1977 Klais organ at Ingolstadt Cathedral, Germany

It’s J.S. Bach, but with a difference. An entire additional voice grafted onto a simple two-part invention makes a fiendishly difficult trio, but that’s just for starters. This week, we take a step beyond our usual understanding of Bach and listen to some of his most challenging scores brought to the edge by provocative modern interpretors. We’ll hear a jazzy reworking of the Air on the G-String, a Dutch rock musician’s take on the famous Toccata, and Porter Heaps’ Swinging After Bach. From youthful virtuosity to arrangements beyond-the-pale, performers, composers and transcribers visit with the great master from Leipzig and invite him out for a real trip. Be prepared for excitement and surprise as we take Bach on the Wild Side.

This week’s broadcast features memoriable contributions to the repertoire, both old and new, for organ and orchestra from France.

Tune in as we look at battle music. Quite the opposite of peace pieces, this collection chronicles the strife between good and evil.

As always, the King of Instruments enjoys visitors, and ours today come in many forms and flavors.

We go beyond the standard repertoire to explore several engaging and mostly little-known scores.

As always, glorious sounds result when a pipe organ teams up with other instruments.

…another exploration of the remarkable repertoire for pipe organ in consort with other instruments and voices. It’s all about collegiality. On our next Pipedreams program, the organ teams up with all sorts of friends including it’s keyboard cousin, the piano, plus other brassy relations –the trumpet and trombone. You’ll hear a little lullaby for organ and harp, a haunting fantasy for organ and electronic-tape that is amazingly effective plus a transcription of an orchestral tone poem by Franz Liszt, a spicy Baroque Concerto by Michel Corrette, and a lusty march by Alexandre Guilmant. Think variety organ with trumpet, organ with trombone, organ with choir, or harp, or piano, or symphony orchestra, even organ with electronic tape. We’re going to set aside all churchly implications and team up with many instrumental friends. Think beyond the box. Organ Plus, this week on Pipedreams.

…a dramatic, romantic French organ symphony with some of its composer’s other thoughts regarding it included.

…the King of Instruments speaks clearly, whether in consort with a single additional instrument, or roaring in chorus with a full symphony orchestra.

…special music from around the globe amplifies and illuminates the good tidings of Christmas.

…a diverse collection of other musical friends teams up with the King of Instruments to make a glorious noise.

…whether combined with saxophone, brass ensemble, chamber orchestra or symphonic ensemble, the King of Instruments proves itself an able and amiable companion.

…a delectation of French music, with particular emphasis on the organ works of centenarian Jean Francaix (1912-1997)

…a diverse collection of other musical friends teams up with the King of Instruments to make a glorious noise.

…one of the world's most exciting virtuosos plays a mostly-Bach program (with a twist) on the great organ at Royal Albert Hall.

…to celebrate his sesquicentennial, we go beyond the famous Gothic Suite to reveal other facets of this intriguing French composer, Leon Boëllmann (1862-1897).

…performances by and conversation with England's premiere Town Hall Organist, king of the Hill (organ) in Birmingham.

…having a great time up in the organ loft, with clarinet, trombone, cello, and brass ensemble.

…since the 18th century, the combination of organ with other instrumental ensembles has provided many good vibes.

…whether combined with saxophone, brass ensemble, chamber orchestra or symphonic ensemble, the King of Instruments proves itself an able and amiable companion.

…two celebrated 20th century masters, Marcel Duprè and Max Reger, left sets of seven characterful works that convey the many mercurial moods of the King of Instruments.

…you don’t want to be left all alone when things go bump in the night in the organ loft!

…of composers and performers who reached significant milestones in the year 2018.

…these works on classical Greek themes remind us that it was a Greek engineer, Ctesibius, who invented the pipe organ more than 2300 years ago!