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Tiento (Fantasy) No. 23   Francisco Correa de Arauxo (1584–1654)  [ORGAN] "Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies" Improvisation Francisco Correa de Arauxo (1584–1654) is considered one of the major composers and music theorists of the late Spanish Renaissance. What little biographical data we have is that he was born in Seville and baptized probably in September 1584.…

Allemande, Sarabande     W. Zeitler  "If Thou But Suffer God To Guide Thee" Improvisation At least in ’classic’ Presbyterianism, a distinguishing doctrine is that our eternal fate is ’predestined’ since before the Beginning. Now I’m no theologian or church historian, and I’m certainly not going to go into the pros and cons of that view.…

Prelude in Bm     F. Chopin One evening, when all were assembled in a salon, Liszt played one of Chopin’s nocturnes, to which he took the liberty of adding some embellishments. Chopin’s delicate intellectual face, which still bore the traces of recent illness, looked disturbed; at last he could not control himself any longer, and…

Toccata in Gm D. Buxtehude (1637/39-1707) “Spirit of the Living God” Improvisation In a former life I found myself on the road (with my glass armonica) in a Motel 6 in the middle of nowhere. There were maybe 4 channels on the TV — CNN, a couple shopping channels, and Trinity Broadcast Network. Trinity is…

"A Prayer in the Still of the Night" W. Zeitler "Open My Eyes That I May See" Improvisation In the Old Testament we find the story of Samuel — a prophet who ultimately anoints David as King of Israel. At a young age Samuel is apprenticed to the priest Eli, and one night he thinks…

Chaconne W. Zeitler  [ORGAN] "Now the Green Blade Riseth" Improvisation The 'chaconne' (sha-KONE) is a musical form consisting of a repeating bass pattern, or alternatively a repeating chord sequence, with variations carrying on all the while. Some scholars have argued that a 'chaconne' is a repeating chord sequence while a 'passacaglia' has a repeating bass…

"The Cuckoo"  Louis-Claude Daquin (1694-1772) [HARPSICHORD] "If Thou But Suffer God To Guide Thee" Improvisation Louis-Claude Daquin was born in Paris to a reasonably well-connected family. On his mother’s side he was related to Rabelais, on his father’s to the Rabbi of Avignon (who had converted to Christianity before he died in 1650). His great…

“If Only I Could Kiss It and Make It Better” W. Zeitler “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” Improvisation Once upon a time a close friend confided in me about being the victim of violence years prior, and how it still profoundly haunted her. The story left me speechless. Later, I thought about how when we are children and…

Sonata in D, K96 Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757) Handel (1685-1759) in his 20’s traveled to Italy to further his musical education. When he arrived in Rome, Cardinal Ottoboni arranged a keyboard competition between Handel and Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757). Scarlatti recognized his rival’s superior ability on the organ, while listeners were divided on the outcome of the…

Prelude & Fugue in G (BWV 550)    J.S.Bach (1685-1750) [BIG ORGAN] "Of the Father's Love Begotten" Improvisation One of the unique features of the organ is a keyboard played by the feet to supply the bass. The pipe organ goes back to Roman days (in a primitive form) but a keyboard for the feet…