Greetings!

It's been a while and I apologize for the long silence. I have been
busy with my secular job search and finally started my new job at a
great dot-com company. During my first week, I had to fly to Seattle,
WA for training. Of course, the trip to the Pacific Northwest wouldn't
be complete without some organ experiences!

I was in luck. During my stay in Seattle, Diane Meredith Belcher was
to give her debut at Seattle Symphony's beautiful Watjen organ built
by C.B. Fisk. You can see the program and read program notes here:
http://www.seattlesymphony.org/symphony/buy/single/production.aspx?id=3507&src=t

How thrilling it was! My favorite was Guilain: Suite on the Second
Tone from Pieces for the Magnificat. With authentic sounds and pungent
harmonies, I was transported far away and wished the music would just
keep on flowing forth.

My purchased seat was in the Orchestra Center, but probably a bit too
close to the stage. I felt at times that some really deep and powerful
sounds were floating over me and not through me. I was right--after
the intermission, I moved further back, to where in my estimate the
sounds should be converging. And the Liszt "Ad nos, ad salutarem
undam" rumbled and shook the house! The Watjen possesses some powerful
voices, to be sure. The acoustics in the hall are very favorable,
especially if you sit toward the end and center.

Here is the stop list:
http://www.cbfisk.com/fisk_files/organs/op114_01.html

On my last morning in Seattle, I got the chance to visit and play the
organ at St. James Cathedral. I arranged the visit with the Cathedral
organist, Joseph Adam, to whom I am very grateful for the experience.
I came in, suitcase in tow, and Mr. Adam was most welcoming. The East
Apse 2000 Rosales organ was just marvelous, and Mr. Adam explained how
one console provides control for both the Rosales and the historic
1907 Hutchings-Votey located across the Cathedral in the West Gallery.
Separated by almost 100 years and many, many feet (the delay and the
reverb are something special!), the two organs actually work very well
together. I had 45 minutes all to myself to play and experiment, pure
bliss even though I didn't bring any music or organ shoes. How dearly
have I missed being able to do this!

Mr. Adam also gave me his lovely "L'Organist Parisien" CD, recorded at
the Cathedral.

Back home, as I was practicing my harpsichord, I had a revelation
(probably too loud a word, but it felt like one). The WTC prelude in
B-flat major, #21 in Vol. 2, would make a great show piece that's
super easy in the pedal and would wow your audience! I imagined it so
clearly: the first part played lightly on manual 1, with a silvery
sound, traipsing aroung the harmonies, until it comes tumbling down to
a sudden low pedal D at full chorus. Jolt! Then, continue on manual 2
with full chorus, those marvelous chords and recitative, using the
pedal to support the bass, and stay on the full sound until the end.

The dancing 3-voice fugue would sound great on the organ as wel,
although playing the lower voice on the pedals requires agility and
much practice. I am using it as a challenge to myself to get back into
shape.

Tim Smith's analysis of the fugue:
http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~tas3/wtc/i21.html

I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

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Event Update:
The Ruffatti Organ Dedication at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church
by R. Monty Bennett has been moved to November 17 atn 7 p.m. Please
make a note of it.
http://www.organfocus.com/search.php3?eventID=8846

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YouTube now has quite a collection of interesting organ videos. But
today, I found this: playing Pachelbel on a Hydraulophone. If you ever
dreamed of playing music while in the shower, you will enjoy this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgU0OZkGhGI&mode=related&search=

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Today's Organ Stop is:

Hedeiaphone
http://www.organstops.org/h/Hedeiaphone.html

Cheers,
Lana