Bach and More.

I've recently finished learning the Boellmann Choral Introduction, and am working on the Menuet. I'm eager to work on the Priere a Notre Dame, but I'm holding back until I've finished the Menuet, I've learned it's better not to work on too many pieces at once. I've more or less finished learning the Fugue in Minor (BWV 565), it's not nearly a perfect performance, but I have fingering down for the most part, and can actually play the whole thing through now without stoping. Now I just need to refine my performance (a hell of allot!). I finished learning Banquet Celeste by Messiaen for the most part, I blank out allot while playing it though, which I've never experienced with a piece I've memorized, so I'm going to try to do some additional focused practice on the Banquet. Harry and I may embark on learning the original version of the Prelude, Fugue, and Variation by Frank, the original version is for piano and organ, I didn't realize that until just recently, but now I'm eager for us to be playing it together. The one last piece of music I want to learn before September/October is the Cembalo part for "Wir eilen mit schwachen doch emsigen schritten" from the 78th Cantata by J.S. Bach, it's a personal favorite of mine, and I still haven't bought the sheet, no clue why, so I better get on that! I'm still wondering if I want to keep the Violoncello part as it is, or transcribe it to organ too, to make the accompaniment for organ 4 hands, with one performer (myself in this case) playing the cembalo part on the great, and another (my teacher Harry in this case) playing the Violoncello part on the Swell.
For the Christmas season, Harry and I are going to embark on learning four Christmas pieces for organ duet. I hope it goes well!

IMPROVISE!

IMPROVISING is as important as anything to me in terms of organ performance.
It's always new, essentially, however, all improvisations performed by any particular organist share something with each other; there are certain moments that one swears they've heard before, and other moments in the spontaniously composed music, which scream to the listener, who the artist performing is.
I see people on youtube comment on videos of Latry and Lefebvre, arguing over which one is improvising, as the "video" only contains audio. Most of them seem to agree, by listening, that it is one or the other.
Listening to my own improvisations, I hear many similarities, and patterns used the same way scattered throughout. When I hear Bob Swift improvise, I know instantly that it is Bob playing; it becomes so evident that Cochereau is behind the console when I hear one of his improvisations, and the sophistication of Roth's improvisations, seem to link his pieces together, though these links may sometimes be hard to find.
Here are some of my Youtube improvisations.















Here's one I haven't put on youtube yet!

The New Piano has arrived!

Our new Bluthner 7' 8" grand piano arrived here from Leipzig, Germany today. It is absolutely incredible! The bass notes are superb! The high notes are full and rich! The sustain is unbelievably long, and the dinamic range is enormous!
The massive piano sings through the entire sanctuary, surrounding the listener from each and every side. It's beautiful Polyacrylic finish reflects the beautiful stain glassed windows with perfect clarity. It's allot of piano.

And to think models are made which are a foot and a half longer... sheesh!
I'm so excited to tape myself and Harry playing that Beast!

My Babies!

Here I've compiled all the organs that really do have meaning and personal value for me.

First, we have the organ that sparked my interest; the Lehigh Pipe Organ at Christ Episcopal Church, Reading Pennsylvania. No I've never played it, but it was the first organ I ever heard, and it's had a profound influence on my life.

Here we have the organ at the Bloomsburg First Presbyterian Church, it is a 27 rank by Fritsche, an Estey rebuild. I know this organ better than any other.

Here is the 33 rank Moller at Saint Matthew's Lutheran Church, Bloomsburg, Pa. It's a very powerful instrument!

Also, the 39 rank E.M. Skinner organ at Saint Paul's Memorial Church, is the organ that really inspired me to start to play. (Sorry, no console picture)

Cool Blog.

I recently found a very cool blog. It's all about Organs, from Cathedral Organs, to Theater Organs, to little Hammonds; it's all about organs. Featuring Virgil Fox, and Felix Hell; Frederick Hohman, and Cameron Carpenter; it's an easy menu with links to cool youtube videos and various mp3s.

Check out this blog at:
http://organmp3s.blogspot.com/

Thanks! Bye for now.

Pipe Organs: My own Experience

How I started playing.

1996 - December 2003:
When I was little, in fact as far back into my childhood as I can remember, I had been attending at Christ Church, Berwick, PA; where my Grandfather was rector. It was a very small church, that had a (dreadful!) digital organ. Growing up, it was the only church I ever went to; the only place I'd ever seen a Pipe Organ was in Halloween Picture Books, and animated films. I thought, when I was very young, that they were a myth of sorts.

January 2004:
When I was nine years old, my grandfather became the interim rector at Christ Church, Reading, PA. It was a much larger church, with a tall bell tower, stained glass, and . . .. . .

A Pipe Organ!

The organ was a 60+ rank by the Lehigh Organ Company of Macungie, PA. (View history and specifications at: http://rdgchristchurch.org/Organ.htm)From the first notes of the prelude, to the last chord of the Postlude, I was in utter awe. Not only was I amazed by the sound, but the sheer physical size, and the mysterious console. The silver pipes on either side of the altar were incredible, the console, with all it's stop knobs, it's three manuals, and pedal board, was unbelievable! I saw the organist hit a toe stud and several stops came out, to my astonishment. I deemed them "Ghost Buttons". But O! that sound... Wow!I did not immediately want to learn to play the instrument, I was just fascinated, and wanted to hear it.

January 2005:
About a year later, my grandparents moved to Clark's Summit, PA. My Grandfather became interim Rector at the Church of the Epiphany there. The organ was a tiny thing in a corner, probably no more than 3 or 4 ranks, a sharp contrast. It was quite disappointing. However, my yearn to hear great pipe organ music was still there. I knew that my Grandfather typically did interims, so it would only be a matter of a year or two until there was another chance.

July 2006:
Almost two years after, my Grandparents moved to Charlottesville, VA. My Grandfather became interim rector at Saint Paul's Memorial Episcopal Church, the organ there was a 39 rank, E.M. Skinner; a lovely instrument. Atop of that, their organist had attained Sacred Music Diplomas A and B, as well as his Artist's Diploma in Organ from a Conservatory in Germany! Even the choir was the best church choir I've ever heard by far! Visiting them was quite a delightful experience, because of all the beautiful music! This is when I decided to learn to play the organ. I didn't say a word to my parents; I just downloaded a couple hymns, some Bach Preludes, and a couple other pieces and began to teach myself to play. Within a year I could play the Widor Toccata by memory; I guess I have a gift for 'self-teaching'.

February 2008:
But, alas, the time came when they were to move again. However this new church was rather exciting! My Grandfather became Rector at Saint John's Historic Church in Richmond, VA. This is the very church where Patrick Henry made his "...Give me Liberty, or give me Death!" speech. Needless to say, I was very excited about what the church would be like, and what the organ would be like too! When they moved, the organ turned out to be a 16 rank tracker... oh well. It's beautiful in it's own right however, and I had a lot of fun playing it.

April 2008:
I finally decided that it was time to start taking lessons! So I went searching through all the churches in Bloomsburg; first I tried Wesley United Methodist: no luck. Then I tried Saint Matthew's Lutheran Church: again, no luck. Atop of that I was told not to even check with Saint Paul's Episcopal! So the last church on the list was the First Presbyterian Church: again, no luck. I was so frustrated! Organists are always complaining that there's nobody left these days to play the instrument, there is no interest! Here's somebody, a 13 year old kid, looking for lessons, and nobody would help me out.Fortunately, the organist at the First Presbyterian Church (Harry Martenas) decided to give it a second though, and emailed me about three weeks later and told me to meet him at the church at 6:30 on Wednesday. I was very excited, and I was sure to be there right on time! I played the Toccata BWV: 565 and part of the fugue for him, then I played the Widor toccata; he seemed quite impressed.

Today:
I still have no sight reading ability, but a church service can be memorized and in my muscle memory within three or four days. I play improvisations after church services, and I'm delighted when I get a small audience around the console! Harry and I are currently working on Charles Ives' 'Variations on America' and Eugen Gigout's Toccata in B minor.
Thanks for Reading!