Comments for MMS Organ Music Blog http://michaelsmusicservice.com/blog Thoughts & comments on Organ Music Fri, 18 May 2012 14:14:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Comment on The Lightning and the Church and the Organ by Michael Johnston http://michaelsmusicservice.com/blog/?p=2497#comment-1932 Michael Johnston Fri, 18 May 2012 14:14:41 +0000 http://michaelsmusicservice.com/blog/?p=2497#comment-1932 Thanks to John Erskine for the corrections on organist and photo. Thanks to John Erskine for the corrections on organist and photo.

]]> Comment on How Often Does an Organ Need to Be Restored? by David Bohn http://michaelsmusicservice.com/blog/?p=2467#comment-1904 David Bohn Mon, 14 May 2012 00:53:56 +0000 http://michaelsmusicservice.com/blog/?p=2467#comment-1904 Interesting. NPOR doesn't mention any 1981 work. The last work listed was 1960, when someone hung a unit Dulzian on the otherwise-early-Victorian organ. http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi?Fn=Rsearch&rec_index=N10421 Interesting. NPOR doesn’t mention any 1981 work. The last work listed was 1960, when someone hung a unit Dulzian on the otherwise-early-Victorian organ.

http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi?Fn=Rsearch&rec_index=N10421

]]> Comment on How Often Does an Organ Need to Be Restored? by Terry Charles http://michaelsmusicservice.com/blog/?p=2467#comment-1901 Terry Charles Sun, 13 May 2012 18:15:11 +0000 http://michaelsmusicservice.com/blog/?p=2467#comment-1901 WOW... something's missing from this article! Namely, WHAT does "restored in 1981" actually refer to and what funds were dispersed at that time ? Apparently the organ didn't quite receive TLC in past years. It's a tracker action, so... all the more to question stewardship funds for the organ in 1981, right? I would think so... WOW… something’s missing from this article! Namely, WHAT does “restored in 1981″ actually refer to and what funds were dispersed at that time ? Apparently the organ didn’t quite receive TLC in past years. It’s a tracker action, so… all the more to question stewardship funds for the organ in 1981, right? I would think so…

]]> Comment on Irv Lawless & Associates Offer Public Tours by Michael Johnston http://michaelsmusicservice.com/blog/?p=2422#comment-1899 Michael Johnston Sat, 12 May 2012 13:51:18 +0000 http://michaelsmusicservice.com/blog/?p=2422#comment-1899 Here's another article on them: http://www.publicopiniononline.com/localnews/ci_20605967/large-pipe-organs-keep-small-greencastle-firm-busy Here’s another article on them:
http://www.publicopiniononline.com/localnews/ci_20605967/large-pipe-organs-keep-small-greencastle-firm-busy

]]> Comment on High School’s Million Dollar Forgotten Aeolian by Michael Johnston http://michaelsmusicservice.com/blog/?p=2358#comment-1857 Michael Johnston Sun, 06 May 2012 15:36:53 +0000 http://michaelsmusicservice.com/blog/?p=2358#comment-1857 Since posting about this story, several other papers have carried it as well with different headlines. So far, all of the comments have been about how lucky they are to have found this treasure and they will surely find a way to preserve it. I can't help but think that somewhere, someone must feel contempt for the many who ignored the organ over decades and allowed it to decay, forgotten until the storm damage alerted them. There is an implied fiduciary responsibility for those in charge of the physical plant of a school or other building, and this was missing for a very long time in this case. Since posting about this story, several other papers have carried it as well with different headlines. So far, all of the comments have been about how lucky they are to have found this treasure and they will surely find a way to preserve it. I can’t help but think that somewhere, someone must feel contempt for the many who ignored the organ over decades and allowed it to decay, forgotten until the storm damage alerted them. There is an implied fiduciary responsibility for those in charge of the physical plant of a school or other building, and this was missing for a very long time in this case.

]]> Comment on Chris Gorsuch at The Virginia Theatre, Champaign IL by chris anderson http://michaelsmusicservice.com/blog/?p=2179#comment-1856 chris anderson Sat, 05 May 2012 23:44:03 +0000 http://michaelsmusicservice.com/blog/?p=2179#comment-1856 Buzard Co. removed the organ in December 2010, rebuilt it over the course of 2011, reinstalling it beginning January 2012. The rededication concert was March 31. Buzard Co. removed the organ in December 2010, rebuilt it over the course of 2011, reinstalling it beginning January 2012. The rededication concert was March 31.

]]> Comment on James Joins Buffalo Orchestra at Shea’s by Dennis James http://michaelsmusicservice.com/blog/?p=2326#comment-1824 Dennis James Sat, 28 Apr 2012 16:11:39 +0000 http://michaelsmusicservice.com/blog/?p=2326#comment-1824 Mary Kunz Goldman posted in The Gusto Blog: Was that fun or what, seeing the 1925 "The Phantom of the Opera" at Shea's Performing Arts Center on Sunday, accompanied by the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra? Plus Dennis James, on the Mighty Wurlitzer. It was not like anything you could have dreamed up! I am not normally a big silent movie nerd. But after interviewing Dennis James I had to go see this thing. I was just so fascinated by James' stories about traveling with the silent movie stars. And I have to say, "The Phantom of the Opera" surprised me. The artistry of this movie was magnificent. It was not camp or funny or hokey. It was extremely well put together. There are scenes that are beautiful to look at. One scene near the start has a bevy of about 30 ballerinas, all in white tutus, flying around the backstage of the opera house, wheeling like panicked birds. Sometimes you see the Phantom just as a brief shadow. The music gave the movie an added dignity. Its Wagnerian sound reflected the era of the drama. It also stopped people from heckling the movie, making it into a joke. Interesting, speaking of music, that the opera being presented in the movie is Gounod's "Faust," and "Faust" is about a man who sells his soul to the devil. In this movie, the Phantom is more evil than the one in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. Lon Chaney (an amazing performance) wanted you to see him as human, but he is definitely not anyone you would want to know. Also Christine is less innocent than in the musical. She sells herself to the Phantom in exchange for achieving her artistic dreams. You could say she learns her lesson. I can't overstate the artistry that went into this production. Dennis James, on the organ, was incredibly in synch. The Phantom had -- I loved this touch -- an organ console in his penthouse down in the sewers. He would be playing and lose his temper and get up, sweeping his hand across the keys, and Dennis James caught that down to the millisecond. Also -- another touch I loved -- the Phantom had this diabolical creepy kind of doorbell that told him when someone was intruding on his domain. You would see the bell ringing and I completely forgot that the sound came not from the film itself but from the Wurlitzer. Anyway, the whole experience was arresting from the start -- when the Wurlitzer blasted into Bach's "Toccata in D Minor" and the crowd went crazy. I would love to see another silent movie at Shea's done up this same way. But I realize that is a very high hope. I am afraid this was a once-in-a-lifetime treat. One more thing, watching the opening scenes, showing the grand, opulent opera house ... you could not help thinking -- gee, it looks like Shea's! "Is there a Phantom of Shea's Buffalo?" a friend asked an usher at intermission, as I stood by and laughed. The usher just smiled. Mary Kunz Goldman posted in The Gusto Blog:

Was that fun or what, seeing the 1925 “The Phantom of the Opera” at Shea’s Performing Arts Center on Sunday, accompanied by the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra? Plus Dennis James, on the Mighty Wurlitzer. It was not like anything you could have dreamed up!

I am not normally a big silent movie nerd. But after interviewing Dennis James I had to go see this thing. I was just so fascinated by James’ stories about traveling with the silent movie stars. And I have to say, “The Phantom of the Opera” surprised me. The artistry of this movie was magnificent. It was not camp or funny or hokey. It was extremely well put together.

There are scenes that are beautiful to look at. One scene near the start has a bevy of about 30 ballerinas, all in white tutus, flying around the backstage of the opera house, wheeling like panicked birds. Sometimes you see the Phantom just as a brief shadow.
The music gave the movie an added dignity. Its Wagnerian sound reflected the era of the drama. It also stopped people from heckling the movie, making it into a joke. Interesting, speaking of music, that the opera being presented in the movie is Gounod’s “Faust,” and “Faust” is about a man who sells his soul to the devil. In this movie, the Phantom is more evil than the one in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. Lon Chaney (an amazing performance) wanted you to see him as human, but he is definitely not anyone you would want to know. Also Christine is less innocent than in the musical. She sells herself to the Phantom in exchange for achieving her artistic dreams. You could say she learns her lesson.

I can’t overstate the artistry that went into this production. Dennis James, on the organ, was incredibly in synch. The Phantom had — I loved this touch — an organ console in his penthouse down in the sewers. He would be playing and lose his temper and get up, sweeping his hand across the keys, and Dennis James caught that down to the millisecond.

Also — another touch I loved — the Phantom had this diabolical creepy kind of doorbell that told him when someone was intruding on his domain. You would see the bell ringing and I completely forgot that the sound came not from the film itself but from the Wurlitzer.

Anyway, the whole experience was arresting from the start — when the Wurlitzer blasted into Bach’s “Toccata in D Minor” and the crowd went crazy. I would love to see another silent movie at Shea’s done up this same way. But I realize that is a very high hope. I am afraid this was a once-in-a-lifetime treat.

One more thing, watching the opening scenes, showing the grand, opulent opera house … you could not help thinking — gee, it looks like Shea’s! “Is there a Phantom of Shea’s Buffalo?” a friend asked an usher at intermission, as I stood by and laughed.
The usher just smiled.

]]> Comment on Questions & Answers by Ben Baldus http://michaelsmusicservice.com/blog/?page_id=90#comment-1819 Ben Baldus Fri, 27 Apr 2012 22:04:29 +0000 http://michaelsmusicservice.com/blog/?page_id=90#comment-1819 I just rejoined PIPORG-L after a hiatus from the list when it was being a bit childish, but I decided to ask you first as a music dealer and commentator on matters of music publishing. Barenreiter does lots of nicely edited editions. I was in Germany for several weeks before Easter and their work for the organist's edition of the Evangelische Kirchen Gesangbuch (EKG) is very nice and includes pieces by many contemporary European composers as preludes and introductions to hymns therein. Ben Baldus I just rejoined PIPORG-L after a hiatus from the list when it was being a bit childish, but I decided to ask you first as a music dealer and commentator on matters of music publishing. Barenreiter does lots of nicely edited editions. I was in Germany for several weeks before Easter and their work for the organist’s edition of the Evangelische Kirchen Gesangbuch (EKG) is very nice and includes pieces by many contemporary European composers as preludes and introductions to hymns therein.

Ben Baldus

]]> Comment on Questions & Answers by Michael Johnston http://michaelsmusicservice.com/blog/?page_id=90#comment-1818 Michael Johnston Fri, 27 Apr 2012 21:52:22 +0000 http://michaelsmusicservice.com/blog/?page_id=90#comment-1818 Hi, Ben. The consensus seems to be that Peters is the cheaper choice and OK for selected pieces. The pricier alternatives are Barenreiter and Breitkofp. I think perhaps the Barenreiter is more accepted. The problem is how the editor handles tablature, which Bach used a bit but Buxtehude used a lot. (I'm on the board of musicnotation.org if you're interested in alternate notation systems such as tablature.) There has been a lot of opinion expressed on piporg-l, FWIW: http://list.uiowa.edu/scripts/wa.exe?A0=PIPORG-L&X=3D756F0EFFFA748CEB and search for "Buxtehude edition" and you'll get a lot of opinions. Hi, Ben. The consensus seems to be that Peters is the cheaper choice and OK for selected pieces. The pricier alternatives are Barenreiter and Breitkofp. I think perhaps the Barenreiter is more accepted. The problem is how the editor handles tablature, which Bach used a bit but Buxtehude used a lot. (I’m on the board of musicnotation.org if you’re interested in alternate notation systems such as tablature.)

There has been a lot of opinion expressed on piporg-l, FWIW:
http://list.uiowa.edu/scripts/wa.exe?A0=PIPORG-L&X=3D756F0EFFFA748CEB
and search for “Buxtehude edition” and you’ll get a lot of opinions.

]]> Comment on Questions & Answers by Ben Baldus http://michaelsmusicservice.com/blog/?page_id=90#comment-1811 Ben Baldus Fri, 27 Apr 2012 19:00:14 +0000 http://michaelsmusicservice.com/blog/?page_id=90#comment-1811 I'm looking to acquire a recent, reliable complete edition of Buxtehude's organ works. Any recommendations? Thanks, Ben Baldus I’m looking to acquire a recent, reliable complete edition of Buxtehude’s organ works. Any recommendations?

Thanks,

Ben Baldus

]]>