Organ Days

I generally avoid recording myself playing because the perfectionist in me is never quite happy with the results-- my tempo is inconsistent, I didn't play that note cleanly enough, I'm not articulating properly. But I realize that since I can't really carry the organ around with me, a recording is pretty much the only chance some of you will have to hear me play, so I've gone ahead and done it anyway.

The first is a French piece by Louis-Nicolas Clerambault from the Sun King era; I think it's fun because you can practically see all the courtiers prancing about in their stately getup and giant wigs! It's play between "low" and "high" trumpets on one manual, with "sweet" stops (flutes mainly) on the other-- no pedals at all in this piece!

The second is a well-known Toccata in E Minor by Johann Pachelbel from a few decades earlier. The German style is very different; rather than the detached, stately technique required of French music it tends to be more legato and uses heavier stops (all principles).