AGO Tuesday

The morning started with a continuation of the Rising Star Recitals at Jehovah Lutheran Church on the 1983 Van Daalen organ. Noah Wynne-Morton, a junior at the Julliard School, played a Bach Prelude and Fugue, then a piece titled Hommage a Igor Stravinsky by Naji Hakim (born 1955). Wynne-Morton was followed by Andrew Yeargin of Raleigh, NC who is studying for his master's degree at the Manhattan School of Music. He chose the famous Bach Prelude and Fugue in D Minor, then a piece I'd never heard by Ad Wammes (born 1953) and titled Miroir which was very cool! His program rounded out with W. A. Mozart's Fantasy in F Minor.

After the Rising Star Recitals I was off to Bethel University for a concerto program performed by James Diaz and Stephen Cleobury. It's always exciting to hear the organ played with an orchestra. My favorite piece was Grand Concerto No. 3 played by Diaz and composed by Stephen Paulus, AGO's composer of the year - but the entire concert was amazing!

The next stop was Saint Andrew's Lutheran Church in Mahtomedi, MN. A church with very modern architecture, the organ was built in 1927 by Casavant and then expanded by Schantz in 2001. John Weaver played a short concert including his own Partita on Kingsfold which I enjoyed very much. (Kingsfold is one of my favorite tunes - in fact, we're singing it Sunday!)

The next performer was Cameron Carpenter who has been called "the ultimate maverick of the U.S. organ community." (I borrow from the author Anne Rice and think of him as the "brat-prince of organists.) His playing is simply amazing. John Weaver, one of his teachers, said that Carpenter is a prodigy such as has not been seen since the time of Mozart. He is incredible. If you ever have a minute then just google him and watch some of the YouTube videos. You will be amazed!! I promise. His rendition of Bach's Prelude and Fugue in D Minor is shocking to many organists, but I've heard it played the "right way" so many times that Carpenter's version was incredibly entertaining and I loved every second of it. If you are ever anyplace that Cameron Carpenter is playing a concert, GO. . .and take the family!!

That afternoon I attended a workshop on AGO certification.

The evening event was a concert of music by Olivier Messiaen - and there was not a single organ piece on the program! I don't think I've ever heard any non-organ Messiaen music so this was an enjoyable and educational experience. My favorite was the selections from Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant-Jesus/Twenty Glances on the Child Jesus. This is a work for piano and was played by Lydia Artymiw, a leading piano recitatlist of international fame. We also heard Fete des belles for Six Ondes Martenot. The Martenot is a unique instrument that somehow changes electricity into sound. It can only play one note at a time, so any harmony or polyphony requires more than one instrument. The instument had a unique quality and, although the piece was interesting and well-played, it was a little esoteric and long for my taste. (Perhaps the fact that it was nearly 10:00 pm when it started was a factor.) Still, it was a unique offering and I'm glad I had the chance to hear it.

Top photo: St. Paul's Roman Catholic Cathedral Bottom: St. Andrew's Lutheran Church