The Great Organs of First Church, volume 2

David Goode, organ

The neo-Gothic First Congregational Church of Los Angeles is home to the world’s largest church organ. The instrument known as “The Great Organs of First Church“ is, quite simply, one of the wonders of the musical world. Its size is only one aspect of its uniqueness: one must add its spatial distribution around the building, the variety of its components and the tonal balance of the whole---and one could also add the story of its gradual evolution. The new organist of the church, David Goode, puts this instrument through its paces with a highly varied program ranging from Frescobaldi to Gershwin.

Improvisation: Fanfare on “FCCLA”
Wagner (arr. Lemare): Overture to Die Meistersinger
Howells: Master Tallis’s Testament
Copland (arr. Fesperman): Passacaglia
Buxtehude: Fantasia on Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern
de Grigny: from Livre d’Orgue:

     Récit de tierce en taille

     Fugue

     Dialogue sur les Grands Jeux
Frescobaldi: from Fiori Musicali:

     Toccata avanti il Ricercare

     Canzona dopo l’Epistola
Purvis: Greensleeves (from Four Carol Preludes).
Bach: Chorale Prelude on Vater unser im Himmelreich, BWV 682.
Thalben-Ball: Elegy.
Goode: Concert Fantasy on Themes by Gershwin.