Two extraordinary organists playing two extraordinary organs in dialogue might seem an over-abundance of riches. Yet it is possible that the great organists of earlier times enjoyed responding to each other across vast spaces. This new recording, which includes compositions by six masters of the North German School, recreates this sound and ambience using two mean-tone organs in Stanford's Memorial Church.

Noted organist and scholar, Kimberly Marshall, explores the relationship between French classical composers and Johann Sebastian Bach.  The Stanford Fisk incorporates two different tuning temperaments (well-tempered and meantone), both of which are heard on this recording.

What if the greatest keyboard players of the first half of the eighteenth century, Bach, Scarlatti, and Handel--all born the same year--had met in a contest pitting their devastating technical brilliance and quickness of invention each against the other? This recording imagines these three remarkable musicians competing on that most celestial of instruments, the organ; the organ being the large Fisk-Nanney at Stanford Memorial Church.

This unusual CD documents a tri-part program of 20th-century music, organized and composed by Robert Bates.  It includes many world premier recordings. With interspersed spoken texts and imaginative programming, Bates explores the nature of the world and ourselves, through verbal themes and non-verbal sound paintings. Music by Bates, Ligetti, Pärt, Guillo, Alain, Hampton, Tower, Demessieux and Messaien. This is the most unusual organ recording in our collection, and it is a masterpiece of invention, symbolism and imagination.

 

Includes 24-page book on the music and organs used, plus a 16-page graphical audience score.

CD 1 - The Universe Within: A Journey of the Mind
CD 2  - A Journey of the Body

CD 3 - Life after Life: A Journey of the Soul