My friend from the Three Choirs Festival, Rich Arenschieldt, after reading my last post about being grateful to have an organ at home to play, observed that musicians are posting videos of themselves playing at home and sharing them on the Internet: “I love how much music is taking place and how supportive musicians are… Read More In quiet joy
When I was 17 and away in Paris, France to study with virtuoso, Marcel Dupré, I had only one focus—playing the organ. I quickly found a place to practice, L’Eglise Étranger, which gave me virtually unlimited practice time to learn the works of Bach, Dupré and Franck, which was what I was studying in those… Read More Like the old days
On my way to the Cathedral of the Christ of Light, I got a text from John Renke: The cathedral Rector had a massive heart attack after the Saturday evening mass and died last night. You’re coming to a very interesting Sunday here! I heard more of the story at the announcement to the parish… Read More A day at the Cathedral
It was again another gorgeous day in Seattle—the sky is blue and clear, no rain and it’s cool, in the lower 60s F. When I walked into St. Mark’s, the choir was rehearsing the Kyrie in a mass setting by Uģis Prauliņš (b. 1957), a Latvian composer who “is noted for his powerful and idiosyncratic… Read More Outside the bounds of time
My long-time friend, Edith Ho, formerly of the Church of the Advent in Boston, passed along this video of the recently-rebuilt organ at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in the world of organs and organists. Although the video is narrated in French by… Read More The organ of Notre Dame Cathedral
Drum roll, please … Here is the video for fantastic Joey Fala at the Woolsey Hall organ at Yale University for his graduate organ recital! Here’s the program, with notes found on the internet: Edward Elgar, Pomp and Circumstance, March No. 4 in G Major, op. 39 This is a transcription of one of Elgar’s… Read More Joey Fala at Woolsey Hall
Over 14,000 chapel services, plus weddings, funerals and other services—that’s the estimate of the number of events which have taken place at the Robert Shipman Thurston Memorial Chapel on the Punahou School campus since it was built fifty years ago. Before that time, services were held at McNeil Hall, Dillingham Auditorium, or even outdoors. With 8… Read More 14,000+ chapel services
I did not return from Bourges to my Paris hotel until nearly midnight, so I had a leisurely morning trying to repack my suitcase. We leave for Barcelona at 5:30 am tomorrow! This afternoon I met Andrew Dewar, organist, at the American Cathedral of Paris, also known as The Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity.… Read More The American Cathedral
No doubt about it, tonight hearts and minds were moved and changed and 527 people from the Organ Historical Society underwent a profound religious experience — at Macy’s in Philadelphia, home of the famous Wanamaker organ. We arrived at the store about 7:00 pm where we went into the Greek Hall to hear Andrew Van… Read More A religious experience … at Macy’s
You’ve heard the expression, “A friend in need is a friend indeed”? There are two meanings to this proverb: A true friend is one who helps you when you are in need. If one of your friends is in need (of help), be a good friend to them and help them. At the end of… Read More A friend in need