1990 Nordlie at First UMC, Sioux Falls, SD

The United States of Bach

It is as simple as Bach’s instructions, “Push the right key and the right time and the organ plays itself.” With that in mind, we’ll discover just how much diversity there is behind that seemingly obvious instruction. Listen to six American soloists on as many American instruments will treat us to Preludes and Fantasies, melodious chorale-settings and vibrant fugues.

In a cross-country survey, from churches in South Dakota, Georgia, Michigan and Utah and university halls in Arizona and Texas, we celebrate Baroque organ music at its best and show Johann Sebastian the American way. It’s the United States of Bach.

Listen to the program

Program Broadcast dates:

• June 23, 2003

Featured Organs:

• 1990 Nordlie at First United Methodist Church, Sioux Falls, SD
• 1993 C.B. Fisk organ in the Caruth Auditorium at Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX
• 1992 Fritts organ at Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ

Links and Resources

• J. F. Nordlie Company
• Paul Fritts

Music played in the program

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH: Fantasy in G, S. 572 –Paula Pugh Romanaux (1993 Dobson/Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church, Kalamazoo, MI) Independent Arts CD-100

BACH: 2 Schübler Chorale-preludes (Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, S. 645; Wer nur den lieben Gott lässt walten, S. 647); Fantasia & Fugue in c, S. 537 –Peter Sykes (1990 Nordlie/First United Methodist Church, Sioux Falls, SD) Titanic CD-181

BACH: Ricercare in 6 Parts, from A Musical Offering, S. 1079 –Wolfgang Rübsam (1993 C.B. Fisk/Caruth Auditorium, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX) RMC Classics CD-Op101  

BACH: 4 Orgelbüchlein Chorale-preludes (O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig, S. 618; Christe, du Lamm Gottes, S. 619; Da Jesus an dem Kreuze stund, S. 621; Christus, der uns selig macht, S. 620) –Madeleine Cathedral Ensemble; Douglas E. Bush (1993 Jones/Cathedral of the Madeleine, Salt Lake City, UT) HoTay CD-46829-28741

BACH: Prelude & Fugue in A, S. 536 –Jonathan Biggers (1992 Fritts/Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ) Calcante CD-009

BACH: Prelude & Fugue in a, S. 543 –Sue Goddard (1994 Schantz-Widener/Grace United Methodist Church, Atlanta, GA) Goddard CD-1001

BACH: Schübler Chorale-prelude, Kommst du nun, S. 650 –Peter Sykes (1990 Nordlie/First United Methodist Church, Sioux Falls, SD) Titanic CD-181

 

This program was originally issued as #9612 in March 1996.