Anniversary Accolades (I) #2428
. . . these diverse American composers and compositions achieved significant landmarks in 2024.
Hour 1
VICTOR HERBERT (d. 1924): Every day is ladies day, fr Red Mill; Chinese & Cuban Serenades; Art is calling & To the land of my own romance, fr Enchantress) –Ron Rhode (Wurlitzer/Sanfilippo Music Salon, Barrington, IL) RP 115
MARK FAX (d. 1974): 3 Pieces for Organ (Chant-Allegretto-Toccata) –Herndon Spillman (1991 Visser-Rowland/Wooddale Church, Eden Prairie, MN) Titanic 205
ROBERT STARER (b. 1924): Invocation –Martin Hodel, trumpet; Bradley Lehman (1995 Beckerath/Evangelical Lutheran Church, Emden, Germany) LaripS 1001
GEORGE GERSHWIN: Rhapsody in Blue (composed 1924) –David Harris, piano; Jelani Eddington (Wurlitzer/Nethercutt Collection, San Sylmar, CA) RJE 1393
Filler – HERBERT: Every day is lady’s day (see above)
Hour 2
HENRY MANCINI (b. 1924): Baby elephant walk –Charlie Balogh (Wurlitzer/Organ Stop Pizza, Mesa, AZ) ERB 106
AARON COPLAND: Symphony for Organ and Orchestra (composed in 1924) –New York Philharmonic/Leonard Bernstein; E. Power Biggs (1962 Aeolian-Skinner/Philharmonic Hall, Lincoln Center, New York, NY) Sony Classical 63155. In present time, when neither of New York City’s major concert halls possesses a pipe organ, it is worth noting that Copland’s Organ Symphony (and, coincidentally, Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and) were premiered in Aeolian Hall, at 29 West 42nd Street (sadly no longer extant), which possessed an exceptional 1,352-seat auditorium with a 78-rank Aeolian pipe organ!
CHARLES IVES (b. 1874): Variations on America --Rudolf Innig (1863 Walcker+1947 Aeolian-Skinner/Memorial Music Hall, Methuen, MA) MD&G 917.1809
IVES: Psalm 90 –Gloriae Dei Cantores/Elizabeth Patterson; James Jordan (1863 Walcker+1947 Aeolian-Skinner/Memorial Music Hall, Methuen, MA) Gloriae Dei Cantores 025. Wednesday evening summer organ concerts at the Methuen Memorial Music Hall continue through the end of August.
Filler – COPLAND: Organ Symphony, 2nd movement (see above)
Continuing support of PIPEDREAMS is provided in loving memory of Lucinda and Wesley Dudley by their family, with additional support from Walter McCarthy, Clara Ueland, and the Greystone Foundation, from Jan and Steve Kirchner, from the Art and Martha Kaemmer Fund of the HRK Foundation, and from listener-contributors to this public radio station. Support also comes from Peterson Electro-Musical Products of Alsip, IL and Quimby Pipe Organs, Inc. of Warrensburg, MO, members of APOBA, the Associated Pipe Organ Builders of America, a collaborative of designers, creators, and maintainers of pipe organs found in religious and educational institutions, concert halls, and residences throughout the United States and beyond. An APOBA resource guide and member prospectus is available at APOBA.COM.
