to accompany the choir Sunday morn, so....) Sunday am, aft: Improv on "Go, Tell it on the Mountain" pm, aft: Improv on "O Holy Night" <sigh> And here I was thinking of doing 2 cool things for prelude - Dupré's In dulci Jubilo (trot that out at some point every year) and a mvt from Charles Callahan's "Variations on Adeste Fideles" (a yummy slurpy treacle-y "Nocturne") Ah well.... thumb is better today, now time to make sure it is ready for the wedding this weekend (Why do folks insist on holiday weddings? After this one, I will have done THREE in my 8 years here, every one of them nothing short of a royal pain in the ARSE, since I'm already stressed and tired with the responsibilities of the season ) Cheerio,

<chuckle> I remeber one fellow telling the story - I think it was of John Scott Whiteley that "he can play that fiendish French stuff and carry on a full-fledged conversation simultaneously" Me, I can *sort* of talk, but only if I am improvising.... score reading demands my full attention. I remember a number of years ago when I was celebrating my last service at the church I was serving... I've never been the world's greatest sight-reader, so I had to pretty much memorize the choir stuff (I was accompanying AND conducting from the console at the same time!). Consequently, I never played much substantial literature for voluntaries or postludes, since I really did not have time for working up those. In honor of several folks who had often requested me to play more "barn-burners", I decided to work up 2 pieces for that day - the Buxtehude P,F + C, and as a postlude, the Widor Toccata from Sym 5... Here I am, on a 70's-era Phelpsavant with 4 general pistons, 4 divisionals per division, no registrant, no page turner, and as I'm playing the postlude, an old gent comes barging up to the console saying "you've got to get to the parish hall, there's a reception for you!" Egads..... it was in that modualting section where you daren't flinch or lose concentration, or you might forget what key you are in(!) I managed to ignore him, but on the recording one can tell where he comes in - it was all I could do to concentrate on the music :angry: Fortunately, he left me alone after the 2nd service, so I was able to play it "clean" at least once! :angry: I think folks simply don NOT understand the amount of coordination and concentration it requires to make our limbs and fingers do so many things at once :angry: A blessed Christmas to all, - G

Glad they liked it... Believe it or not, this is one of the things I have written that is pretty successful - it's been played all over the globe, from USA to UK to down under. I must confess that although it is nice to make a bit of money at selling my music, it is as much (or more) gratifying to know it is being played and used. Cheers, - G