Comments on: Organ fantasy http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2007/08/29/organ-fantasy/ Roger Bourland writes about music and life Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:43:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Brad Wood http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2007/08/29/organ-fantasy/#comment-44823 Brad Wood Thu, 30 Aug 2007 11:31:25 +0000 http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2007/08/29/organ-fantasy/#comment-44823 I confess that when I house-sat for Alden Ashforth and his partner on one of their pre-move forays to New Orleans, one of the principal treats at the end was their recently acquired Ahlborn-Galanti synthetic pipe organ (see at http://www.ahlborn-galanti.com/). Despite AA's fits of pique when the supplied amplifiers and speakers did not deliver the cataclysmic sound pressure levels he had thought were guaranteed by the vendor ("If I had wanted a CLAVICHORD, I would have bought...."), it was pretty impressive. I confess that when I house-sat for Alden Ashforth and his partner on one of their pre-move forays to New Orleans, one of the principal treats at the end was their recently acquired Ahlborn-Galanti synthetic pipe organ (see at http://www.ahlborn-galanti.com/). Despite AA’s fits of pique when the supplied amplifiers and speakers did not deliver the cataclysmic sound pressure levels he had thought were guaranteed by the vendor (”If I had wanted a CLAVICHORD, I would have bought….”), it was pretty impressive.

]]> By: Mark Carlson http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2007/08/29/organ-fantasy/#comment-44820 Mark Carlson Thu, 30 Aug 2007 08:00:26 +0000 http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2007/08/29/organ-fantasy/#comment-44820 That video of Rory made my day. For one thing, I played that piece myself, back in my organist days, though I was probably the riper age of 15 or 16 at the time. And also, it was touching to see such a young person playing the organ so musically and with such obvious relish for the instrument. I have a hunch you should re-word what you wrote about Manuel R. and Frank G. co-designing the organ. I think that they co-designed the facade of the organ, if that is what one calls the pipes that we see, and that Manuel did the design of the instrument itself. Hmmm I just found this page of facts about the organ, which is very interesting. http://www.laphil.org/press/press_detail.cfm?id=1239 In any case, it's a wonderful instrument, isn't it? That video of Rory made my day. For one thing, I played that piece myself, back in my organist days, though I was probably the riper age of 15 or 16 at the time. And also, it was touching to see such a young person playing the organ so musically and with such obvious relish for the instrument.

I have a hunch you should re-word what you wrote about Manuel R. and Frank G. co-designing the organ. I think that they co-designed the facade of the organ, if that is what one calls the pipes that we see, and that Manuel did the design of the instrument itself.

Hmmm I just found this page of facts about the organ, which is very interesting. http://www.laphil.org/press/press_detail.cfm?id=1239

In any case, it’s a wonderful instrument, isn’t it?

]]> By: Roger Bourland http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2007/08/29/organ-fantasy/#comment-44816 Roger Bourland Thu, 30 Aug 2007 03:55:05 +0000 http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2007/08/29/organ-fantasy/#comment-44816 The evolution of the organ in the context of churches would be an interesting study. Perhaps not unlike how Beethoven demanded louder pianos as he got more deaf, as churches got bigger, so did the organs. I think organs and churches DO go together. My lament is that the love of learning to play the organ is on a decline and something needs to happen to bring some new life into the instrument and its literature. I don't want to deal with the issue of people who are anti-church and therefore anti-organ. That seems prejudicial. The evolution of the organ in the context of churches would be an interesting study. Perhaps not unlike how Beethoven demanded louder pianos as he got more deaf, as churches got bigger, so did the organs.

I think organs and churches DO go together. My lament is that the love of learning to play the organ is on a decline and something needs to happen to bring some new life into the instrument and its literature.

I don’t want to deal with the issue of people who are anti-church and therefore anti-organ. That seems prejudicial.

]]> By: citrus http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2007/08/29/organ-fantasy/#comment-44814 citrus Thu, 30 Aug 2007 02:53:01 +0000 http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2007/08/29/organ-fantasy/#comment-44814 All these years I've had the idea that church organs were a part of the composite ministry. Still feel that way. Word. Sacrament. Architecture. Tradition. Music. Community. When any part becomes the whole the church is weakened, appearances notwithstanding. All these years I’ve had the idea that church organs were a part of the composite ministry. Still feel that way.

Word. Sacrament. Architecture. Tradition. Music. Community. When any part becomes the whole the church is weakened, appearances notwithstanding.

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