Virgil Fox in 1954

1953 Aeolian-Skinner organ, Opus 1118, at Riverside, New York, New York

1871 Henry Willis; 1924; 1933 Harrison & Harrison; 2004 Mander organ at Royal Albert Hall, London, England, UK

1911 Wanamaker organ at Grand Court, Macy’s Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1934 Aeolian-Skinner organ at Grace Episcopal Cathedral, San Francisco, California

Virgil Fox: The Centenary

…a tribute to the memory of one of the most popular, and controversial, organists of all time, who believed in the cause of beauty above history, and above the limitations of any instrument.

Program Broadcast dates:

• Week of April 30, 2012

Links and Resources:

• Printable program listings

Music played in the program

Hour 1

J.S. BACH: Fugue in g, BWV 578 –Virgil Fox (1953 Aeolian-Skinner/Riverside, New York, NY) BMG/RCA CD-61251

BACH: Fantasy & Fugue in c, BWV 537 –Virgil Fox (1953 Aeolian-Skinner/Riverside, New York, NY) OrganArts CD-4135

BACH (transcribed by Fox): Arioso, from Cantata Number 156 –Virgil Fox (1930 E.M. Skinner/Girard College Chapel, Philadelphia, PA) OrganArts CD-4001

BACH: Toccata & Fugue in d, BWV 565 –Virgil Fox
Toccata, (Rogers electronic/Wintergarden Theatre, San Francisco) MCA 9827
Fugue, (1871 Henry Willis; 1924; 1933 Harrison & Harrison; 2004 Mander/Royal Albert Hall, London, England, UK) RCA 7736

G.F. HANDEL: Allegro, from Organ Concerto No. 4 in F –Virgil Fox (1953 Aeolian-Skinner/Riverside, New York, NY) BMG/RCA CD-61251

WILHELM MIDDELSCHULTE: Perpetuum Mobile, from Concerto on a Theme of Bach –Virgil Fox (1953 Aeolian-Skinner/Riverside, New York, NY) EMI Classics CDC 65913

PYOTR TCHAIKOVSKY: Theme from Romeo & Juliet –Virgil Fox (1953 Aeolian-Skinner/Riverside, New York, NY) MCA 20861

MARCEL DUPRÉ: Prelude & Fugue in g, Opus 7, number 3 –Virgil Fox (1953 Aeolian-Skinner/Riverside, New York, NY) EMI Classics CDC 66386

Filler – BACH: Trio Sonata No. 6, BMG/RCA CD-61251

Hour 2

MARTIN LUTHER (arranged by Fox): A Mighty Fortress. JULES MASSENET: Meditation, from Thaïs –Virgil Fox (1953 Aeolian-Skinner/Riverside, New York, NY) EMI Classics CDC 65426

JOSEPH JONGEN: Toccata, from Symphonie Concertante, Opus 81 –French National Opera Orchestra, Georges Pretre, conductor; Virgil Fox (1878 Cavaillé-Coll; 1939 Gonzales/Ravel Auditorium, Lyon, France) EMI Classics CDC 65075

JOHANNES BRAHMS: Chorale-prelude, Mein Jesu, der du mich, Op. 122, no. 1 –Virgil Fox (Hammond Castle organ/Gloucester, MA) Organ Arts 4002

BACH (transcribed by Stokowski and arranged by Fox): Komm, süsser Tod, BWV 478 –Virgil Fox (1911 Wanamaker/Grand Court, Macy’s Center City, Philadelphia, PA) Bainbridge CD-2501

BACH: Prelude & Fugue in b, BWV 544 –Virgil Fox (1971 Ruffatti/Cathedral of St. Mary, San Francisco, CA) Circles International 052

ROBERT HEBBLE (arr.): Divinum Mysterium –Virgil Fox (1965 Möller/St. Paul the Apostle RCC, New York, NY) Bainbridge CD-2505

Filler – BACH (arr. Fox): Nun danket alle Gott, BMG/RCA CD-61251

 

We dedicate this program to the memory of one of the 20th century's great musician-entertainers, Virgil Fox, May 3, 1912—October 25, 1980 on the occasion this month of the 100th anniversary of his birth. In the program’s second hour, Virgil Fox’s long-time concert managerRichard Torrence reads from The Dish, a published and sometimes irreverant remembrance of Fox.

Listen to three previous Pipdreams programs devoted to the art of Virgil Fox, each with different repertoire:

   #2040 – The Fox Phenomenon

   #0539 – That Red Blooded Organist

   #0831 – Symphonic Fox