This month we have celebrated contributions to the world of organ music by women composers and organists. Today, we highlight the work of American organist and pedagogue Damin Spritzer. She has enthusiastically brought a new awareness to some composers that have, for one reason or another, fallen by the wayside, and lends her expertise and time to the administration of the Organ Media Foundation.
We’re continuing our commemoration of Women’s History Month with an episode of music recorded by some enormously gifted, and very influential women in the organ world, organists with fantastic careers and multitudes of followers. Some of whom, in many ways, have been responsible for shaping the perception of organ music around the world.
For centuries, hymns have provided a vehicle for people to pray and praise, to experience comfort and solace, and to express themselves in ways the spoken word cannot achieve. These beloved hymns and songs have proven inspirational for musicians across the centuries. In this episode we play a few well-known hymn tune arrangements by composers familiar and not-so-familiar.
From the age of 11 until his death, Felix Mendelssohn played and composed music for the organ. On The King of Instruments we’re acknowledging Mendelssohn’s significant contribution to music through composition and his role in fostering the renewal of interest in the works of Johann Sebastian Bach, and his birthday, which is February 3rd. Happy 215th birthday, Felix!
Chant melodies have been inspiring musicians for hundreds of years. Today we’ll listen to different ways composers have brought the same chant melodies to the organ.
Canadian organ builder Joseph Casavant was born January 23, 1807 in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec. He constructed 17 organs in his lifetime, and although very little of his work survives today, his sons Claver and Samuel carried on his legacy and established Casavant Freres Organ Builders in 1879. Today, Casavant is one of the oldest and most successful organ builders and we celebrate Joseph Casavant’s vision on the King of Instruments.
