Episodes: 2007

…celebrate one of America’s foremost veteran teachers, church musicians and recitalists with his own words and compositions.

…through works of the Couperin Family, we provide a fog-reducing introduction to music in French Classic style. Truly fit for a king. Their family dynasty served the Royal French Court, and French music, for nearly 200 years. The Couperins were masters of the keyboard and organists at the Church of Saint Gervais in Paris from 1653 to 1830. On our next Pipedreams broadcast, we’ll explore their works: the majestic and austere verses and fantasies by Uncle Louis, the charming miniatures of the grandson Arman-Louis and his son Gervais-Francois, and the monumental and poetic Masses by François Couperin who was called “The Great” for good reason. It’s a study of the evolution of style, and an introduction to the flavorful recipes of Classic French organ registration. This week, we’ll also hear program host Michael Barone demonstrate a few “French Classic” registrations with some illustrative performances. For anyone who has ever wanted to hear him play, here’s your chance! The colors are rich, the rhythms saucy, the flavors as beguiling as a good French wine. We’ll savor the art of the Baroque Organ in Paris, through music from four generations of the famous Couperin family: Louis, Armand, Gervaise, and Francois. From “C” to Shining “C”, an introduction to elegance, this week on Pipedreams.

…composer William Bolcom provides glimpses into the creation of these beguiling re-imaginings of familiar American tunes.

…a collection of music meditations on the themes of Easter’s resurrection.

…with a troupe of talented Texans, host Michael Barone fills the premiere concert venue in Dallas with organ music beyond the pale.

…some varied recital performances of works by history’s greatest composer for the King of Instruments, as recorded in the Twin Cities.

…Usually three ‘p’s mean pianissimo, but this program resounds with an exultant trio of exciting modern works for organ and instruments, one of them a premiere. This week’s broadcast features new music for organ and instruments. Starting with Richard Proulx’s Concerto for Organ and Strings, we’ll hear its premiere played by Jonathan Biggers, in concert at Saint Olaf Roman Catholic Church in Minneapolis. A multi-functional Suite for Organ, Brass and Percussion by California composer Craig Phillips and the increasingly popular Concerto Number 1 by Stephen Paulus have added to the compelling concert repertoire for the King of Instruments. Three ‘p’s usually mean pianissimo, but now they stand for a pair of fine concertos with orchestra and a marvelous suite with brass and percussion. They are colorful contemporary works for organ plus by Paulus, Philips and Proulx.

The pipe organ’s concert repertoire often strays into the realm of symphonic ensembles, with remarkable results.

An exploration of some organ repertoire that takes on a life of its own apart from worship.

A 10th anniversary salute to Joseph A. Vitacco, a young business major from the University of Notre Dame who set out to document some of the world’s finest pipe organs.

Unedited and without a net, four superb soloists know how to put three pipe organs through their paces.

At Ann Arbor’s 75-year-old Michigan Theatre, an aging pipe organ served as keystone to the downtown’s heritage preservation.

A sampler of six new American-built instruments that were inaugurated during the past ten years.

From seventh grade to graduate school, aged 12 to 21, these talented players point the way towards the pipe organ’s future.

On four historic instruments in this New York university town, we explore a collection of cordial and creative contemporary compositions.

The Netherlands, beyond its eye-catching windmills and colorful tulips, is home to an incredible treasure of historic and modern pipe organs.

Whether because of a guiding star, or a brilliant flash of inspiration, our composers make more vivid that special moment of clarity.