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I felt weak at the knees when I watched this video of Cameron Carpenter playing the Chopin Revolutionary study. Yep, that's right. And guess what he uses to play the runny left hand bits with???

Think I'll give up now and take up truck driving again.

 

chirps

Churchmouse - still feeling weak-kneed

 

Yes, impressive, but why should someone want to play Chopin's Revolutionary Etude on the organ other than because they can? It's a perfectly good piano work after all.

 

Peter

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Yes, impressive, but why should someone want to play Chopin's Revolutionary Etude on the organ other than because they can? It's a perfectly good piano work after all.

 

Peter

I'm afraid I hate it (though not as much as his Franck Pièce Héroïque). Great facility, but I really don't see the point (and I write as someone who generally loves Mahler, Wagner et al on the organ). I'd be more impressed if he could play it beautifully on the piano. Why he feels the need to perform in his underwear is another issue...

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If I were playing that in public I'd certainly wear brown trousers at least.

 

I have to agree with the comments here though. Technically absolutely phenomenal and totally jaw-dropping, but musically a non-starter. Perhaps if he were playing it on a pipe organ...

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Not YouTube but the recordings off here have given me a lot of pleasure recently:

 

Historic Organ Sound Archive

 

Lots of lovely traditional English organs (many very small) giving a very good account of themselves. And quite rightly too!

 

I'd go for 128K donwloads, which have no problems over broadband and are better quality.

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You are welcome to Barbara Dennerlein; to me this demonstrates what the organ is really about. I could listen to it all night. Thank you Hennie!

John C

 

Me also to both!

 

AJJ

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Yes, impressive, but why should someone want to play Chopin's Revolutionary Etude on the organ other than because they can? It's a perfectly good piano work after all.

 

Peter

 

 

Perhaps it was about this sort of performance that Doctor Johnson remarked, "Difficult sir? I wish it were impossible!"

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I'm afraid I hate it (though not as much as his Franck Pièce Héroïque). Great facility, but I really don't see the point (and I write as someone who generally loves Mahler, Wagner et al on the organ). I'd be more impressed if he could play it beautifully on the piano. Why he feels the need to perform in his underwear is another issue...

 

For some reason I cannot entirely escape the feeling that Cameron Carpenter's amazing technique is, at least in part, the result of some Faustian pact with the devil which, while it gave Mr Carpenter amazing abilities, left him without the wisdom to know how to use them ... :)

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I am afraid the Cameron Carpenter video clips also leave me cold.

 

Aside from the fact that, in agreement with a few other contributors, I am not sure why anyone would want to play this particular piece by Chopin on an organ, it is a little messy in places.

 

I am also at a loss to understand how this church can be so satisfied with this electronic substitute. Admittedly, the sound on my computer speakers is not high quality, but it is adequate. The church possessed what looked to be a good pipe organ, prior to its destruction. I would imagine that they are not short of funds, either.

 

I am afraid that I shall not be rushing out to purchase any CDs by Cameron Carpenter. Neither would I consider giving an organ recital whilst looking uncannily like an unlit Galouises.

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The publicity put about in the US for Cameron Carpenter and the digital instrument he is using suggests the rather 'off beam' nature of both even before they are seen, heard or played - reading between the lines so to speak - lots of sweeping statements and superlatives etc.! I personally tend to find the lady organist under discussion in other parts of this forum rather in the same mold.

 

AJJ

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Nice one, Vox. An organ with a Dulciana chorus and Tubas - it must be Pierre's birthday! It's also interesting in having an enclosed GO, like the organ I grew up with. A very flexible arrangement.

JC

 

By the way, I'm always very interested with any on-line recordings of such things...

 

Pierre

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Nice one, Vox. An organ with a Dulciana chorus and Tubas - it must be Pierre's birthday! It's also interesting in having an enclosed GO, like the organ I grew up with. A very flexible arrangement.

JC

 

 

Unkind though it may be to contradict you, John, or spoil Pierre's vicarious enjoyment, I feel obliged to report that a few years ago in a spruce-up operation carried out by Ellis Scothon, the Great at St.George's Cathedral Southwark became formally unenclosed. It all sounds very good indeed now. There are still unusually few ranks for a cathedral organ, but this Compton is great fun for all that!

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Unkind though it may be to contradict you, John, or spoil Pierre's vicarious enjoyment, I feel obliged to report that a few years ago in a spruce-up operation carried out by Ellis Scothon, the Great at St.George's Cathedral Southwark became formally unenclosed. It all sounds very good indeed now. There are still unusually few ranks for a cathedral organ, but this Compton is great fun for all that!

Thanks Paul, I hadn't realised that Ellis Scothon's work had included such a major change. It would be interesting to know how much it was necessary to change the voicing in consequence.

JC

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