1868 Cavaillé-Coll organ at Trinity Church, Paris

It’s not your usual sort of seasonal surprise on this weeks Pipedreams program. To prove the universality of the Christmas theme, we’ve conducted a global search and it has uncovered some extraordinary jewels, including a French Noel, variations from The Netherlands and South Africa, and settings of familiar tunes from Sweden, Norway, Germany, Austria, Lebanon and the United States.

It’s all about praise, joy and thanksgiving. Our next Pipedreams program provides music to gladden the heart and lift the spirits. We’ll have a celebratory Prelude by Franz Schmidt, a composer hailed in his native Austria, and almost totally unknown elsewhere. Max Reger contributes a tumultuous chorale-fantasy, Vincent Youmans provides some popular songs, Pierre Cochereau takes us to an Easter morning service at Notre Dame Cathedral, and the choir of Ascension Episcopal Church in Stillwater, Minnesota offers up a cheerful shout. Stimulate the senses and sooth the soul, with Serene Alleluias, this week on Pipedreams.

Whether on a clear midnight or a morning glorious with heavenly splendor, our next Pipedreams sings its holiday message in many languages. Frenchman Jean Guillou improvises in Switzerland, Lebanese composer Naji Hakim does the same in Paris. From the first noel to the last shepherd’s pastorale, you’ll hear music and instruments from Ireland, England, Germany, the Czech Republic, Belgium, and here at home, promoting a universal message of hope and happiness. Join us for a multicultural expression, Celebration International, this week on Pipedreams.

Spiritual mystery and intellectual clarity may seem incompatible concepts, but for composer Olivier Messiaen, probing them was his life and his art. On our next Pipedreams program, we explore his music that many consider to be the most important written for the organ since Bach: his vivid tonal visions of the Eternal Church, his aural pageants descriptive of Christmas scenes, Pentecostal zeal, and Trinitarian principals. The composer himself, eight of his students and disciples, plus one determined and talented youth who is playing the entire cycle in 9-hour marathon concerts, honor his memory ten years after his death. Pentecostal Tongues and Serene Alleluias sound in praise of a higher power while a remarkable man sees colors in sound and reveals his profound faith in art. Enter a surprisingly satisfying world. We are Attuned to Messiaen…this week on Pipedreams.

The pipe organ of 19th century France offered players a virtual symphonic soundscape, and this week we’ll listen to a pair of works that exploit those resources to the full. Charles-Marie Widor at the Church of Saint Sulpice, was the first to thoroughly articulate a symphonic organ style, creating scores rich in color and virtuosity. Widor’s pupil and colleague, Louis Vierne at Notre Dame Cathedral, increased the emotional intensity of the genre to embrace passion, heartbreak and rage. Nine soloists on as many instruments play the Fourth Symphonies by this pair of famous composers, creating the grandest sort of sonic experience. We’re not kidding when we say it’s as simple as Four by Four.

Unencumbered by the organ’s generally sober aspect, we let enthusiasm and optimism take the upper hand

…scintillating and sober songs of praise, multiple settings across four centuries of the chant Te Deum!

…a preview of some of the performers to be featured in this summer’s national convention of the American Guild of Organists.

…in tribute to Olivier Messiaen on the centenary of his birth, a composite performance of one of his best-loved compositions, La Nativité du Seigneur, music inspired by the birth of Jesus.

…composers and performers from the global community offer up exotic musical gifts for this season of the Nativity.

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

…a celebration of composers and performers, in anticipation of International Women’s Day [observed on March 8].

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

…sometimes lofty, sometimes light-hearted, this music either was inspired by and/or performed in an awesome ambience.

…the Christmas festival is rich with pictorial implications that composers have interpreted with intriguing ingenuity.

…as prelude to the next Pipedreams Tour (May 23-June 4), this selection of instruments featured in our itinerary.

…celebrating the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels (9/29) with compositions and performances by various name-sakes.

…uplifting music for the Feast of the Ascension.

…Olivier Messiaen –A Tribute, an introduction to and celebration of the work of this century's foremost organ composer, on the occasion of his 80th birthday. The following are all works by Messiaen. : Diptyque (1930) –organist Jennifer Bate (1989 Danion-Gonzalez organ/Beauvais Cathedral) : Le banque celeste (1926) –organist Susan Landale (1852 Cavaille-Coll/St. Vincent de Paul Church, Paris)

…a summer quarter sampler of recent releases of organ music, with emphasis on the unusual and the unusually attractive.

A summer quarterly survey of recent organ music on compact disc.

A tribute to the famous French organbuilder Aristide Cavaillé-Coll [1811—1899] whose vision created a new style of instrument and whose generosity encouraged artists who would maximize its potential.