UPDATED 06/08/2008

FEATURED INSTRUMENT CONCERT   If you enjoy this concert, please donate by clicking on the button to the left! Buzard, Opus 3 (1986) at University of Illinois - Samples by Brett Milan Froberger, J. J.: Canzona II The chromatic subject is first expounded upon in common meter (4/4), then changes to triple meter, and interrupted by a colorful keyboard flourish, progresses to 6/4 time, ending a bit abruptly. Froberger's interesting harmonic juxtapositions again prevail. [3:49] Midi file available. HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Wir glauben all' an einen Gott, BWV 681 This highly ornamented Fughetta uses the opening motive of the chorale as its subject. [1:7] Midi file available. HW1 Sweelinck, Jan Pieterszoon: Echo Fantasia 3 (Aeolian) A rather forthright fugue-like exposition to begin with, regressing to the softer manual for the echo section, back to the louder sound for some quasi-echo passages a charming hemiola section and then scalar passages in eighth notes and later sixteenth notes, which alternate between right and left hands, with the opposite hand holding long chords. [3:17] Midi file available. HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Vater Unser im Himmelreich, BWV 683 Quiet and meditative setting in four voices on one manual from the small Organ Mass. [1:22] Midi file available. HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Jesus Christus, unser Heiland (Fuga), BWV 689 The last movement of the German Organ Mass, this four-voice fugue is to be played on one manual. Articulation of the chorale is thus very important so it is clearly recognizable. [3:11] Midi file available. HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Short Prelude and Fugue in Bb Major, BWV 560 The prelude contains a "flashy" (at least for beginners) pedal passage, which is repeated a little softer just for practice. The fugue subject is slightly saucy, and in this version ends with a splash of reeds. [3:31] HW1 Brahms, Johannes: O wie selig From the Eleven Preludes for organ, which place Lutheran hymnody in lyrically romantic settings. [1:31] HW1 Froberger, J. J.: Canzona VI Divided in three sections, the first in common meter has a businesslike melody with a chord outline as its basis, it enters a 12/8 section via a florid passage but the chord outline is still recognizable, and reverts to common meter and some fairly odd harmonies ending this set of six canzonas with a measured trill. [2:40] HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Lob sei dem allmächtigen Gott, BWV 704 Ultrasimple three-voice fughetta on an Advent chorale, played on a bright flute combination. [0:52] HW1 Froberger, J. J.: Canzona I Jakob Johann Froberger (1616-1667) German composer, organist, and harpsichordist whose keyboard compositions are generally acknowledged to be among the richest and most attractive of the early Baroque era. He is credited with invewnting the keyboard suite and his work In a letter to J. N. Forkel, Johann Sebastian Bach's first biographer, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach named Froberger as a composer whose works his father had admired. This canzona has two major sections, each ending with a major flourish, but the first also has a noticeable cadence about halfway through. Though fairly conventional in appearance, the harmonic ambiiguities are intriguing. The Phantom Organist has corrected what appear two be two engraving errors that result in uncharacteristic dissonance. [5:9] HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend, BWV 709 Short but extremely florid setting of this chorale. [1:34] HW1 Sweelinck, Jan Pieterszoon: Echo Fantasia 5 (Ionian) [attributed] The gentlest of little echo fantasias, very few echoes, ending with a "virtuoso" passage up and down the louder keyboard with softer chords accompanying. [4:47] Midi file available. HW1 Brahms, Johannes: Herzlich tut mich erfreuen Pianistic arpeggiation throughout, with the chorale sounded in the soprano voice. [1:52] HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Nun komm der Heiden Heiland, BWV 699 Fughetta based on the first phrase of the Advent chorale, in 3 voices. [0:50] HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Christe, Aller Welt Trost, BWV 673 The Christe is in 6/8 time and 4 voices, again played on a single manual. [1:24] Midi file available. HW1 Grigny, Nicolas De: Récit de Tierce en taille The fourth part of the Gloria from Organ Mass IV, this exquisitely expressive solo in the tenor voice is a jewel of the French Baroque by a composer who lived only 31 years. [3:11] Midi file available. HW1 Froberger, J. J.: Canzona III The main sections are in common time, 9/8 with a related theme relatd to the first one, and common time to end with flourishes on either side and yet another rhythmic variation on the first theme. The gentle registers are the 8 'and 4' stops on each manual. [2:58] HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Ein feste Burg ist Unser Gott, BWV 720 Registration is prescribed by Bach at the beginning: Fagotto in the left hand, Sesquialtera in the right hand. Thereafter he merely specifies manuals (Oberwerk and Positiv). The chorale is used for the figuration, and is sounded at slower speed in various voices. The resulting effect is much lighter than the ponderous hymn tune it is based on. [3:22] HW1 Brahms, Johannes: Herzlich tut mich verlangen (II) A restless accompaniment in the manuals adds urgency to the passion chorale as sounded in the pedal. [2:8] HW1 Brahms, Johannes: Schmücke dich, o liebe Seele Loving setting by Brahms of the familiar Communion hymn. [1:47] HW1 Sweelinck, Jan Pieterszoon: Echo Fantasia 4 (Ionian) The actual echo section comprises less than a page of this 6-page score, Sequences and repeated notes and scalar passages comprise the rest, much like a keyboard improvisation. [6:45] Midi file available. HW1