Celebrating the pipe organ, the King of Instruments

Happy Birthday, Herr Bach!

Awaken to the coming of spring and simultaneously celebrate a most important anniversary this week on Pipedreams. We honor Johann Sebastian Bach while enjoying his music - both youthful escapades and mature profundities - as played by Simon Preston, E. Power Biggs, Jonathan Dimmock and Kate von Tricht. Other composers offer unusual homage, too, and Håkan Hagegård, Rupert Gough, and Stewart Foster provide a few unexpected surprises. Dress casually, come with a friend, but bring no gifts; the best ones are already on the table.

Listen to the program

Program Broadcast dates:

March 20, 2000

Music played in the program

J.S. BACH: Chorale-prelude, Der Tag, der ist so freudenreich –Bernard Foccroulle (1779 Rommel/St. Blasii Church, Zella-Mehlis, Germany) Ricercar 246812

J.S. BACH: Partita, Christ, der du bist der helle Tag, S. 766 –Simon Preston (1942 Marcussen/Sorø Abbey, Denmark) Deutsche Grammophon 429 775

J.S. BACH: Prelude & Fugue in C, S. 547 –Olivier Latry (1985 Xavier Silbermann/Dominican Convent, Paris, France) BNL 112738

J.S. BACH (arranged by E. Power Biggs): Sheep may safely graze, from Birthday Cantata Number 208 –E. Power Biggs (1761 J.A. Silbermann/Arlesheim Cathedral, Switzerland) CBS Masterworks MK 30539

PERCY GRAINGER (after J.S. BACH): Blithe Bells –Stuart Forster (1931 E.M. Skinner/Cathedral of our Lady Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, Toledo, OH) JAV CD-113

J.S. BACH: 3 Large Kyrie Settings, from Clavierübung III, S. 669-671 –Jonathan Dimmock (1737 Treutmann/Grauhof Castle Church, Goslar, Germany) Arkay AR6161

J.S. BACH: Chorale-prelude, Wachet auf, S. 645 –Peter Sykes (1990 Nordlie/FUMC, Sioux Falls, SD) Titanic CD-181

CHARLES-MARIE WIDOR: March of the Night Watchman, from Bach’s Memento [1925] –Herman van Vliet (1880 Cavaillé-Coll/Église Saint-François-de-Sales, Lyon, France) Festivo FECD-145/146

RONALD WATSON: Happy Birthday, Herr Bach –Rupert Gough (1857 Henry Willis; 1974 Harrison & Harrison/Wells Cathedral, England, UK) Priory PRCD595

CLAUDE-MICHEL SCHÖNBERG: I dreamed a dream, from Les Misérables –Håkan Hagegård, baritone; Gunnar Idenstam (1949 Marcussen/Oscarskyrkan, Stockholm, Sweden) Proprius PRCD-9040

J.S. BACH: Fantasy in G, S. 572 –Käte van Tricht (1939 Sauer/St. Peter Cathedral, Bremen, Germany) Dabringhaus und Grimm MDG 318 0241