UPDATED 06/08/2008

FEATURED INSTRUMENT CONCERT   If you enjoy this concert, please donate by clicking on the button to the left! Casavant, Opus 3246 (1975) at Grace Lutheran Church, Champaign, Illinois - Samples by Brett Milan Bach, Johann Sebastian: Kyrie, Gott Heiliger Geist, BWV 671 Full organ with the chorale played slowly in the pedal. The highly chromatic ending is striking. The three note opening of the chorale is used often right side up and inverted, where it sounds like "Three Blind Mice." [4:50] HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Ach Gott und Herr, BWV 692 Two voices on the Oberwerk (Great), one voice on the Rückpositiv (Positive located behind the organist), that's what Bach prescribes, and the Phantom Organist comes close using the Regal on the Brustwerk. [1:8] HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: O Lamm Gottes unschuldig, BWV 1095 Very gentle setting quite different from the towering BWV 656 from the Leipzig Chorales. It has been rearranged from a one-manual piece by placing the Chorale on the Great Cornet and the lowest line of the left hand on the Pedal. From the Neumeister Chorale Collection. [2:16] HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Wie nach einer Wasserquelle, BWV 1119 A plaintive trio played here on the Brustwerk 8' Regal, Hauptwerk 8' Hohlflöte+4 Octave and Pedal 16' Subbass + 8' Prinzipal. From the Neumeister Chorale Collection. [1:47] HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Christus, der ist mein Leben, BWV 1112 The Chorale in the soprano voice has been bolstered with the 4' Regal in the Pedal, with thrilling effect. From the Neumeister Chorale Collection. [1:23] HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Ach Gott, tu dich erbarmen, BWV 1109 In this tiny jewel of a fughetta, very gentle syncopations occasionally interrupt the general Bachian flow. From the Neumeister Chorale Collection. [2:15] HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Gott ist mein Heil, mein Hilf und Trost, BWV 1106 Droll perpetual motion treatment of an obscure chorale. Some subtle echo effects that are reminiscent of Sweelinck. From the Neumeister Chorale Collection. [1:36] HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Ach Herr, mich armen Sünder, BWV 742 The indications are Rückpositiv for the top voice, a highly ornamented version of the chorale, and Oberwerk for the two-voice accompaniment. The Phantom Organist chose the 8' Regal for the former and Flute 8' with Octave 4' for the latter. From the Neumeister Chorale Collection. [1:34] HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Wir Christenleut, BWV 710 A fetching trio on a 16th century German Christmas chorale. The chorale is in the pedal, played on the 8' Prinzipal.. [1:49] HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Ach Gott und Herr, BWV 693 For manual and pedals. Fragments of the chorale are used in imitative style. [1:22] Midi file available. HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Herr Christ der ein'ge Gottes Sohn, BWV 698 Fughetta in three voices for one manual. The registration couples the 4' Brustwerk Rohrflöte with the two flutes on the Hauptwerk. [0:58] HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Ach Gott und Herr, BWV 714a Starts with a sombre setting of the chorale and is then followed by the familiar but intriguing double canon at the octave, with that haunting simplicity Bach can impart to four related lines of music. The lower voice of the canon is highlighted on the Great Trumpet. From the Neumeister Chorale Collection. [2:14] HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Vater unser im Himmelreich, BWV 762 Highly ornamented setting of the German chorale associated with the Lord's prayer, which is quite recognizable throughout. [2:7] HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Christe, Aller Welt Trost, BWV 670 The chorale is in the Tenor voice, in very long notes. This setting is a bit esoteric; it would take several hearings to pick up all the subtleties. [4:14] HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Jesu, meine Freude, BWV 1105 The melody hops from Soprano to Tenor to Bass voice, and after the repeat, three separate textures are used, joined by little florid passages. All in all, a lot is packed into a piece lasting little more than a minute. Fingering seemed impossible as a one-manual piece, so there is a separate pedal part. From the Neumeister Chorale Collection. [1:24] HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Prelude and Fugue in G Major, BWV 541 A cheerful and engaging pair, this Prelude and Fugue is rated G for General Audiences. I think the stretto (a technique where the fugue subject in a new voice begins before the old one ends, similar to a Round) at the end of the fugue is especially thrilling. [7:30] HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Wir glauben all an einen Gott, BWV 765 Four voice contrapuntal treatment of the chorale associated with the Lutheran creed, the soprano states the chorale in augmentation (half speed). [2:33] HW1 Brahms, Johannes: Herzliebster Jesu The Chorale is in the soprano, but somewhat disguised with passing notes. [2:13] HW1 Brahms, Johannes: O Welt, ich muß dich lassen (I) The "weeping" interval of a second dominates the accompaniment, though it is also inverted. [2:3] HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Herzliebster Jesu, BWV 1093 A simple but evocative setting of this beloved passion chorale for single manual. From the Neumeister Chorale Collection. [1:48] HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Als Jesus Christus in der Nacht, BWV 1108 Flowing chorale and one sweet variation on another obscure old text. From the Neumeister Chorale Collection. [2:0] HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ, BWV 722 Another Chorale Harmonization, with improvisatory material between phrases of the chorale. It is marked for manuals only, and the Phantom Organist has chosen to separate the florid interludes on a separate manual which uses the Regal stop in a flute chorus. [1:2] HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Kyrie, Gott Vater in Ewigkeit, BWV 669 Rich counterpoint with Bach's usual key migrations and permutations, based largely on the choral, which appears in augmentation in the Soprano. [2:56] HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Prelude and Fugue in C Major, BWV 545 The prelude is full of suspensions and involves full Great and Pedal throughout. The Fugue is mostly exposition, with the subject often appearing unexpectedly; one time it begins in parallel thirds, but the lower voice abandons this treatment. [6:1] HW1