The King of Instruments

LeFrak Concert Hall’s tracker organ is not merely a pretty backdrop for band and orchestra concerts, operas, and choirs.  With 49 pipe groupings, each containing 56 notes, the musical giant hides 2744 pipes behind it’s decoratively elaborate exterior!  Having only heard this particular instrument once, accompanying a Woman’s Choir concert, I was excited to see the American Guild of Organists‘ flier hanging around the Aaron Copland School of Music, inviting everyone to a concert dedicated to organ music composed by J.S. Bach.

John A. Wolfe
Prelude and Fugue in A Major, BWV 536
Prelude and Fugue in G Major, BWV 541

Janet Chung
Trio Sonata No. 6 in G Major, BWV 530
Vivace
Lento
Allegro

Joyce Chen
Prelude and Fugue in C Major, BWV 879
From the Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II
Prelude and Fugue in C Major, BWV 547

Eric Birk
Trio Sonata No. 5 in C Major, BWV 529
Allegro
Largo
Allegro

Noriko Kumada
Prelude and Fugue in E-Flat Major, BWV 552
From the Claveir-Übung III

I didn’t realize how varied the sounds of one organ could be.  Each performer featured multiple pipe groupings within their pieces, stopping between movements to push and pull buttons and levers on the side and bottom of the keyboard.  Sometimes the sound would be strong and loud, almost sounding like a brass instrument.  Other times, the pipes would exude a light flute-like sound, or a soft chime-like noise.

BWV 530: Vivace (other movements available in video description on Youtube.com)

My favorite piece was probably Janet Chung’s Trio Sonata No. 6.  The piece had a lot of clarity that I’m used to when listening to Bach.  This was most likely due to the specific pipe groupings that were utilized throughout the composition.  Because the LeFrak Concert Hall organ is entirely mechanical (save for the electricity that supplies the pipes’ air), there were audible clicking noises.  They weren’t too distracting, and added something to the piece (though not purposefully), but unfortunately only were discernible in Chung’s performance.

BWV 552: Prelude (Fugue available on Youtube.com)

The closing piece performed by Noriko Kumada was powerful, to say the least.  Kumada approached the organ with a lot more emotion than did the other musicians.  Her body movement through the Prelude and Fugue was very fluid like a pianist.  She didn’t seem to allow the technically taxing foot pedaling and multiple layers of keys stop her from being lyrical.  Dynamics on an organ don’t work the same way they might on a piano or any other instrument: loud and soft sounds rely on the position of the buttons and levers.  Whether it was due to the pipe groupings written into the music, or her musicality, Kumada was able to give great contrast between sections of the Prelude and Fugue.

American Guild of Organists Queens Chapter
Organ Music of J.S. Bach
LeFrak Concert Hall
Saturday, October 19, 2013

Marina B. Nebro