UPDATED 06/08/2008

FEATURED INSTRUMENT CONCERT   If you enjoy this concert, please donate by clicking on the button to the left! E.M. Skinner Organ, Opus 719 at Our Lady of Mount Carmel - Chicago, Illinois (1928) Samples by Brett Milan Vierne, Louis: Symphonie No. 1, I. Prélude Marked Maestoso, this prelude starts on the Swell with suppressed reeds and builds grandly to almost full organ, and then is suddenly quiet again. Multitrack recording using Great-Pedal, Swell and Choir subsets. [8:9] HW1 Vierne, Louis: Symphonie No. 1, II. Fugue The angular fugue subject contains a diminished 7th chord outline that makes it recognizable in the thick texture, and near the end ascending and descending arpeggios of adjacent diminished 7th chords (there are only three in the 12-note scale) build up to the dramatic finale. Multitrack recording using the 1.5 GT-PD, SW and CH subsets. [4:40] HW1 Vierne, Louis: Symphonie No. 1, III. Pastorale Jocular, lilting 6/8 theme that begins almost inaudibly in the pedal with a middle section that includes the Vox Humana, then returns to the original idea. Multitrack recording using Great-Pedal, Swell and Choir subsets. [5:59] HW1 Stanford, C. V.: Prelude 3, Op. 101 No. 3 Marked "Allegro non troppo" and played entirely on the Swell with the mostly staccato Pedal enhanced by a few stops from the Great coupled down, a cheerful glow surrounds this gentle piece. Thanks to Tom O'Driscoll for the score. [2:4] HW1 Brahms, Johannes: Herzliebster Jesu The Chorale is in the soprano, but somewhat disguised with passing notes. For 1.5 "Fonds" subset. [2:35] HW1 Gigout, Eugène: Minuetto No. 2 from Ten Pieces for Organ, It begins and ends with the Oboe d'Amore on the Swell accompanied by the Great Harmonic Flute 8' and Pedal coupled to Choir for balance. Uses the 1.5 GB Romantic subset. [5:36] HW1 Karg-Elert, Sigfrid: Erschienen ist der herrlich Tag, Op. 65, No. 25 Initial imitation between Soprano and Tenor voices emphasizes the fanfare implicit in the Chorale. Nine-voice chords test the limits of human hearing. Uses the "Toccata" subset. [1:15] HW1 Froberger, J. J.: Capriccio V Imitative caprice in 3 sections. Uses 1.5 "Fonds" subset. [2:16] HW1 Boëllmann, Léon: Introduction-Chorale and Menuet, from Suite Gothique The Menuet is often used this as a spirited wedding recessional but here it is with the movement that precedes it. [5:30] HW1 Krebs, Johann Ludwig: Trio in Em, Br II:30 This is a major work, in 3 movements: 1) Andante, heavily ornamented and elegaic in the best Krebs fashion; 2) Allegro, the first two measures of whose jaunty theme is a direct quote from the third movement of Bach's BWV 525; a florid transition marked Adagio leads to 3) Allabreve which uses ornamentation in a bolder way than movement 1. For the 1.5 GB Baroque subset. [14:30] HW1 Bach, Johann Sebastian: Prelude and Fugue in C minor, BWV 546 This masterful Prelude begins with pitting large chords in the left and right hands, progresses through several expressive episodes, and returns to the original statement at the end. In the companion fugue, the subject alternates with playful episodes that wander off in many directions. Uses the 1.5 GB "Toccata" Model of the new Mount Carmel Skinner samples. [12:16] HW1