UPDATED 06/08/2008

FEATURED INSTRUMENT CONCERT   If you enjoy this concert, please donate by clicking on the button to the left! The Casavant Frères organ (opus 2871) at St. George's Memorial Anglican Church Oshawa, Ontario, Canada (1966) Samples by Ken Bales Bach, Johann Sebastian: Nun danket alle Gott, BWV 079a A cheerful arrangement from Cantata No. 79 for two organists, one handling the trumpet parts, the other playing the chorale on the Swell and Pedal). Originally prepared on March 21, 2000, the 315th anniversary of J.S. Bach's birthday. [2:16] MO Buxtehude, Dietrich: Danket dem Herrn, BuxWV 181 Three variations on the chorale, the first on one manual; the second with the chorale sounded in the pedal, a quasi bass part in the left hand, and a cheerful motif running through the right hand; the third again uses the pedal for the chorale in the pedal and a sort of two-part invention sounded on one manual, with a harmonically arresting cadence. [2:59] MO Dupré, Marcel: Ave Maris Stella IV, Opus 18, No. 9 Finale: an energetic staccato-ridden toccata in the manuals, Choral in the pedal. [NOTE: Release Sample Scaling was turned OFF.] [2:5] MO Bach, Johann Sebastian: Ich ruf' zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ, BWV 639 From The Liturgical Year (Das Orgelbüchlein), Bach's uncompleted collection of short chorale preludes for the Lutheran Church Year, this chorale is a simple but elegant trio for reed and flute stops. [1:48] MO Vierne, Louis: Prélude, Op. 31, No. 5 Sweetly evokes a wistful accordion or distant carousel. [3:12] Midi file available. MO Brahms, Johannes: Herzlich tut mich verlangen (II) A restless accompaniment in the manuals adds urgency to the passion chorale as sounded in the pedal. [2:21] MO 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. [5:17] MO Vierne, Louis: Madrigal, Op. 31, No. 9 A charming little diversion. [2:21] Midi file available. MO Reger, Max: Werde munter, mein Gemüte, Op. 67, No. 47 The tune is always in the soprano voice, and triplets adorn the third phrase. [1:11] MO 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. [11:11] MO Franck, César: Cantabile Chromatic, romantic and dramatic, with moments of great relief. [4:44] MO Krebs, Johann Ludwig: Trio in Em, Br II:30 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 Trio Sonata No. 1 (BWV 525); a florid transition marked Adagio leads to 3) Allabreve which uses ornamentation in a bolder way than movement 1. [13:56] MO