Author: william

Christiaan Huygens (1629-1695) was an important mathematician (writing the first treatise on probability), physicist (proposing the wave theory of light) and astronomer (discovering Saturn’s moon Titan). He also invented the pendulum clock — the most accurate timepiece for four centuries until the 1930s. Christiaan’s father was wealthy, which afforded him a lifetime of liberty to…

Sonata for Organ       William Herschel (1738-1825) “People, Look East” Improvisation William Herschel’s father was oboist in the Hanover Military Band, and in due time his sons William and Jakob joined as well. At that time the crowns of Great Britain and Hanover were united under King George II, and the Hanover regiment found itself stationed in…

Ricercar                    Vincenzo Galilei (1520–1591) [ORGAN] Come, Thou Long Expected Jeuss Improvisation There are many elements to the Advent/Christmas Story, and one on which I would like to focus this Advent season is ’The Star’. ’The Star in the East” is the tiniest of elements in the…

Prelude in Bm (BWV 544)   J. S. Bach (1685-1750) [big angst ORGAN] “Oh God, Our Help in Ages Past” Improvisation One of God’s many characteristics has been described as “Mysterium Tremendum” — Latin for “Tremendous Mystery”. After all, S/He is indeed ultimately unfathomable. How can we the created ever really grasp the Creator? Let’s imagine…

Symphonic Meditation on “Ein’ Feste Burg” W. Zeitler Today we celebrate Reformation Sunday — Luther nailing his “95 Theses” to the door of the Wittenberg Castle. But I wonder if ’Reformation Sunday’ is not so much an ‘event’ as it is a ‘process’. In Luther’s day, the view was that salvation came through the Catholic…

Two weeks ago I shared about my abusive stepfather and my youngest brother Eric’s resulting suicide, and how as a 16-year-old boy I chose ‘playing Bach’ over the then available anti-depressents. (Over four decades ago.) I hadn’t planned on saying anything more, but since that Music Box I have received feedback from gentle readers that…

Sonatine Mv. 2: ‘Mouvement de Minuet’ Ravel (1875-1937) “Immortal, Invisible God Only Wise” Improvisation A few weeks ago I played the first movement to Ravel’s Sonatine. This week is the second movement, a curious but charming ’minuet’ — an old dance form in three beats to the bar. The story is told that George Gershwin…

Prière à Notre Dame (“Prayer at Notre Dame”) L. Boëllmann (1862-1897) “Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life” Improvisation Léon Boëllmann was born in Alsace, the son of a pharmacist. In 1871, shortly after the conclusion of the Franco-Prussian War, 9-year-old Boëllmann left the contested region of Alsace for Paris and entered the École de…

Aria           J.S. Bach (1685-1750) “The Church’s One Foundation” Improvisation We’ve grown accustomed to the idea that ‘artistic genius’ means one who is rather a loose cannon in society, a menace to those around him/her to a greater or lesser degree, of dubious morals and sanity, etc. etc. Let’s see: Schumann:…