Greetings!

It's January and I hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday season.
For me, last year's end meant welcoming my new baby into the world.

Last fall I attended two wonderful organ events. The first one was
Iveta Apkalna's concert at St. Peter's Lutheran church, NYC. This was
her New York City debut. It was thrilling to finally meet the star
organist. I went to work that cold October morning, humming the Kalejs
Toccata which I've listened to so many times on the "Himmel and
Hoelle" CD. It was a nasty, rainy day with gusts of wind and I was
displeased but not surprised at Iveta's audience turnout - about 8
people, including me and my colleague who became her great fan after I
showed him the "Himmel and Hoelle" CD.

Iveta's program was:
F. Mendelssohn - Sonata A-Dur op. 65, Con moto maestoso, Andante tranquillo
J.G. Muethel - Fantasia in F
J.S. Bach - Fantasia & Fugue a-minor, BWV 561
N. Hakim (born 1955) - "Bach'orama", Organ Fantasia on Themes of J.S. Bach
A. Kalejs (Latvia, born 1951) - Toccata on the Choral "Allein Gott in der
Höh' sei Ehre"

Of all the pieces, Kalejs sounded the best, in my opinion. Even though
the Klais organ sounds harsh (something even my coworker, who is not a
professional musician, picked up on), Iveta was able to make the music
soar beatutifully. The Hakim piece was curious bordering on tasteless.
It was true to its name - Bach's themes, many from his organ works,
mixed into some kind of weird dish. I have listened to some of Naji
Hakim's organ music before and am not his greatest fan, so no surprise
there. However, no matter what she plays, Iveta manages to inject her
own brand of excitement into the music.

Meeting Iveta in person was truly the highlight of the day. After the
concert, she took the time to chat with everyone in her excellent
English, and I could see why she wins audience appeal wherever she
goes. My very best wishes to Iveta.

To listen to a fragment of Alvars Kalejs Toccata and other excerpts
from the "Himmel and Hoelle" CD, click here.
http://www.organfocus.com/features/events/iveta_apkalna.php#nov2004

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The other concert I went to was the E.M. Skinner's 80th birthday
concert at St. Ann and the Holy Trinity church, in Brooklyn. Organist
Gregory Eaton joined the Brooklyn Symphony orchestra for Saint-Saens'
Organ Symphony. This concert celebrated the restoration of the
historic instrument, and I was very much looking forward to finally
hearing it.

The music concerts at St. Ann are truly a community event. The house
was packed, and there were many families with small children which on
one hand created extra noise and distraction, but on the other broke
with the stuffiness that often accompanies church performances. I was
sitting in the balcony next to a couple of distingushed-looking
gentlemen in sportcoats and with music scores - clearly one of our
kind :)

The orchestral pieces preceding Saint Saens were:
MOZART - Andante for Flute
MENDELSSOHN - Violin Concerto in e Minor
When the organ was finally heard, it was thrilling. Though there is
not much reverberation in the church due to damaged plaster and wooden
floor (not to mention the full house), the sound carried beatufully
and it was unmistakeably a Skinner sound. Well worth the wait. I
talked to Gregory Eaton after the concert and he revealed that the
repairs are still not finished (this was October 23rd) and in fact,
they had to rig up a two-manual console to the organ just to be able
to perform that day.
Pictures are here; note the detail in the middle of the stained glass window.
http://www.organfocus.com/media/pictures/stann_1.jpg
http://www.organfocus.com/media/pictures/stann_2.jpg
http://www.organfocus.com/media/pictures/stann_3.jpg
http://www.organfocus.com/media/pictures/stann_4.jpg

That's it for the first newsletter after the break. I'll try to keep
them coming regularly.

Have a good week,

Lana