UPDATED 03/09/2010

FEATURED INSTRUMENT CONCERT   Your support is necessary to continue this service. Even a small donation will help. E.M. Skinner Organ, Opus 719 at Our Lady of Mount Carmel - Chicago, Illinois (1928) - Samples by Brett Milan Franck, César: Molto moderato in Eb minor Homophonic sections alternating with bass solo in a key with 6 flats. The entire piece is played on the Waldhorn 16' + Oboe D'amore 8' on the Swell subset. [1:22] HW1 Buxtehude, Dietrich: Prelude and Fugue in G minor, BuxWV 149 A rollicking precursor to the great organ preludes and fugues of J.S. Bach, but instead of two separate movements, it consists of four contrasting sections, the last of which is an expressive fugue. Uses the 1.5 GB Toccata subset. [7:56] HW1 Franck, César: Allegretto in Eb Major The melody in the bass and tenor are played on the Swell Oboe d'Amore, the other three voices on Choir flues an octave lower than written (Franck specifies a 16' stop here). Uses the 1.5 GB Romantic subset. [0:49] HW1 Gigout, Eugène: Offertoire ou Communion No. 7 from Ten Pieces for Organ, this is an expressive trio where all three claviers have a chance at the melody. Choir is coupled to Great and Pedal. Uses 1.5 GB "Fonds" subset. [3:19] HW1 Grigny, Nicolas De: Pange Lingua, en taille, à 4 Unusually heady ornamentation, even for Grigny, on a sparkling plenum with the cantus sounded in slow notes on the Choir Tromba 8' + Trompette en Chamade 8' coupled to the Pedal. Uses the 1.5 GB "Toccata" Model. [2:59] Midi file available. HW1 Buxtehude, Dietrich: Ciacona in E minor, BuxWV 160 This set of pensive variations uses various stops on the Great to simulate other manuals, and is also registered from soft to loud and back to soft again It uses only the Great and Pedal (loads in 1.5GB of memory). [5:46] HW1 Franck, César: Sortie in G Major In three sections: Allegro, based on the Allegretto (#3) in this key grouping, Quasi lento, based on the Quasi Lento (#4) in this key grouping, and Allegro, a dramatic amalgam of the first two. The pipe organ arrangement involved considerable slowing, addition of pedal part, and reregistration for 1.5 GB "Toccata" subset. [3:58] HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Air from Suite No. 3 in D This is a direct transcription from the orchestral score, but tries to simulate the version I've played at countless weddings. One of Bach's most romantic melodies. Here, the Choir French Horn is featured, using the 1.5 Romantic model. [4:19] HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Nun komm der Heiden Heiland, BWV 659 A voluptuous setting of Martin Luther's Advent Chorale, "Saviour of the Gentiles, Come." This version expresses a palpable yearning for a long awaited redemption. For many years I made it a practice of playing this piece on the First Sunday of Advent. Virtual Performance by James Pressler using the Romantic model. [4:21] HW1 Franck, César: Andantino poco allegretto in Eb Major The Choir strings are coupled to the Great Harmonic Flute. Uses the 1.5 GB Romantic subset. [0:58] HW1 Gigout, Eugène: Andante religioso No. 5 from Ten Pieces for Organ, this is a very quiet canon between soprano and pedal using the 1.5 GB "Fonds" subset. [4:43] HW1 Franck, César: Quasi lento in Eb Major Childlike and coy, the right hand is soloed out on the Second Diapason against Swell and Pedal. Uses the 1.5 GB Romantic subset. [0:56] HW1 Karg-Elert, Sigfrid: An Wasserflüssen Babylon, Op. 65, No. 12 Rather saccharine and chromatic setting utilizing as nearly as possible the composer's unusual registration suggestions: 16' + 4' without 8', an arbitrary Clarinet added at one point. [3:24] HW1 Gigout, Eugène: Rhapsodie (on Christmas Carols) No. 6 from Ten Pieces for Organ, a tour-de-force utilizing Adeste Fideles and other carols. [7:41] (A=465) HW1 Karg-Elert, Sigfrid: Ich will dich lieben, meine Stärke, Op. 65, No. 18 The tempo marking "Divotamente e teneramente" pretty much says it all. Uses the 1.5GB "Romantic" subset. [1:28] HW1 Pressler, James: Prelude on "Cranham" 4 verses, beginning with the hymn melody on the Swell Rohrflute 8', continuing with open fifths in the tenor and bass (Great and Pedal), the third verse uses the melody in the tenor on the Choir Clarinet with a soprano descant, the alto on the Great and the bass on the Pedal and the last verse is a variation of the usual hymn arrangement, with the Swell Oboe d'Amore and Tremulant playing the melody. For the 1.5 GB Romantic subset. [2:57] HW1 Karg-Elert, Sigfrid: Christe, Du Lamm Gottes, Op. 65, No. 46 "Written in the style of Pachelbel", tempo is "Grave alla Sarabanda." 1.5 GB "Fonds" subset. [3:3] HW1 Karg-Elert, Sigfrid: O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig, Op. 65, No. 20 There is a Canon at the seventh between manuals, and the Chorale is marked "marcato." Composer's registration and articulation instructions have been followed closely. [2:20] HW1 Stanford, C. V.: Prelude 2, Op. 101 No. 2 Marked "Allegro non troppo e pesante" and fairly virtuosic, this piece would make a good processional or postlude. Many thanks to Tom O'Driscoll for the score. [2:13] HW1 Karg-Elert, Sigfrid: Lobe den Herren, O meine Seele, Op. 65, No. 28 Composer's tempo indication: "Allegro festivo e brillante" has been slowed a bit for the generous acoustics, and the Tuba Mirabilis is used in a mighty crescendo near the end. This would make a convincing commencement march. [2:59] HW1