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“A Little Harmonic Labyrinth” Bach? Heinichen? Bacon? Fugue on “B A C H” J.S.Bach (1685-1750) Gavotte in Gm G.F.Handel (1685-1757) A new feature here at our church is our labyrinth: in a ‘labyrinth’ you don’t have any choices — there’s only one path, whereas in a ‘maze’ you have choices along the way. Mythology tells…

Passacaglia in Cm (BWV 582) J.S.Bach (1685-1750) ORGAN “The Glory of these Forty Days” (No postlude) There is no question that the scientific method is one of the great cognitive inventions of humanity. But then there’s Scientific Materialism (arguably the dominant ‘civil religion’ of our day), which believes that the Scientific Method is the ONLY…

“The Cuckoo”      L.C. D’Aquin (1694-1772) This Sunday is the last Sunday before Lent. Tuesday is Mardi Gras, which means “Fat Tuesday” in French, so I suppose this Sunday could be “Fat Sunday.” For the occasion I thought something plain-olde fun would be fun — within the bounds of proper-Presbyterianism and the “frozen chosen,”…

Prelude Op.28 No.15 “Raindrop”    F. Chopin (1810-1849) This last week as pondered Martin Luther King, Albert Schweitzer and the Saints in general, and this week’s Gospel text in which a completely unknown Jesus walks into a synagogue and blasts them out of the pews with His message: “The great prophecies for which you have been…

Chorale Prelude on “All Glory, Laud and Honor” (the melody is in the pedals)   J.S. Bach (1685–1750) “Oh Morning Star, How Fair and Bright”  Johann Christoph Bach (J.S. Bach’s great uncle, 1642–1703) Question: What do you get when you combine a medical doctor, a renowned concert organist and musicologist, a significant New Testament scholar, a heaping…

Andante for Mechanical Organ (K616)  W. Mozart (1756-1791) New Years Day in essence celebrates nothing more than the passage of time, climaxing with millions of people watching a really big clock sound midnight (in New York City’s Time Square for example). So I thought ‘clocks’ and a curious connection they have with music might make an appropriate topic…

Fugue in C    D. Buxtehude (1637-1707) [ORGAN] "Open My Eyes" M.R. Edward (1810-1865) Improvisation Clara H. Scott (1841-1897), the author of the lyrics for "Open My Eyes" was a Midwesterner, born in Illinois. In 1856 (age 15), Scott attended the first Music Institute held in Chicago by the then well-known C.M. Cady. By 1859…

Organ Trio Sonata in Cm (1st mvmt.)         J.S.Bach (1685-1750) “How Firm a Foundation” Voluntary       F. Gamba  (1705-1740) It was pointed out to me on Reformation Sunday that “you know, the organ can be played quietly too,” to which I replied “Not on Reformation Sunday!” Meanwhile, I thought I’d…

A key principle of the martial arts is that for every ‘strength’ in your opponent there is a weakness you can exploit. (Also known as Yin & Yang.) And, more generally, for every ‘good’ thing you do, there can be an unforeseen negative side effect. That’s not to say that we shouldn’t do ‘good’ in…

Andante un poco adagio (KV309) W. Mozart (1756-1791) [PIANO] “Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones” Improvisaton Mozart was once approached by a young man who was interested in Mozart’s advice on how to compose a symphony. Since he was still very young, Mozart recommended that he start by composing ballads (songs). Surprised, the young man…