Promotion Music
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Robert Kaye, M.D.  Dr. Jordans Rehab Program for Dr. Kaye seems to beworking.  This will be the first recital he has been able to play on the upper keyboard without pain in his right shoulder. 
​Robert Kaye, M.D.  I am still Dr. Jordan's current rehab project. 
​Dr. Robert Kaye, MD Dr. Kaye is a retired physician from Lincoln City.  He was an organ student for several years until forced to quit secondary to physical problems.  He has recently been able to resume playing.  Dr. Jordan regards him a Rehabilitation project.    
​Robert Kaye I am Dr. Jordan's current rehab project
​ 
Robert Kaye, M.D.  I am still Dr. Jordan's current rehab project. 
 
Robert Kaye  Dr Kaye is a retired physician from Lincoln City.  He was an Organ student for several years until forced to quit secondary to physical problems.  He has recently been able to resume playing.  Dr. Jordan regards him a Rehabilitation project.    ​

The Holy City
for Organ and Handbells
arr. Dr. Robert Kaye
St. James the Fisherman Lutheran Church
04-17-22

O Holy Night
​ Arr.  Dr. Robert Kaye
​for Organ, Voice, and Handbells 
12/26/21

O Holy Night Arr.  Dr. Robert Kaye
​for Organ and Handbells 
12/26/21

Sicilienne……………………………Gabriel Faure (1845-1924)    Faure was one of the foremost French composers of his generation.  This piece was originally scored for oboe in the solo parts.  When that version was set aside for 4-5 years, it was rescored for flute and used as incidental music.  It was transcribed for organ by a friend of the composer, Louis Robilliard, after hearing an orchestral performance.  Multiple arrangements for a variety of instruments are apparently available, although I could only find an organ arrangement in France.  This has been restored into a tone poem arrangement.  There are multiple exit points available, making it ideal for those times when the morning platform entourage deserves a 15- yard penalty for remaining too long in the huddle, while the organist exhausts their prepared prelude material. 
   I had not heard this piece before and ran into it accidentally on YouTube while looking for a different piece.  Hearing the semi-mysterious, eerie, melodic line that won’t let go, I knew it had to be shared with the group.  If you brought headphones or earplugs anticipating what I would probably play today, leave them in your purses.  They won’t be needed. 

Student Recital June 22, 2019

​Finale and Fugue on Psalm 94………………………Julius Reubke (1834-1854)
Not necessarily played in that order.  By eliminating the first section of the Sonata, you won’t have remembered it by the end of the 3rd section.  It’s senseless at this point to repeat back to the beginning and play over something you’ve already finished.  If only life was this straightforward.  If this is confusing it may be better if you don’t understand.  The music tends to be that way in places!
The entire Sonata is one of 2 Sonatas Reubke wrote prior to a premature death at age 24.  This masterwork for organ and one for piano.  Although written as a sonata, it could be called a fantasy or tone poem.  All movements are glued together by a single principal theme, ranging from “gloomy resignation to defiant resistance.” 
Reuble was the son of a German organ builder and a prize pupil of Franz List.  This is a work in progress.             
   Postscript April 15th was a particularly bad day for me.  Dr Jordan had originally given the manuscript for the music.  This was something I wasn’t used to, and watched it for 2 weeks until I was confident she really truly meant for me to keep it before I started marking it up.  I first heard it performed on the Organ at Notre Dame on a YOUTube recording, and couldn’t believe what I was hearing.  Over the next months Dr. Jordan would become mentor, guide, inspiration, and encourager as I sought to get this together. My wife’s tolerance for strange sounds in her living room was to be tested over and over.  I would become very familiar with the Organ at Notre Dame as the recording helped me single out subtle nuances in technique and registration.  The idea that this great Organ was in Mortal danger gave me a feeling of dread I have not encountered before in my life.  About 4:30 AM on April 16th, I finally learned that the organ has been saved.  This piece of music was technically ahead of its time in terms of performance requirements.  Watch Dr. Jordan assisting today.  She is replacing what once took 2 people on each side of an instrument to push and pull drawknobs, and a page turner.  That list doesn’t include the multiple persons in a basement or room pumping bellows.  The time requirement for the entire number is 26-27 minutes.  By abbreviating to a short introduction, with the central Fugue and Finale we are fitting a portion of it into the recital program.  In spite of hysterical harmonics and embellishments, it ends on a simple c-minor chord.  Let the music absorb you!

Student Recital December 8 2018 

Carillon de Westminster………………...Louis Vierne
First Preformance: Notre Dame, Paris November 29, 1929.  The “Carillon de Westminster” is a fantasia on the Westminster chimes, played from the Clock Tower, Palace of Westminster, London, since 1858. The chimes play four notes in the key of E Major, G#, F#, E, and B, in various patterns every fifteen minutes. Rumor has it that Vierne’s friend Henry Willis hummed the tune for the composer upon his request. Possibly Willis hummed the tune incorrectly or Vierne misheard his friend upon transcription. At any rate, several changes were made from the original patterns of progression. There is debate among musicologists as to whether this rumor is true or Vierne altered the melody to suit his composition purposes. At some points in the piece the correct “Westminster” version is used however. It should be noted that Vierne’s original manuscripts are notoriously difficult to read due to his poor eyesight. Program notes sourced from “Wikepedia”
Military March #4 …………………………Sir Edward Elgar
Among his famous compositions are his Military Marches, helping satisfy the British desire for splendor and ceremony with affairs of state.  The original Military March #1 is famous in this country, as “Land of Hope and Glory”, and is heard at innumerable graduation ceremonies each year.  Equally familiar in Britain and heard more frequently is Military March #4.  This was the recessional Princess Diana’s wedding, and more recently used by a marching band at the Presidential Inauguration.
Litanies…………………………….Jehan Alain (1911-1940)
Litany – a liturgical form of prayer consisting of a series of supplications…Funk and Wagnalls Dictionary.  Preface to the composition translated from the original French:  “When the Christian soul in distress can no longer find new words to implore the mercy of God, it repeats the same invocation without ceasing with vehement faith.  Reason reaches iit’s limit.  Only faith can take one further.” 
“His (Alain’s) was one of the most unique voices I 20th century organ composition…He was killed on a reconnaissance mission during World War II, June 1940.  Posthumously awarded the Croix de Guerre for bravery.”  Stephen Buzard, 2014.  The closing notes erupt in a monstrous 16 note scream to the heavens.  “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me!”
 
 Passacaglia in C minor…………………Johann Sebastian Bach
The Original of this manuscript is lost to history. It is one of Bach’s early works, with suggestions that he wrote it at ages 22 or 23. The theme comes from an “idea” published by French Organist Andre Raison. From this Bach Produced a Passacaglia of 20 variations. Each Variation is 8 measures in length. The first group reach a Climax at number 12, follow by 3 “thinly scored variations”, with the final 5 reaching a dramatic finish. Performance times in recordings by various artists have varied markedly. The same is true of registrations. The latter seem to depend on the time period and the individual tastes of the artist. For some, the same registration is used for the entire piece. Others vary solo stops and colors for each variation. One recent U-Tube posting had almost all the stop changes in the Pedal. The Piece you will hear today seeks to emphasize the original theme as it flows through the manuals and Pedal. Note: In several Variations the interpretation varies from the Edition being used. A small portion was used in a Godfather Movie.
Litanies 1937...........................Jehan Alain  1911-1940
Prologue by the composer proceeding the composition. translated from the original French.
When the Christian soul in distress can no longer find new words to implore the mercy of God, it repeats the same invocation without ceasing with vehement faith. Reason reaches its limit. Only faith can take one further. - - Jehan Alain

The Supplicant marshals all resources of faith at the finale, to exhaustion. A final chord erupts in a monstrous 16 note scream to the heavens.

...His was one of the most unique voices in the 20th century organ composition, and it staggers the mind to imagine what the output of such genius might have been had he lived a full life. He was killed on a reconnaissance mission during World War II, June 194-. Posthumously awarded the Crois de Guerre for bravery. Stephen Buzard --2014
Sonata Eroica (1930)……………………………….Joseph Jongen
   This Belgium composer’s musical talent was recognized at an early age, and he started Conservatory training at age 7.  Compositions date from age 13.  He started formal organ training at age 19.  Within 4 years, he was receiving awards for his playing.  The family moved to England during WWI, then returned to Brussels at the close.  He returned to the Conservatory as Professor of Fugue and later became the Conservatory director.  He retired in 1939 and devoted his later years to composition.
   Descriptions of his music include, “extravagantly scored – generously melodic- richly romantic.”  His best known works are the Symphonie Concertante for Organ and Orchestra, and this number for solo organ.
   The Sonata Eroica has been described as “beautiful and ingenious melody, growing in intensity and made the subject of variations.  These grow in intensity and animation concluding with a finely wrought fugato.”  Portions compare to free verse in poetry.
   The Sonata opens with 4 pages of bombastic chromaticism for chords, many up to 10 notes in height.  The main theme present shortly thereafter as a “still small voice” and that is really where the body of the work begins.  The last time you hear the theme it will have totally changed in sound volume.
   Throughout the pages are 7 changes of key signature.  As a direct result, the work has numerous “sneaky” modulations that are never recognized unless you are listening for them.  These are not what one would use from one stanza to the next for a Sunday morning hymn.  Tempos range from 44/min for a quarter note to 80 per minute for a half note.  It is notorious for unusual sharps.  There are multiple double sharps throughout the pages to keep company with the E and B sharps contained therein.  On the last page is one measure with 5 E sharps and 5 G double sharps.  He may have been “conflicted”.  In the last line the pedal runs out of notes so a 2 octave leap gets one back up the pedalboard to continue the downward run.  It’s fun to play.
   You might listen for the “Pedal Point” that runs across 12 measures immediately followed by one 10 measure long.  I forgot, there is a 2 page fugue near the middle.  Remember Jongen’s position at the Conservatory in Brussels.  It shows in numerous places throughout the piece.
   Presenting this a joint effort of Dr. Jordan and myself.  There is a tendency to use registrations on this number that leave it “muddy” or the sound “blurred” in several places.  We’ve tried very hard to avoid this.  Don’t try to figure it out.  Just listen and enjoy.
   I also want to thank Shelley Stoll for her kindness, patience, and generosity in providing practice time at NVPC over the past months in preparation for today’s concert. 
First Organ Symphony – Finale………………………Louis Vierne Louis Vierne, the famous French organist died in the year of my birth as he completed a recital at Notre-Dame in Paris. He composed six Symphonies for Organ.  The number you will hear today is the finale from the First Organ symphony and is the most familiar.  As you hear this, remember that he was virtually blind.  
"The Grand Finale isn't grande unless it's played by all the band.” Ogden Nash
Cantabile …………………………………………….Cesar Franck
The sound and emotion of Franck's music always gave me me the impression he suffered from a Chronic Depressive Disorder.  
Considering the exploitation by his father in his preteen years, the bad press notices at the same time. and removal from the Paris Conservatory before completing studies certainly wouldn't have helped. Being forbidden to marry the love of his live and leaving home as a result didn't help.  Listen to the music and see what you think. 

The Holy City. Arr Dr. Robert Kaye