This Sunday at St. Mark’s I’ll be playing two movements from Bach’s partita on “Sei gegrüsset, Jesu gütig,” one of my very favorite pieces of all-time. Even though it has been at least 12 or 13 years since I last played this piece, this week during my practice I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was still in my fingers.

It was this piece, “Sei gegrüsset, Jesu gütig,” that I had an intense musical experience, a phenomenon I learned about through artificial intelligence:

An intense musical experience, also known as an Intense Musical Event (IME), a powerful and transformative emotional and sensory experience triggered by music. These experiences often involve altered states of consciousness, profound emotional responses, and a lasting impact on personal values, beliefs, and worldview. 

Characteristics of Intense Musical Experiences:

• Altered States of Consciousness:.IMEs can induce a sense of being deeply absorbed in the music, leading to a temporary suspension of awareness of the surrounding environment. 
• Strong Emotions:.Listeners may experience a wide range of emotions, from joy and euphoria to sadness, awe, and even catharsis. 
• Physical Sensations:.Intense musical experiences can be accompanied by physical sensations like goosebumps, chills, and a tingling sensation, often referred to as “musical frisson”. 
• Cognitive and Perceptual Shifts:.IMEs can lead to shifts in perception, a sense of meaning and connection, and a deeper understanding of oneself and the world. 
• Long-Term Impact:.These experiences can have lasting effects on personal values, motivation, and social relationships. 

Who knew that this kind of phenomenon had a scientific name?

What happened was that forty-five years ago (!) the French virtuoso, Marie-Claire Alain, came to the Lutheran Church of Honolulu and this is what happened when she played “Sei gegrüsset”

…Another memorable musical experience happened many years ago when the world-famous organist Marie-Claire Alain came to the Lutheran Church of Honolulu. She was supposed to do an Interterm session for Southern Methodist University (where the late Robert T. Anderson was formerly the organ department head), but insufficient registrations caused the program to be cancelled. She came to Hawaii with her husband, anyway, and had a wonderful vacation. Bob Anderson brought her to the Lutheran Church of Honolulu to see the Beckerath organ and after a few minutes of him improvising, she scooted him off the bench and began to play. What happened in the next hour was one of those extraordinary times when time stands still and something reaches in and grabs your heart, giving a little squeeze. One of the pieces Marie-Claire played was Bach’s “Sei gegrüsset,” still one of my all-time favorites. It was a private recital for just the two of us, Carl and myself, and an experience we will both remember as long as we live.  What made the performance so memorable was how every note was special; she played not only with her hands and feet, she played with her heart. It gives me chills just thinking about it. Afterwards she told us that our organ was “one of the finest in North America.” Wow!

Here is a recording of Marie-Claire Alain performing one of the movements I’ll be playing on Sunday.

It’s been super busy at St. Mark’s as Father Paul Lillie wrote in his weekly letter:

Because Easter was late this year, Corpus Christi comes late this year, and as a result we have a number of high holy days that are celebrated in close proximity. The celebrations of Corpus Christi begin tomorrow (that was last night!), the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist arrives on Tuesday, the Feast of the Sacred Heart arrives June 27, and then two days later the great holy day of Saint Peter and Saint Paul is celebrated on June 29. This is four solemnities in two weeks. The challenge is giving all four of these feasts their proper place, as each teaches the faith in a unique way.

And of course, last Sunday was Trinity Sunday and the week before, Ascension and Pentecost. However, after playing Sunday afternoon Vespers on June 29, I’ll be getting on the plane for 3-1/2 weeks in Europe, away from my usual schedule of practicing and playing 3-4 services a week, teaching organ lessons, and studying Spanish and French every day.

And to my great relief, the Legacies and Blessings book, in celebration of the 125th anniversary of the Lutheran Church of Honolulu, is at the printers! The finished book for which I did the layout and design, has 92 pages and is full of heartwarming stories and memorable photos.

The other day Father Paul came up to the organ loft to tell me about a change in the worship schedule, and I was telling him that in the two seasons I’ve been at St. Mark’s, last night was the first time that I’ve repeated any repertoire for my prelude and postlude! Yes, I’ve been burning through organ rep like crazy playing all these services. With the schedule replacing Sunday afternoon Vespers with a Saturday night mass with Benediction, he gave me permission to play the same prelude/postlude on Sunday morning!

I may consider it!