Latest news with #organ
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Organ taster day invites curious to try out the 'king of instruments'
An organ taster day in Clitheroe will give members of the public the chance to try their hand at what the event's organiser calls the "king of instruments". The "Come and Play the Organ" session will be held at Clitheroe Parish Church (St Mary's) on Saturday, June 7, from 10.30am to 12.30pm, as part of a nationwide series of events intended to address the shortage of organists in the UK. Visitors will be able to watch an informal presentation, listen to a miniature recital, and try the organ for themselves during the session. James Robinson, organiser of the event, said: "2025 is 'Play the Organ Year' so there is no better time to give it a go. "We hope that there are some local people around who would like to learn this 'king of instruments.' "You might simply be interested to know how an organ works and the sounds it can make – or maybe you've always fancied playing one but have never had the chance. "It would also be great to see some children there because they are the future of our churches. "But all are welcome – so come along, be nosey, and make some noise." READ MORE: Wheelchair stickers removed 'in error' at Nelson Morrisons Filming for BBC drama The Cage closes Tockholes Road, Tockholes Vascular services at Blackburn hospital could move to Preston No prior experience is needed, though basic piano skills are helpful for those interested in learning and playing long-term. Those attending on the day are also invited to bring their own piano music to see how it transcribes onto the organ. Anyone requiring further details can contact Mr Robinson via email at lone2000@
The Guardian
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Anna Lapwood review – charismatic organist has a packed Royal Albert Hall eating out of her hand
The Henry Willis organ – 70ft high, 65ft wide, with 9,999 pipes – has long been the criminally underused centrepiece of the Royal Albert Hall, but it has finally found someone big enough to bring it to life. Anna Lapwood, the venue's first ever official organist, might be a slight 5ft 3in but the so-called 'TikTok organist' – with more than 2m social media followers – is charismatic enough to sell out a midweek gig and have a packed hall eating out of her hand. Tonight she and her organ battle with the Philharmonia Orchestra and Chorus, under the baton of the ever adventurous German conductor André de Ridder. Lapwood's obsession with film soundtracks could suggest a rather glib populism – she even apologises for starting with a Hans Zimmer theme from The Da Vinci Code ('I don't know why it made me cry, it's not even a very good film') and encores with a solo arrangement of a throwaway theme from How to Train Your Dragon. But the rest of the show has heft. Saint Saëns' third symphony, probably the most famous piece for organ and orchestra, takes up most of the second half, while a suite from Zimmer's Interstellar soundtrack shifts the organ-heavy themes into hypnotic, Philip Glass-like territory. Better still are the two pieces specially written for tonight. A toccata by young composer Kristina Arakelyan is a wonderful mix of whimsy and horror, filled with slippery harmonies, gurgling sci-fi passages and studied discordancy. Max Richter's 33-minute Cosmology conducts a circular voyage through space – from the tentative, irregular, arpeggios of the intro, to the heart-tugging, funereal organ drones of the second movement, the glistening modulations and irregular time signatures of the third, while the final movement mixes Lapwood's dreamy, synth-like chord washes with the female voices of the choir she leads at Pembroke College, Cambridge. What's especially welcome is Lapwood's efforts to talk to the audience and put the music into context. As well as being an evangelist for the pipe organ, and a champion of female musicians (her #PlayLikeAGirl T-shirts are all over the hall), she's also becoming one of the most effective ambassadors for classical music since Leonard Bernstein – a musically omnivorous enthusiast who knows how to communicate with a wider audience.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Wolcottsville church will rededicate its one-of-a-kind organ with a six-player recital
WOLCOTTSVILLE — The one-of-a-kind organ at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church will be rededicated next weekend with a recital by six area organists. Trinity's two-manual 1897 Hinners & Albertsen organ (style 20) is newly restored, after craftsmen from the Heritage Pipe Organs company undid the damage done by mice that took up residence in the instrument while it wasn't being played during Covid lockdown. The original German-language labels on the stops were discovered during the process and have been reapplied. Trinity church has the distinction of possessing the only organ still in existence in the United States that's still being played in its original installment, according to lifetime congregant Cathy Bergquist. The National Historical Organ Society recognized it as an 'exceptional' historic organ in 2004. For Trinity organist Ric Jones, it's a joy to play. 'It has never been revoiced (had its piping altered), so it sounds the same today as when it was first played. … It has lived a long life and has many more years in it,' he said. 'This is a unique instrument, wonderful to play.' For the recital, Jones will share his bench with fellow Middleport Community Choir members Debby Clark and Mark Christensen, as well as Aaron Grabowski, Pat Payne and Dave Carmer. They're all church organists from various denominations who, in 15-minute intervals, will play a range of music, from classical to sacred, and some hymns. Jones hopes to set up a projector so that listeners in the pews can see the organists playing above them in the choir loft. The variety recital is intended to demonstrate the 'incredible breadth' of Trinity's organ, congregant Jennifer Bieber said. Bergquist said the organ has been well cared for by the Heritage company for as long as she can remember. In advance of its rededication, she brushed up on its history: Purchased via Sears, Roebuck and Co. catalog, for $485 cash, the organ was manufactured by Pekin, Illinois-based Hinners & Albertsen Organ Company and shipped on the Erie Canal to Gasport, where Rev. J.H. Knuebel claimed and brought it to Trinity by horse-and-buggy. In church records, there's still a copy of the 10-year warranty, dated Jan. 28, 1897. 'A warranty, can you believe it?!' Bergquist laughed. The rodent damage was discovered after the end of the pandemic 'pause' in group gatherings. When Jones returned to his bench, he noticed the keys on the organ were sticking. A repair technician had a look inside and found that mice had chewed a section, damaging the keys and surrounding wood. The fix involved hand-made replacement parts and the bill was $17,500. Insurance did not cover rodent damage, Bergquist said. Niagara County Legislator Mike Hill secured $5,000 through the county Community Partnership fund to put toward restoration, Bieber said. The recital, hymn sing and organ rededication service are slated 2 to 4 p.m. May 17. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Capacity is 150-plus. The church is located at 6369 Wolcottsville Road. Following the recital, Trinity is hosting a fundraising dinner and basket raffle at the nearby Wolcottsville fire hall. The meal is sausage and sauerkraut, pork tenderloin, potatoes, corn, bread and butter, applesauce, dessert and beverages. Dinner tickets are $15 per person (no charge for children 12 and younger); get them in advance by calling Jennifer Bieber at 716-628-0179.
