I just heard a promo for this week’s “From the Top” radio program on public radio, a showcase for young classical musicians. This week’s broadcast will feature a young organist from Texas, and Christopher O’Riley, host, said, “What motivates a young person to take up this majestic instrument?” For the past twenty years, there’s been… Read More The organ is not dead!
In contrast to last Sunday’s German Romantic music, this week the LCH choir will be singing music by the Estonian composer, Arvo Pärt (born 1935) and Dmitri Bortniansky (1751–1825). I found out that Pärt and Carl Crosier share the same birthday (September 11th!) but obviously not the same year. Arvo Pärt described his music in… Read More Minimalism and Arvo Pärt
The quote, “Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!” originated from the Civil War, when in the face of obvious adversity, Admiral David Farragut (1801-1870) entered Mobile Bay, Alabama. He had been warned that the area contained deadly torpedoes, but he refused to slow down and ordered his fleet forward. This season has been a little… Read More D*** the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!
There was a story about Max Reger (1873-1916) which I learned in graduate school and still remember to this day. In answer to a music critic, Reger wrote: “I am sitting in the smallest room of my house. I have your review before me. In a moment it will be behind me!” Here’s another quote… Read More Reger and Cornelius this week
Sooner or later, nearly everyone gets to Hawaii. We’ve said that for family, friends, relatives, and organists. We at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu are especially fortunate to have hosted some of the great organists of the world, and I’m positive that what put us on the map is the presence of the Beckerath organ.… Read More Famous organists visit LCH
Whew! It was a busy week, with orchestra rehearsals on Thursday and Friday, and concerts on Saturday and Sunday. I’m referring to the wildly successful “The Starks Go for Baroque” concerts, which unfortunately I missed because I was on the mainland. “I don’t know how he did it,” exclaimed Carl on Darel’s performance. Not only… Read More The sweet taste of success
An article with this title was published by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, but its content was edited. Here is the original article as written by Howard E. Daniel. We ask that you pass it along to all your FaceBook and Twitter friends (and everyone who would be interested), and that maybe the right person(s) will see… Read More With imagination and energy, we can have an orchestra
Even though I am admittedly not a very well-rounded musician, I did know that Vivaldi’s Four Seasons are considered “programmatic,” music which tells a story. What I didn’t know is that Vivaldi wrote sonnets to accompany not only each concerto but even each movement. At the concerts this weekend (Saturday, 7:30 and Sunday, 4:00) the sonnets… Read More Four Seasons sonnets
Next Sunday at the 10:30 service the LCH choir will sing two pieces by Igor Stravinsky. I know that we have the reputation of singing only Renaissance and Baroque music, but the truth is that the choir sings in a wide range of musical styles. The offertory anthem will be “The dove descending” which is… Read More Stravinsky at LCH
Supposedly this past New Year’s was the last one in which Honolulu would celebrate with fireworks, all mostly illegal. We live on the 35th floor and had a spectacular view of the aerials which popped up all over the city. Now that the City Council has passed a law banning consumer fireworks, it’s anyone’s guess… Read More Vocal and Instrumental Pyrotechnics