# Pipe organ



## belfastboy (Aug 3, 2012)

Can I just advertise my love for this great instrument. I do play. Can I get a show of hands to appreciate this instrument...you have no idea the love I have for pipe organ music.....I can't begin to explain. From the very quietly played pieces to the monster loud dominance.....it just blows be away!


----------



## NightHawk (Nov 3, 2011)

A fine, pipe organ recital as I have heard in a number of great cathedrals in the USA and Europe, is a thrilling experience. My small collection of solo organ literature includes: E. Power Biggs playing *Bach* favorites, Marcel *Dupre* playing *Widor* and *Franck*, Hans Fagius playing Maurice *Durufle*, Marie-Claire Alain playing Franck, Ben van Oosten playing *Widor* vol.3, and one of my favorites, North German Organ Music played by Gustav Leonhardt on the Ludgeri Church Organ in Norden/Ostfriesland and the Dom Church in Roskilde, Denmark (composers: Johann Lorentz, Delphin Strungk, Peter Morhardt, Matthias Weckman, Melchior Schildt, Heinrich Scheidemann, all ranging from as early as the late 16th c to the late 17th.


----------



## belfastboy (Aug 3, 2012)

NightHawk said:


> A fine, pipe organ recital as I have heard in a number of great cathedrals in the USA and Europe, is a thrilling experience. My small collection of solo organ literature includes: E. Power Biggs playing *Bach* favorites, Marcel *Dupre* playing *Widor* and *Franck*, Hans Fagius playing Maurice *Durufle*, Marie-Claire Alain playing Franck, Ben van Oosten playing *Widor* vol.3, and one of my favorites, North German Organ Music played by Gustav Leonhardt on the Ludgeri Church Organ in Norden/Ostfriesland and the Dom Church in Roskilde, Denmark (composers: Johann Lorentz, Delphin Strungk, Peter Morhardt, Matthias Weckman, Melchior Schildt, Heinrich Scheidemann, all ranging from as early as the late 16th c to the late 17th.


Excellent - Dupre...love it!


----------



## BurningDesire (Jul 15, 2012)

beautiful instrument


----------



## TrazomGangflow (Sep 9, 2011)

I find it disappointing that the pipe organ lost popularity after the baroque era. Just think how many more beautiful organ works would have been written if the organ were still a staple in musical instruments up to today. The pianoforte created a revolution in music and influenced it immensely but sadly caused the other keyboard instruments to be almost forgotten.


----------



## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

The first time I ever heard one, I fell absolutely in love with the instrument. I have been playing the pipe organ since I was 12 ... and now some 52 years later I still enjoy the instrument, probably more so now than before.

The church where I have been organist since 1982 has a marvelous Möller pipe organ - built in 1979 - and although it has only 9 ranks, it is quite adequate for the building _and_ can be gentle as a lamb or roar like a lion. I have performed major organ works on this instrument in concert (Franck: A Minor Chorale; Mendelssohn: Sonata I, etc). A portion of this organ is visible in my avatar here.

I have had the opportunity to play many beautiful organs, Mormon Tabernacle (Salt Lake City, UT), St. Peter's Basilica (Rome, Italy - The Vatican), Jørlunde Kirke (Jørlund, Denmark) to name a few.

The pipe organ has been around for centuries, and with proper maintenance these instruments will be around for many more years. Unfortunately, there are not enough young persons to take over the church positions that become vacant after an organist retires.

I am a professional organist and have been playing in church for 52 years - every week - every Christmas Eve ... haven't spent Christmas Eve at home since 1960, but that was my choice, and a decision I've never regretted.

Kh ♫


----------



## belfastboy (Aug 3, 2012)

Krummhorn said:


> The first time I ever heard one, I fell absolutely in love with the instrument. I have been playing the pipe organ since I was 12 ... and now some 52 years later I still enjoy the instrument, probably more so now than before.
> 
> The church where I have been organist since 1982 has a marvelous Möller pipe organ - built in 1979 - and although it has only 9 ranks, it is quite adequate for the building _and_ can be gentle as a lamb or roar like a lion. I have performed major organ works on this instrument in concert (Franck: A Minor Chorale; Mendelssohn: Sonata I, etc). A portion of this organ is visible in my avatar here.
> 
> ...


*Envious and Jealous*!


----------



## bigshot (Nov 22, 2011)

Stokowski started his musical career as an organist. Sometimes I can hear the chording of an organ in the way he voices the orchestra... Free bowing, swells, sharp contrasts of voices.


----------



## belfastboy (Aug 3, 2012)

**SIGHS**


----------



## BurningDesire (Jul 15, 2012)

TrazomGangflow said:


> I find it disappointing that the pipe organ lost popularity after the baroque era. Just think how many more beautiful organ works would have been written if the organ were still a staple in musical instruments up to today. The pianoforte created a revolution in music and influenced it immensely but sadly caused the other keyboard instruments to be almost forgotten.


I think its had a better time than the the recorder, the harpsichord and the mandolin and lute. I think the reason it isn't used quite as extensively is that its just so expensive, and they're installations so there's a very limited outlet for the music to be performed (most new churches don't even include them because its cheaper to just have a piano, or electric instruments). I agree that the piano has really overshadowed most of the other keyboards. Many people refer to any keyboard in reference to the piano (an accordion with that style of keyboard is called a piano accordion). Still, I don't think all hope is lost. The harpsichord for one has seen a pretty nice resurgence in use in the 20th Century, sometimes to evoke the past, but also new uses that are unlike the kind of music associated with the instrument via stereotypes (nothing against that sort of music, I love it, I just don't like when some people think an instrument is only good at one thing, one style or mood).

There have been some pretty spectacular recent uses of the pipe organ that might interest you. I recommend Volumina and the two Etudes for organ that Gyorgy Ligeti composed in the 60s, they are very interesting sounding pieces, very colorful (Volumina is an _experience_. The sound of that opening chord, which is all the pitches of the organ being played at once, at max volume is something everybody should hear at least once). I also recommend music by Alfred Schnittke (who incidentally might help bridge the gap between older styles of music and the more difficult forms of modern composition, if you are interested in listening to those kinds of music). His Symphony No. 1 is a spectacular explosion of music, with a huge orchestra that includes piano and harpsichord and organ, saxophones and jazz improvisations, electric guitar and bass, and music that ranges from funny to very dark in mood. Then there is his Requiem, which also features a hugely diverse orchestra, but with a less schizophrenic nature than that of Symphony No. 1 (I think, despite the diversity of stylistic elements in much of his music, most of it isn't schizophrenic or bizarre like that symphony is, most of it has a consistent drama to it, whether its being expressed in a baroque-sounding rondo, or through dense tone clusters or tone rows.) The use of the organ in these pieces is very beautiful, you might enjoy them as well.


----------



## Crudblud (Dec 29, 2011)




----------



## Kevin Pearson (Aug 14, 2009)

I enjoy listening to pipe organ music on occasion. I don't have very much in my collection but Spotify has a more than I could ever listen to. I especially enjoy Bach's organ music. Every piece is unique and simply amazing. 

Kevin


----------



## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

Looking through my collection I found a small number of Modern/20th Century composers known for their works for organ:

*Louis Vierne*- Famous for his organ symphonies:










*Maurice Duruflé*- I have his complete organ works

*Francis Poulenc
John Zorn*
*Marcel Dupré*- I've picked up several volumes of his complete organ works
*Olivier Messiaen*- I've been tempted by that Messiaen complete organ works box set for some time... waiting for it to drop in price.










*Alexandre Guilmant
Steve Reich
Carl Rütti
Bengt Hambraeus
Knut Nystedt
Pēteris Vasks*- Quite marvelous contemporary organ works.










*David Briggs*- Currently listening to Briggs' _Mass for Notre Dame_ (2002)










*György Ligeti
Zsigmond Szathmáry*- Composer for organ who also performs/records Ligeti's organ compositions.

Krummhorn undoubtedly could direct anyone to many more organ composers (new & old). I quite love the instrument and there is nothing like an organ recital in real life... but I probably know more about these composers due to my obsession with vocal and choral music. (Many choral composers also compose organ works).


----------



## Crudblud (Dec 29, 2011)

StlukesguildOhio said:


> *Olivier Messiaen*- I've been tempted by that Messiaen complete organ works box set for some time... waiting for it to drop in price.


I hope you're able to get it soon, everything about those recordings is superb.


----------



## science (Oct 14, 2010)

You know those discussions that happen every now and then - what would you do with a billion dollars? Part of my answer is that I would build the world's biggest pipe organ for my local orchestra hall and commission a bunch of works for it.










Here is a disk of fairly recent organ music that I enjoy.


----------



## belfastboy (Aug 3, 2012)

science said:


> You know those discussions that happen every now and then - what would you do with a billion dollars? Part of my answer is that I would build the world's biggest pipe organ for my local orchestra hall and commission a bunch of works for it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


With the greatest respect - *Sticks large right hand thumb up at you* I am also a proponent of that potential practice!


----------



## science (Oct 14, 2010)

belfastboy said:


> With the greatest respect - *Sticks large right hand thumb up at you* I am also a proponent of that potential practice!


Let's get me that billion. I intend to take over China, India, and Southeast Asia in the 2030s. That should do it.


----------



## belfastboy (Aug 3, 2012)

science said:


> Let's get me that billion. I intend to take over China, India, and Southeast Asia in the 2030s. That should do it.


We can work at this together!


----------



## Conor71 (Feb 19, 2009)

I love Bach and have all his Organ music so I have come to appreciate this instrument


----------



## drpraetorus (Aug 9, 2012)

I you ever get out to Salt Lake City, you MUST take in a recital at the Mormon Tabernacle. The instrument is spectacular as is the setting and the accoustics. You really can feel the floor vibrate with the low pipes. Recitals are every day except sunday at 12:30. That was where I first heard the Widor Toccata (Fifth symphony). There is nothing like a live performance when the pedal kicks in with the main theme!


----------



## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

drpraetorus said:


> I you ever get out to Salt Lake City, you MUST take in a recital at the Mormon Tabernacle. The instrument is spectacular as is the setting and the accoustics.


Equally exciting was to be able play that instrument which I did in the early 70's.

While at Temple Square, make it a point also to hear the Schoenberg in the huge Conference Center. The same organist who plays the noontime concert in the tabernacle performs the same program in the conference center a couple hours later.

Then there is Macy's in Philadelphia - home of the Wanamaker Organ, the _largest fully operable_ organ in the world. Yes, Atlantic City's Midmer-Losh is larger, but only about 30% of it is playable anymore due to disrepair and a construction accident years ago.

Kh ♫


----------



## drpraetorus (Aug 9, 2012)

The Conference Center organ is a marvelous instrument. Unlike a lot of instruments, the pipes in from are speaking pipes. On Temple Square there is another very good organ in a building called the Assembly Hall. Just a couple blocks east of Temple Square is the Catholic Cathedral of the Madelein. They have a very good organ too. They also hoast a yearly organ festival featuring the local organists from bothe the Tabernacle and the Cathedral as well as guest performers. For organ junkies, Salt Lake is a great place.

This is the Cathedral festival.
http://www.utcotm.org/eccles-organ-festival

https://www.lds.org/church/events/temple-square-events/tabernacle-organ-recitals?lang=eng













http://www.lds.org/locations/assembly-hall#d
http://elliottrl.tripod.com/ah/index.html


----------



## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

My son and I attended the Inaugural Organ concert at the LDS Conference Center in June 2003. Our seats were 6 rows from the front, dead center. The house was 98% full and the Mormon Tab choir also performed. The centerpiece was the organ & orchestra composition Symphonie Concertante by Joseph Jongen with Thomas Murray at the console. Although PBS had video recorded the event, a pressing of that program has never surfaced on CD or DVD. 

It was a thrilling event to have attended. We also caught a concert program on the Assembly Hall organ of Temple Square, a very fine instrument as well. There are, as drpraetorus mentions, a plethora of fine organs in Salt Lake City.


----------



## Praeludium (Oct 9, 2011)

Do some organists refuse to play on instruments owned by the mormon, scientist and such churchs ? Are there some ethical problems ?


----------



## Ondine (Aug 24, 2012)

belfastboy said:


> Can I just advertise my love for this great instrument. I do play. Can I get a show of hands to appreciate this instrument...you have no idea the love I have for pipe organ music.....I can't begin to explain. From the very quietly played pieces to the monster loud dominance.....it just blows be away!


I'm just acquainted with Bach's oeuvre for Pipe Organ and it has been a wonderful experience:


----------



## Philip (Mar 22, 2011)

Ondine said:


> I'm just acquainted with Bach's oeuvre for Pipe Organ and it has been a wonderful experience:


Welcome to the real world, Neo.


----------



## Bas (Jul 24, 2012)

Krummhorn said:


> The first time I ever heard one, I fell absolutely in love with the instrument. I have been playing the pipe organ since I was 12 ... and now some 52 years later I still enjoy the instrument, probably more so now than before.
> 
> The church where I have been organist since 1982 has a marvelous Möller pipe organ - built in 1979 - and although it has only 9 ranks, it is quite adequate for the building _and_ can be gentle as a lamb or roar like a lion. I have performed major organ works on this instrument in concert (Franck: A Minor Chorale; Mendelssohn: Sonata I, etc). A portion of this organ is visible in my avatar here.
> 
> ...


Have you played the St. Bavo Organ in Haarlem? (It was Mozart's favourite)

Mozart Fantasia in F minor (in the St. Bavo):


----------



## ArthurBrain (Aug 19, 2012)

Messiaen - a composer synonymous with the pipe organ for sure. No better instrument for chord sequences like these IMO, gorgeous....


----------



## drpraetorus (Aug 9, 2012)

Praeludium said:


> Do some organists refuse to play on instruments owned by the mormon, scientist and such churchs ? Are there some ethical problems ?


I've never heard of any issues like that. I really think that if organists found out there was an excelent organ in hell they would do everything the could to get to it. An organ is not just the instrument but the hall it is in. The two need to be matched or the sound is off. You can't carry a great organ (or even a swell organ) to the recital like you can a strad. To play the great organs, you have to come to them.

All that being said, humans being humans, there is always the possibility of prejudice such as you mention. Sad about humans being that way.


----------



## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

Praeludium said:


> Do some organists refuse to play on instruments owned by the mormon, scientist and such churchs ? Are there some ethical problems ?


No, at least for me anyway. I am Lutheran and used to be the organist in a very large Roman Catholic parish here, and the priest begged me not to leave when my home Lutheran church wanted me to return.



Bas said:


> Have you played the St. Bavo Organ in Haarlem? (It was Mozart's favourite)
> 
> Not as yet ... I would absolutely love to tour the Netherlands, Germany and France at some point. I did play a concert in Denmark on a 25/II Frobenius in the summer of 2010 though.
> 
> Kh ♫


----------



## belfastboy (Aug 3, 2012)

I love this little Tuba Tune.....


----------



## presto (Jun 17, 2011)

I’ve always had a great love for organ music and can easily disassociate the instrument from the church and enjoy it on own musical terms.
For me it’s the baroque era that shines the brightest with its repertory.
Most 19th century organ music seem to get over blown or stodgy and dull!


----------

