My Advent Organ Chorales concert was over just about an hour ago, and I have breathed a HUGE sigh of relief that there were no disasters!
Being that it was a Facebook Live event, it means that there was no stopping allowed, no do overs, no “Wait, can we try that again.”
I have to admit that this was my first ever live-streaming event, and I was a tad on edge. I mean, I have played a lot of live concerts, but knowing that people all over the world will see and hear me, and worse yet, it is out there, warts and all, on the internet forever.
Here was the order of the program:
Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme -J. S. Bach
Freu dich sehr -Egil Hovland
Freu dich sehr -Gerald Near
Herr Christ, der einige Gottes Sohn -Johann Pachelbel
O Heiland Reiss -Walther Haffner
In dulci jubilo -Marcel Dupré
Nun komm der Heiden Heiland -Hugo Distler
Nun komm der Heiden Heiland -J. S. Bach
Nun komm der Heiden Heiland -Paul Manz
We had a few oopsies, especially since Scott Fikse, music director, was also in charge of placing an assortment of iPhones and iPads in position. During the second piece, “Freu dich ser,” by Egil Hovland, Scott was off adjusting one of the cameras, and didn’t quite realize that the piece was quite so short, and … wasn’t quite back in position to conduct the choir. And Bowe Souza, the tenor, had a momentary mask malfunction when his ear loop slipped off, and he had to hold his mask on.
But hey, the show must go on and we couldn’t stop.
The setting of Marcel Dupré’s In dulci jubilo, was a piece I learned in my very first year of taking organ lessons, when I was just 13 years old. That was DECADES and DECADES ago! Tonight’s version, though, was transposed down a third, to make it a little easier to sing.
In case you missed the livestream, you can see the video here:
Thanks, Scott, for asking me to play!
Delightful Advent concert and well done! Thank you! It reminds me, Katherine, of one I did like it for our AGO noon time concerts, except I used all Paul Manz and the liturgical year. Paul asked me for a copy of it for his files; I felt so honored! I know you had fun, too.
So many congrats, can’t wait to watch!
Katherine with a “K” Crosier — Would you consider starting a series on “My studies with Marcel Dupre”? Harold Mueller would occasionally reference his experiences studying with Dupre at the University of Chicago and a concert at Trinity Episcopal in S.F. Mr. Mueller’s insights left me wanting more (a good sign of a great storyteller). And, “Yes, Virginia”–uh, Katherine, there is “Life After the Bench” where old organists go to recover, or learn to live peaceably, from the ravages of osteoporosis and hemorrhoids brought on by years of repeated assaults playing a very un-ergonomic instrument.
Hey, Keith, it’s good to hear from you! Your idea about the series on Dupré is good; however my memories of Dupré are pretty fuzzy since they are from 52 years ago! Speaking of occupational hazards, check out my post on Bach having “organist disease.”
http://insanity.blogs.lchwelcome.org/2015/07/16/occupational-hazard/