David Dahl has just released a new album entitled “David Dahl in Concert.”   Recorded on the Gottfried and Mary Fuchs Organ in Lagerquist Hall at Pacific Lutheran University, the album features music of Alexandre Guilmant, William Russell, Hans Olav Lien, Robert Schumann, César Franck, and Louis Vierne.

The first piece, Guiltmant’s Symphony No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 42, was originally written for organ solo but later arranged for organ and orchestra by the composer.  Its rebirth features organ about 80% of the time, with interesting use of tone color and interplay with the orchestra.  The Pacific Lutheran University Orchestra, directed by Jerry Kracht, joins David in this impressive performance, sounding much more like an established city orchestra than student players.

Perhaps the most unusual work in this set is by a contemporary Norwegian composer–Nordlyskatedralen: “The Cathedral of the Northern Lights” by Hans Olav Lien.  In his program notes, David writes that this movement from a larger work “evokes the mystery of the subtle flickering of the Northern Lights, including the occasional wild display of color.”

From Norway, David makes a brief stop in Germany for one of the six fugues composed by Robert Schumann on the letters BACH, then on to France for two virtuosic romantic works–Choral No. 3 in A Minor by César Franck and Carillon de Westminster, Op. 54, No. 6 by Louis Vierne.

This recording is a superb display of the power, versatility, and breadth of this landmark instrument–Opus 18 of the Paul Fritts Company, built in 1999.   It is intended to serve as a tribute to David’s contributions to the organ world and to celebrate this majestic instrument and its builders.  Both David Dahl and Paul Fritts are members of the Tacoma Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.

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I have made few recordings, so I am especially pleased that this one will serve as a reminder to the future that I walked this earth and played with passion. –David Dahl

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This recording was produced and mastered by Roger Sherman from recordings made in 1999 and 2005.  It is available for purchase ($12.98) and download from The Gothic Catalog.

On April 1, a beautiful Spring Saturday afternoon, members of the Tacoma chapter, Seattle chapter, and guests gathered in the suburbs of Roy, WA to see and hear Pasi Opus 26, a 2-manual 19-stop organ to be delivered later this year to Grace Episcopal Church in Holland, MI.  Martin Pasi graciously welcomed the audience and introduced the organ, which is temporarily assembled in a large, high-ceilinged room in the Pasi shop.

Paul Tegels, organist at Pacific Lutheran University, performed a demonstration recital, featuring works of Bach, Scheidemann, Krebs, Walond, and Kittel.

Several people sat down and tried the organ while the group enjoyed a beautiful spread of wine, cheese, fruit, and the blonde brownies for which Barbara Pasi is famous!

On March 13, Tacoma AGO members gathered at Pacific Lutheran University for our monthly meeting featuring Paul Thornock discussing organ works of Augustin Barié (1883 – 1915) and, in particular, the significance of Symphonie, Opus 5 in the development of cyclisism in organ composition.

Following an introduction by Subdean and Program Chair Una Hwang, Dr. Thornock began his discussion by highlighting the importance of Barié’s musical innovations.  Barié, blind from birth, attended the Paris Conservatory, where he studied with Vierne and Guilmant, and subsequently established himself as a teacher and performer.  Prior to Barié, organ symphonies had consisted of individual movements, often unrelated.  Barié’s works employed transformation of a cyclical theme, achieved by changing the intervals or rhythm of the original idea,  thus unifying the movements.

As the audience followed along in the score, Dr. Thornock used Opus 5 to demonstrate how Barié introduced and developed themes using changes in intervals, rhythm, and keys.  These techniques were subsequently incorporated by Barié’s contemporaries.

Interestingly, Barié’s instructions often call for duplicate registration changes, possibly a result of his inability to proofread his scores.  He also regularly asks for stops not available on the organ at St. Germain-des-Prés in Paris, where he was organist. It is not known whether he was thinking of a larger organ he had played, or whether he might have been imagining an ideal organ.

Following the musical analysis, the audience was treated as Dr. Thornock performed Opus 5 on the Paul Fritts organ in Lagerquist Hall.

Thanks to Past Dean Mark Brombaugh for providing audio-visual support.