Bach For Springtime

He’s absolutely the best tonic for any time of year. On our next Pipedreams program, we anticipate the coming of spring and celebrate the March birthday of arguably the world’s finest composer, Johann Sebastian Bach. Drawing on some exclusive-to-Pipedreams recital recordings from the American Guild of Organists Convention in Seattle, you’ll hear James David Christie at Saint Alphonsus Church, Christa Rakich at Saint Mark’s Cathedral, Paul Jacobs at Epiphany Episcopal, and Robert Bates at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma. Also James Kibbie at University of Michigan, Peter Sykes in Reykjavik, Iceland, and Bill Chouinard at the Wooddale Church in Minnesota.

It’s a Prelude in C, a Concerto in G, and other music sent Vom Himmel hoch, from heaven above. American organists recorded in recital in Seattle, Eden Prairie, Ann Arbor, and Reykjavik celebrate the change of seasons and honor one of history’s all-time greats. We offer Bach for Springtime, this week on Pipedreams.

Listen to the program

Program Broadcast dates:

March 12, 2001

Music played in the program

J.S. BACH: Prelude & Fugue in G, S. 550 –James David Christie (1984 Fritts-Richards/St. Alphonsus RCC, Seattle, WA) Pipedreams Archive recorded July 5, 2000

PRINCE JOHANN ERNST/J.S. BACH: Concerto in G, S. 592 –Peter Sykes (1999 Noack/Langholtskirkja, Reykjavik, Iceland) Iceland Broadcasting recording September 19, 1999

J.S. BACH: O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde gross, S. 622 –Christopher Young (1995 Pasi/Trinity Lutheran, Lynnwood, WA) Loft recording July 5, 2000

J.S. BACH: Kyrie, Gott, heiliger Geist, S. 671 –Christa Rakich (1965 Flentrop/Episcopal Cathedral of St. Mark, Seattle, WA) Loft recording July 3, 2000

J.S. BACH: Canonic Variations on Vom Himmel hoch, S. 769 –Todd Fickley (1967 Schlicker/Plymouth Congregational, Seattle, WA) Pipedreams Archive recorded July 2, 2000

J.S. BACH: Trio Sonata Number 4 in e, S. 528 –Paul Jacobs (1997 Noack/Epiphany Episcopal, Seattle, WA) Pipedreams Archive recorded July 6, 2000

J.S. BACH: 5 Orgelbüchlein Chorale-preludes Christ lag in Todesbanden, S. 625; Erstanden ist der heilge Christ, S. 628; Erschienen ist der herrliche Tag, S. 629; Christ ist erstanden, S. 627 –James Kibbie (1985 C.B. Fisk/Moore Hall, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI) University of Michigan recording April 16, 2000

J.S. BACH (arranged by Chouinard): Air, from Orchestral Suite in D, S. 1068 –Bill Chouinard (1990 Visser-Rowland/Wooddale Church, Eden Prairie, MN) Pipedreams Archive recorded November 19, 2000

J.S. BACH: Prelude & Fugue in C, S. 547 –Robert Bates (1998 Fritts/Lagerquist Hall, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA) Pipedreams Archive recorded July 4, 2000

These live and lively performances celebrate the 316th anniversary of the birth of history’s greatest organist, Johann Sebastian Bach [born 3/21/1685] and prelude the coming of spring! Several recitalists were recorded during the American Guild of Organists’ National Convention in July 2000. Both James Kibbie and Paul Jacobs played complete Bach-cycles during the year 2000; Jacobs even performed the complete works on July 28 in Pittsburgh, a spectacular 18-hour marathon!