Bach and Sons trip to Germany taking shape

Our fall trip to Germany to record the music of Bach and his sons is starting to take shape.  We will be recording on the Silbermann organ at Rheinhardtsgrimma and on the

Silbermann organ at Rheinhardtsgrimma

Jehmlich organ at the Kreuzkirche in Dresden.  Exciting to be sure!!

Jehmlich organ at Kreuzkirche in Dresden, Germany

Playing the Ott organ at Zion Lutheran

David and I spent the morning at Zion Lutheran Church in Portland where I got to play the wonderful Martin Ott organ.  It was a great morning.  The instrument is wonderful and sounds well in the room.  I enjoyed playing all sorts of Johann Sebastian Bach – from the G Major Fantasie to various chorale preludes, a trio sonata, and the D Major Prelude and Fugue.  I also made time for playing one of CPE Bach’s Sonatas and some of the chorales by Wilhelm Friedemann Bach.

It was a great morning of music-making on another lovely instrument by Martin Ott!  and great practice for our upcoming trip to Germany to record organ music of the Bachs for our new Bach and Sons show.

Incredible concerts – an inspiration

I had the privilege of hearing several superb concerts this weekend in Eugene, Oregon.  The concerts as part of the Westfield Center’s Spring 2010 conference, were in celebration of the career of master organ builder, John Brombaugh. The conference explored the great

Netherlandish organ traditions of the 16th century, their legacy in North Germany a century later, and their extraordinary influence on organ building and performance in our own era.   John Brombaugh’s organs in the Netherlandish style put Eugene, Oregon at the center of the modern organ map.

We heard two concerts on John’s instruments.  The first played by Mark Brombaugh on the Opus 38a at Resurrection Episcopal Church and the second by Harald Vogel on the Opus 19 at Central Lutheran Church in Eugene.  The beauty of these instruments is amazing.

Also in the same 24-hour period we heard a stunning concert on the Jurgen Ahrend organ at the University of Oregon’s Beall Hall.  This concert was played by Matthew Dirst and David Yearsley and showcased the resources of this unique organ.

Another bonus to the conference was the concert by the Cascade Consort with David Yearsley playing a Cristofori fortepiano.  I was swept away with the beauty of this instrument in David’s hands.  Simply stunning!

I was mightily inspired by gorgeous sounds, wonderful music and stunning performances!

April Showers Bring May Flowers or April Practice Brings May Performance Success

Ah, the two “P” words – “Practice and Performance!”  The “showers and flowers” of the art of playing the organ.  As the Spring Recital nears, I find the analogy of glorious spring flowers and glorious recital performances fitting.

Seedlings chosen = repertoire chosen

Soil prepared = fingerings/pedalings prepared, analysis started

Plants placed in the soil = slow practice
begins with hands and feet alone

Plants are watered = encouragement from Jeannine,
colleagues, family and friends

Plants take root = understanding of the piece comes together, parts together practice begins, chordal and cadential analysis continues

Plants buffeted by April showers (or rain, heavy wind and hail)  = frustration over the number of repetitions needed to learn a cadential phrase or a difficult pedalling start to creep into the practice routine

Plants bask in the sun and start to bud = the slow repetitions with the metronome, the careful work to avoid making a mistake
more than three times starts to bring success with
what was a difficult piece

Plants send out more roots and buds start to open = soundscapes are chosen to enhance the beauty of the notes now starting to sound like beautiful music

Buds become flowers = the diligent practice pays off

and the full piece is played for Jeannine with success

Plant shows its full beauty and glory with every perfectly formed flower

surrounded by beautiful foliage = the music chosen,
carefully practiced, nurtured through storm and doubt,
now comes to full bloom and

is shared with family and friends
at the May 22nd recital!

GLORIOUS!

Please join my students and me at our Spring Recital
Saturday, Mary 22nd at 2:00 p.m.

Orenco Presbyterian Church
Hillsboro, Oregon