Specializing in recordings of organs of all styles and periods, and with an emphasis on American-built ones, Raven has a reputation for recorded performances by excellent players and high quality in sound through technical leadership. Reviews in such publications as Absolute Sound, The American Record Guide, The American Organist, The Diapason, The Organ, Choir and Organ, Organists' Review, and others frequently cite the technical excellence of Raven's sound and the musical quality of the performances. |
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| NEW! 2 CDs for the Price of One! Organist Alison J. Luedecke plays the earliest four large large organs built for locations in North America by Rudolf von Beckerath, a great light in the Organ Revival worldwide and much appreciated for the beauty and timelessness of his organs. Featured are the very large organs built for Cleveland in 1957, Pittsburgh in 1962, and moderately large organs built for Montr�al in 1959 and Stetson University in 1961. Superb sound is captured by engineer Ed Kelly. Click title for repertoire. | |
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| Poems & Variations: Tikker at Claremont"> NEW! Timothy Tikker plays the famous 3-77 organ at the United Church of Christ in Claremont, California, built in 1998 by Manuel Rosales in collaboration with Glatter-G�tz Orgelbau. DUPR�: �vocation, Po�me Symphonique TIKKER: Variations sur un vieux No�l TOURNEMIRE: Trois Po�mes (Psalms 22, 23, 150) Great Review in the Nov-Dec 2003 issue of The American Record Guide, "He [Tikker] emerges as a top-flight performer, heard to good advantage on this magnificent organ . . . As usual, Raven's engineering is superb." | |
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| NEW! Jesse E. Eschbach plays 19th-century organ music composed in France during and after the Second Empire on the glorious and rarely recorded 1857 Cavaill�-Coll, now 4-85 at the Cathedral in Perpignan, France. Click on headline for repertoire. | |
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| The Murray/Lohuis Duo specializes in the rarely heard international repertory for violin and organ. NEW! Volume 5 All American takes one's breath away with melodious show-stoppers, ravishing effects, and brilliant encore pieces all composed by Americans and played with Aeolian-Skinner and Austin organs. Volume 4 Airs & Romances features luscious romantic works. and Skinner and Aeolian-Skinner organs. All American Works for Violin & Organ, Vol. 5 "Breached Borders," The Murray/Lohuis Duo Plays Works for Violin & Organ, Vol. 3 | |
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| NEW! The Choir of Wellington Cathedral (in New Zealand), Andrew Cantrill, director; James Taylor and Alastair Carey, organists, perform great works in the Anglican liturgical tradition for the season of Advent and the coming of Christmas. The format is that of a service of lessons and carols. The choir is superb, the acoustics resonant and fulfilling, and the organ and organists excellent. Click headline for list of works and more information. | |
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| On the 1999 Noack organ, Op. 135, at the Neskirkja in Reykjavik, Iceland, Peter Sykes plays works by Icelandic composers Jon Thorarinsson, Jon Asgeirsson, Gunnar Reynir Sveinsson, and Jon Nordal, as well as Hindemith, Heiller, Pinkham, and Woodman. Click on headline for more information | |
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 | | NEW! Elizabeth Harrison plays works by the Dutch organ composer J. P. Sweelinck (1562-1621) and several German composers who studied with him, then spread his influence in Germany. She plays the famous 4-72 C. B. Fisk organ at Stanford University. Click headline for repertoire by Sweelinck, Praetorius, Scheidemann, Scheidt, and Schildt. |
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| NEW! Making the first CD of the large new organ resulting from the unique collaboration of Rosales Organbuilders and C. B. Fisk, Inc., at Rice University in Houston, Texas, this legendary organist records for the first time since his celebrated LPs were released decades ago. Great performances & super sound! REUBKE: 94th Psalm DANIEL-LESUR: In Paradisum WIDOR: Andante sostenuto (Sym. gothique) DEGRIGNY: Veni Creator J. S. BACH: Schm�cke dich | |
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| John R. Near, The Boston Years 1970-85"> | |
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| Bruce Stevens Plays"> "Nothing but the highest accolades are warranted for this splendid recording," reviews The American Record Guide, September-October, 2001, of the fourth volume, "a showcase of artistic organ playing. Discretion, cleanness, clarity, stylistic awareness are tempered by purely musical values. Stevens . . . is able to achieve expressivity in the romantic sense via agogic stresses and to do it without sentimentality. . . This is an auspicious release to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the composer's death in 1901." Click for more information on all four volumes and the organs. | |
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| J. S. Bach"> A series to become the complete organ works, now with four volumes complete and all met with critical acclaim, recorded on American instruments built in historical style. Now up to Volume 5 Bach Orgelb�chlein & More, George Ritchie Plays Fritts Magnum Opus | |
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| Peter Sykes, Organist"> Peter Sykes, well known for his transcription and recording of The Planets by Gustav Holst as well as a great Reger CD, early music CDs, and a "tour" of historic organs on Nantucket Island, here plays a brand new organ built by Fritz Noack in Iceland, completed in 1999 in splendid acoustics. A 2-CD set for the price of One CD | |
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| Twenty-one Organ Chorales (and not the Neumeister Chorales discovered at Yale a few years ago) attributed to J. S. Bach, including his only known work for trumpet and organ, are recorded here for the very first time ever! | |
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Frances Nobert, Organist"> | | Organ Compositions by Women Frances Nobert, Organist"> On the famous Rosales/Glatter-G�tz organ of 81 ranks on three manuals completed in 1998 at the Congregational Church in Claremont, California, Frances Nobert plays organ works by eleven female composers. The interesting program explores many works either rarely or not otherwise recorded. |
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| Peter Sykes transcribes this 20th-century orchestral masterpiece for, and plays it on, the 1933 Skinner organ of 100+ ranks at Girard College, Philadelphia. Writes David Bond in the The American Record Guide, "Sykes has made the impossible possible. This transcription is by far the most satisfying and persuasive I have ever heard." | |
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| In the largest collegiate chapel in the world, Martin Jean plays the famous organ, newly rebuilt and enlarged to 102-ranks by the Dobson Organ Company. Gospel Preludes of William Bolcom, Ad nos of Liszt, and works by Bach, Brahms, and Pachelbel. Reviews The Organ, "Amongst all the CDs I have of organs in the States, this is probably the best, both for instrument and performance: highly recommended." | |
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| NEW! Marcia Van Oyen plays repertoire with themes of eternity and resurrection on the 1999 John-Paul Buzard 3-69 organ, op. 21, at Glenview Community Church, Glenview, Illinois. Works by Utterback, Ferko, Fedak, Franck, Howells, George Shearing, Langlais, Tournemire, and Simon Preston. Click ikon for repertoire | |
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| Writes the American Record Guide of March-April 2000: ". . . Somerville's playing is incomparable . . . dramatic flair, delicate line, and saucy fun allow these works to come alive and sparkle. I cannot imagine better . . . His choice of instruments is also inspired . . . engineering is superb. This is a 'must have' . . ." | |
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| These 21 bright and serene works were published in 1915 as Recital Pieces, a Collection of 21 original compositions for organ. They sample all periods of Parker�s output. Albert Ahlstrom plays the restored 1895 M�ller & Abel 2-38 organ in the brilliant acoustics of St. Joseph�s Church, New York. Click for a list of the 21 pieces | |
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| Organ sonatas by Eugene Thayer and Horatio Parker are played by Karl Moyer on the wonderful E. & G. G. Hook organs of 1865 at Orwell, Vermont, and of 1859 (3m) at North Easton, Massachusetts. The other works, including "As the Dew . . ." (theme of the Mormon Tabernacle radio program), fit these grand instruments to perfection. Click for full list of works on this CD | |
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| Seven elegant organs built 1812-1843 by Bostonian Thomas Appleton are played by Lois Regestein in five Eastern states (South Carolina to Maine), drawing much praise for her indefatigable effort that has yielded stellar results. The CD booklet includes notes and photos of each organ, notes on the vast array of repertoire, and historical notes by Appleton�s greatest biographer, Barbara Owen. Click ikon for repertoire and list of organs | |
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| Marian Ruhl Metson plays seven historic organs in Newburyport, Massachusetts by Hook, Stevens, Alley, Morss, Lane and Hutchings. ��. . . beautiful sounds [are] recorded here, and it is wonderful to hear someone play (so well!) music appropriate to those sounds," reviews The American Record Guide. Click on picture for list of organs and repertoire | |
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| Peter Sykes plays five organs built 1831-1989 by Appleton, Goodrich, Hutchings-Votey, Roche, and Steere, the latter exactly duplicating the organ for which Elgar composed his Vesper Voluntaries. | |
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| Marian Ruhl Metson tours five historic organs in the Boston area: the large 1897 Hutchings in the vast acoustics of the Mission Church; the beautiful 1889 Treat at St. George�s, Methuen; 1848 Stevens 2m, Shirley Center; 1991 A. David Moore organ, Old North Church; and the famous Fisk 4m at Harvard. Click ikon for repertoire | |
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| Martin Weyer, Rheinberger�s biographer and editor of the organ pieces in the complete edition of all Rheinberger works, plays works of Guilmant�s and Rheinberger�s American students on the 1868 E. & G. G. Hook 2-27 at St. Joseph�s University, Philadelphia, and on the 1926 Casavant 3m at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Camden, New Jersey, both restored and/or rebuilt by OHS member and organbuilder Patrick Murphy. Click for list of works | |
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| John Cook Organ Works"> The famous 1935 Aeolian-Skinner at Church of the Advent, Boston, becomes a sonic spectacular with Marian Ruhl Metson playing the ingratiating works of former Advent organist John Cook, including his famous Fanfare and works that deserve equal fame. Click for list of works | |
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| American-born Ernst Bacon (1898-1990) composed Spirits & Places for the American bi-centennial. It consists of twelve movements of two to three minutes duration, each depicting and "Honoring American Personages and Geography." John Cook was organist at Boston's Church of the Advent and composed in a unique and highly appealing style. Marian Ruhl Metson plays two organs built by George Bozeman in churches near Boston. | |
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| To critical acclaim, Lorenz Maycher plays works of American Leo Sowerby (1895-1968) on the 1949 Aeolian-Skinner at First Presbyterian in Kilgore, Texas. Pianist James Culp plays in the organ and piano duet, Dialog. Included is William Watkins� 1951 performance of Carillon, recorded on the Kilgore organ. Click for repertoire | |
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| Peter Sykes plays the famous 1931 Steinmeyer of 85 ranks at the Cathedral in Altoona, Pennsylvania, one of the few organs built by this major German firm for location in the United States. | |
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| These famous recordings of all six sonatas (Op. 65) have received the highest praise for the playing, sound, and the magnificent organs in Boston: the 3m E. & G. G. Hook of 1854 at the Hook brothers� home church and the wonderful 1857 W. B. D. Simmons 2m at Most Holy Redeemer Church. These two beautiful organs, entirely intact and almost contemporaneous to the sonatas, represent more than any other extant organ, anywhere, the sounds heard when these works were introduced to a spellbound England. | |
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| 2-CD set for the Price of One James Hammann plays all six of the sonatas, op. 65, the Three Preludes & Fugues, op. 37, and other works in exploration of Mendelssohn's own preference of organ style as built by the Stumm dynasty of builders in Germany in the late 18th century, striking in the Adagio movement of the F-minor Organ Sonata, Op. 65, No. 1, and otherwise, too. Reviews the August, 2000, issue of The Organ, "organ and organist combine to form what I feel is the perfect Mendelssohn experience." | |
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| Pacific Northwest native Neswick brought raves for his recitals at Pacific Lutheran University during the Seattle AGO National Convention, July, 2000, playing the Fritts organ there, where he studied with David Dahl as a student. On this CD, he plays Gerre Hancock, Scheidemann, Distler, Sowerby, Bach, and his own Improvisation on a Richards, Fowkes & Co. organ in Connecticut. | |
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| Recreating Guilmant�s first recital in America (played in 1893 at the Chicago World�s Fair on the Farrand & Votey) James Hammann records on the restored 1894 Farrand & Votey at St. Martin of Tours Church in Louisville, Kentucky. LEMMENS: Sonata No. 1 Pontificale BACH: Toccata in F BWV 540 SCHUMANN: Canon in B Minor, Op. 56, No. 5 MENDELSSOHN: Sonata No. 3 in A GUILMANT: Marche Funebre et Chant Seraphique; Invocation in B-Flat, Final in E-Flat | |
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| Stevens plays the magnificent 1871 Hook 3m at St. Mary�s, New Haven, where the flames of a serious fire in March 1998 came within 3-feet of the organ but spared it. VIERNE: Toccata BO�LY: Fantaisie & Fugue in B-flat SAINT-SA�NS: Fantaisie in E-flat MENDELSSOHN: Sonata VI BUXTEHUDE: A Mighty Fortress FRANCK: Fantaisie in A VIVALDI/BACH: Concerto in a BRUHNS: Prelude & Fugue in e WIDOR: Andante, Symphonie Gothique | |
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| Will Headlee plays the famous 1950 Holtkamp at Syracuse University. Also heard is the 1968 Schwenkedel organ. MILHAUD: Five Preludes from Neuf Preludes DAVID JOHNSON: Trumpet Tuine in B-flat (unpb.) VERRES: O for a Closer Walk with God GUILMANT: Marche Fun�bre & Chant S�raphique REUBKE: Grave & Finale 94th Psalm BACH: We all believe in One God, BWV 540; Pastorale in F, BWV 590 | |
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| In the grand acoustic of Boston�s Mission Church and on its 1897 Hutchings 3-75, Kathleen Scheide plays lyrical and powerful works as heard on Pipedreams. LISZT: Ave Maria von Arcadeldt; Evocation of the Sistine Chapel; Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen SCHEIDE: Amazing Grace; Set for Organ; Gnostic Incantation | |
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| for this great CD when ordered with anything else in the OHS Catalog! In the resonant acoustics of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Parish, Omaha, Nebraska, Susan Moeser's eclectic program on the Bedient organ includes William Albright's "Sweet Sixteenths" and "Jig for the Feet" and works of Mozart, Schumann, J. S. Bach, Mendelssohn, and Franck. Click on photo to reach order page and more details. | |
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