Our second organ concert in one day! This afternoon features four organists in mini-recitals, all performing very different programs. First, Sean Jackson, Director of Music at the St. John's Episcopal Church in Connecticut, performs organ pieces by Bach, Walton, Widor and others. Next, Matthew Glandorf, Artistic Director of the Choral Arts Society of Philadelphia, performs an improvised program on the theme of "improvised portraits." Members of the Choral Arts Society will also join him. Shelly Moorman-Stahlman, Professor of Music at Lebanon Valley College, performs an "American Celebration" program with music from Ives, Albright, Eggert and others. Finally, Wesley Parrott, finishes the marathon performing pieces by Duruflé, Hindemith, Tournemire and others. Tell us what you thought of this year's marathon.
This was by far the best Organ concert I had attended in a LONG time.
And thats coming from an Organist with a conservatory training thats
going to another conservatory! I can't wait to renew my membership in
the YPPA as a response of gratitude to the KC for being the only
concert hall with an organ that is serioulsy programming its use. I
pray that The Cosmos (whatever ones you believe in) will be with the
Programming and Marketing people in the coming years to continue these
wonderful programs, and not let the momentum fizzle. The fizzle is
what happened in Seattle, LA, Madison, and Chicago. Dallas is now back
in the swing of using their Organ frequently.
You all made young organists so proud. A few of us were there
together. With us having such a passion to get our instrument to those
in our age group (20 and 30 somethings), its just really nice to see
events like this one.
Some of the GREAT things about this performance:
-ITs probably safe to say that absolutely everything that was played
was a piece of Organ repertoire that holds a position among the
mainstream favorites and crowd pleasers. These are pieces that you
would probably find on some CD collection be titled "Great Organ
Favorites" or "The Worlds Most Beloved Organ Music".
-I can't remember the last time I saw quite a few of these masterworks
performed . Particularly, both Mr Jackson's and Dr. Stalhman's
FANTABURIFIC selections, and the grand B Minor Prelude and Fugue of
Bach just to name a few. Rubricks is a great "razz n tazz" piece. The
first and last movements are like a 6-shot Latte, which obviously
demonstrated her pedal technique, as did the last variation of the
Ives!
It was nice see some organists playing repertoire that people really
love and either:
A-had not heard in a while and went "Oh My Goodness, s/he's playing
(insert piece)!"
B-that get put to the side and un-programmed for events like today
because some organists wish to concentrate as scholars upon certain
repertoire that might not reach the masses.
Don't get me wrong. Everything else this year was good too. But, Im a
trained Organist. I can sit and listen to the extended tone poems of
Liszt (Ad Nos) and entire cycles of Messiean. Today was an event that
appeased the "Organophile" crowd and the crowd that simply knows they like to hear
the organ because its sounds reach them while buying parfum and
pajamas at Macy's.
A little teaser for you...
Go to the popular Online Video site (UTube) and search Hector Olivera
just so you can see what we're in store for next year!
We were proud.
Good luck with the approaching Pay to Play!
We really enjoyed it. My family stayed for the entire time, and my daughter wants to learn how to play.
The concert was wonderful.
The best performance of the day was Matthew Glandorf's improvisational pieces. I was really impressed with the Buxtehude improvisation with the pedal work.
Wesley Parrot never fails to please. Very great performances.
I also liked the selection "Those Americans" from the Calvin Hampton pieces.
It was a shame that they didn't use the pull down video screens this concert.
The only thing about the Kimmel Center Organ I don't like is the bench on the floor console. I always sit on the side, because I like to watch the pedal work. With the center support you can't see the feet working if you sit right behind the instrument.
I would need to hear it to comment. - Put in on TouTube please.