The Ash Wednesday services will feature special music on the Manton Memorial Organ. Organ music at the 8am and noon services: O man, bewail thy grevious sin, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) Have Mercy on me, O Lord God, Johann Gottfried Walther (1684-1748) Selections from Orgelbüchlein, J. S. Bach Postlude: Jesus, my Joy, J. S. Bach Organ music at the 6 p.m. service: Prelude (at
At the Prelude (10:50 a.m.) Suite du Premier ton, Jean-Adam Guilain (ca. 1680 – after 1739) Guilain was a German organist and harpsichordist who lived in Paris during the first half of the 18th century. Even though he was born in Germany, his music is completely French in style. His only collection of organ pieces to be published appeared in 1706, and was dedicated
On January 15, the Church of the Ascension will celebrate the work and witness of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., with special music throughout the service from the African-American spiritual tradition. And we are very pleased to host special guest soloist Kevin Deas. Kevin has gained international acclaim as one of America’s leading basses. Lauded for his “burnished sound, clarity of diction
The Organ Inauguration Continues! On Tuesday, November 15 at 8pm, Jon Gillock will perform one of the greatest works ever composed for organ, Messiaen’s Meditations on the Mystery of the Holy Trinity. This epic work takes the listener through an amazing journey of immense power and drama, but also mystery, tenderness, and profound spirituality. It is one of the pillars of …
Pachelbel was the most important South German composer of the middle Baroque, a generation before Bach. He composed a large amount of organ, keyboard, instrumental and vocal music. Pachelbel’s music tends to be very …
At the Prelude (10:45 am): Toccata and Fugue in D Minor Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) This amazing piece almost lives in a world of its own among the organ pieces of Bach. Its construction is the “loosest” of any of his large-scale organ works, and, indeed, there are other pieces more profound, more perfectly constructed. If you were to comment on its form you
It’s called a circular prelude because the melody just keeps coming back, over and over again, and that’s the “form” of the piece. I chose this work because it is a perfect vehicle for the French 19th century Fonds 8′. In that Romantic, symphonic era, the 8′ foundation tone included all the foundation stops the organ had – montres, flutes, gambes (strings) …
Frescobaldi was the first great composer of keyboard music in Italy. Prior to his time, the great composers were writing for voice (especially choral music) or small instrumental ensembles. At first, keyboard instruments were used primarily for improvisations. In each of the European countries …
The day of the terrorist attack, September 11, 2001, most of us on the staff were standing on Fifth Avenue, in front of the church, looking straight down at the burning towers as the first tower collapsed. Throughout the day a constant procession of people covered in powder passed by the church. At noon we held an impromptu Eucharist. The church was filled. Father Andrew improvised an inspired, heart-felt homily. At the end of the service I played Bach. The greatest organ works of Bach have a powerful ability to connect with a timeless, universal, spiritual realm. For this year’s remembrance I have chosen …
Voices of Ascension will perform at two free concerts on Saturday, September 10, and Sunday, September 11, 2011, at 5:00 p.m. at Rockefeller Park in Battery Park City. The performance will be at the north end of the park, at the corner of River Terrace and Warren St. (Take the subway to Chambers Street and walk west on Chambers Street to the park on