UPDATED 06/08/2008

Now accepting credit cards

 
FEATURED INSTRUMENT CONCERT
Click to see another concert Click to stream concert Click to see another concert Click to see another concert Click to see another concert Click to see another concert Click to see another concert Click to see another concert Click to see another concert Click to see another concert
 
    If you enjoy this concert, please donate by clicking on the button to the left!

    Schantz Organ at First Baptist Church of Riverside, California (1966) -
    Samples by Jonathan Orwig
    Bach, Johann Sebastian: Wo soll ich fliehen hin, BWV 646Download View Lyrics
    The second of the Schübler Chorales, named after Georg Schübler, the person who engraved them. This is the only one of the six not to be based on an extant cantata movement. Bach specifies: "1. Clav. 8 Fuss; 2. Clav. 16 Fuss; Ped. 4 Fuss." That is to say, 1st keyboard 8 foot (standard pitch), 2nd keyboard 16 foot (one octave lower), Pedal 4 foot (one octave higher, playing the chorale melody). Actual registration: GT (2. Clav.) Rohrgedackt 16' + Bourdon 8'; SW (1. Clav.) Rohrflute 8' + Principal 2'; Pedal: Rohrschalmei 4'. [2:4] HW1
    Dupré, Marcel: Magnificat VI, Opus 18, No. 15Download View Lyrics
    Brilliant arpeggios in the manual part with heroic pedal theme, ending with descending parallel marcato chords. Would make a great postlude. Full organ with many manual couplers against full uncoupled pedal viewable here. [1:59] HW1
    Reger, Max: Es ist das Heil uns kommen her, Op. 67, No. 10Download View Lyrics
    The Chorale is in the soprano and many of Bach's techniques are used but there is a generally adventurous chromaticism and octave doubling at the end. [1:18] HW1
    Buxtehude, Dietrich: Lobt Gott, Ihr Christen, allzugleich, BuxWV 202Download View Lyrics
    Jolly little Christmas setting featuring the GT Rohr Schalmei 8' (T.C.) with supercoupled Gedackt 8' coupled also to Pedal Bourdon 16'. Close miking. [1:4] HW1
    Reger, Max: Gott des Himmels und der Erden, Op. 67, No. 12Download View Lyrics
    The chorale is sounded on the Great in the treble register (GT: Gedackt 8' + Spitzflute 4') and later repeated on the SW with considerable decoration, the accompanying motives are based on the chorale (SW: Gambe 8' + Octave 4'; PD: Bourd 16' + SW to PD 8'). Registration and recording provided by Jonathan Orwig - http://www.evensongmusic.net/ [1:29] HW1
    Bach, Johann Sebastian: Fugue in C minor, BWV 575Download
    This is an extremely playful early fugue of Bach. The subject is hesitant to proceed, but when all four measures are through, you pretty well know it is a fugue subject. The adagio at the end just continues the surprises. The bulk of the fugue is played on the GT Bourdon 8' + Octave 4' + Larigot 1 1/3 with SW Principal 2' coupled down. The PD enters at Ms. 65 with Rohrgedackt 16' + Octave 8' + Mixture III + Fagotto 16'; on the GT the Bourdon is replaced by the Principal 8' and Mixture IV is added. The next PD change retires the Rohrgedackt and draws the Bourdon 16' + Trompete 8'. In answer to this, the Rohrgedackt 16' is added to the GT and Mixture IV to the SW. Not to be outdone, the PD adds the Choral Bass 4'. The final registration adds the Rohrschalmei 4' to the PD, the Bourdon 8' to the GT, and a battery of Rohrflute 8' + Gambe 8' + Gemshorn 4' + Nasard 2 2/3' to the SW (which, as I'm sure you will remember, has always been coupled to the GT). [4:2] HW1
    Karg-Elert, Sigfrid: Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ, Op. 65, No. 6Download View Lyrics
    The chorale is sounded on the Pedal Trompette, first against the Swell and later against the Great coupled to the Swell, with dynamic changes as indicated by the composer. Recorded by Jonathan Orwig. [1:40] HW1
    Krebs, Johann Ludwig: Fugue in Cm, Br II:11Download
    Straightforward 4 voice fugue, three on the Great and one on the pedal. The trill that is part of the fugue subject is subtly varied. [2:37] HW1
    Karg-Elert, Sigfrid: Es ist das Heil uns kommen her, Op. 65, No. 4Download View Lyrics
    Marked "Lento con expressione" the composer's other notes as translated into English are less clear: "Let the free style of the chorale melody be noted from the coloring" and "It is to be pointed out that a dynamic or exaggerated accent is not to be desired." So the Phantom Organist restrained his exaggerated baroque accents even more than usual when doing German romantic music and the results are quite smooth. Registration: Manual Gedackt 8' + Harmonic Flute 8'; Pedal Bourdon 16' + SW-PD 8'. [1:7] HW1
    Krebs, Johann Ludwig: Wachet aufDownload View Lyrics
    From a series of eight Concerted Chorale Preludes in the form of an organ trio with the chorale usually played by a solo instrument. Here, the chorale sounds in the PD at 4' pitch, with all other voices on the GT except one small echoed passage. Showing the gentler side of the organ, it begins with the PD Nachthorn 4', GT Bourdon 8', and SW Rohrflute 8' for the echo; the repeat uses PD Choral Bass 4', GT Bourdon 8' + Spitzflöte 4', with SW Rohrflute 8' + Gemshorn 4' as the echo; after the repeat you hear PD Choral Bass 4' + Nachthorn 4', GT Bourdon 8' + Waldflöte 2' + Quint 1 1/3; with SW Rohrflute 8' + Nazard 2 2/3' for the echo. [3:21] HW1
    Karg-Elert, Sigfrid: Mit Ernst, o Menschenkinder, Op. 65, No. 9Download View Lyrics
    The tempo indicated is Largo mysterioso, and the explicit chorale soloed out on the Great Flute is always preceded by a homophonic version on a mysterious sounding Swell with rumbly pedal. [3:24] HW1
    Reger, Max: Jauchz, Erd, und Himmel, juble hell, Op. 67, No. 15Download View Lyrics
    The chorale in the Pedal is more widely known to American churchgoers as "I'll praise my maker while I've breath." The tempo indication translates "Extremely Lively." The registration instructions are explicit but very strange: the 16' register is to be added and subtracted throughout, in very awkward places. Beginning and ending are on the Great with the repeat played on the Swell and a reduced pedal. Special thanks are due to Jonathan Orwig for taking time out of a busy schedule to record this for me. [3:33] HW1
    Buxtehude, Dietrich: Nun freut euch lieben Christen g'mein, BuxWV 210Download View Lyrics
    This unusual setting sets forth two divisions (in this case the Swell and Great) against each other - they are united only at the end. [11:30] HW1
    Buxtehude, Dietrich: Danket dem Herrn, BuxWV 181Download View Lyrics
    Three variations on the chorale, the first on one manual (GT Principal 8' + Octave 4' + Mixture IV with SW Nazard 2 2/3' + Principal 2' + Mixture IV coupled down); the second with the chorale sounded in the pedal (Trompete 8'), a quasi bass part in the left hand on the GT (Rohrgedackt 16' + Bourdon 8' + Spitzflute 4'), and a cheerful motif running through the right hand on the SW (Rohrflute 8' + Gambe 8' + Nazard 2 2/3' + Principal 2' + SW/SW 4'); the third again uses the PD (Full except for the Rohrgedackt 16' and the two Nachthorns) for the chorale, and a sort of two-part invention sounded on the GT (Full except 2' Waldflute with SW Nazard 2 2/3' + Principal 2 + Mixture 4 + Trompete 8' + Rohr Schalmei 4' coupled down. The final cadence is a little startling. [2:57] HW1
    Krebs, Johann Ludwig: Trio in G, Br II:35Download
    Lighthearted romp through several keys and textures with exceptionally active pedal part and some playful chromaticism. In measure 63 a slight change was made to avoid parallel 5ths between right and left hands. [3:29] HW1
    Bach, Johann Sebastian: Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 565Download
    The most famous of Bach's solo organ pieces, the one that begins every organ CD, evokes pictures of madmen flailing an organ (or an orchestra), without which the complete organ works of Johann Sebastian Bach would certainly be incomplete. Actually, it is a beautifully crafted, stunningly dramatic statement. A high bandwidth version (320 KBPS, 18MB file) is available here. [7:33] HW1