‘Five not so easy Bach pieces’

     

Bro. Erik Carlson of Publicity Lodge No. 1000 in New York City performs Léon Boëllmann's Suite Gothique at Vincent United Methodist Church in Nutley, New Jersey this afternoon.

Just a quick recap of Bro. Erik Carlson’s organ recital this afternoon in Nutley, New Jersey: Well, I loved it.

Several dozen gathered at Vincent United Methodist Church to enjoy Erik’s mastery of the pipe organ. The pipes are concealed, so I don’t know how many the organ has, but the sound flooded the small, but acoustically marvelous, space. The program offered five Johann Sebastian Bach pieces, and one each from Johann Pachelbel (yes, there is more to Pachelbel than his Canon) and Léon Boëllmann.

Bach – Prelude in G Major (BMV 568)

Bach – Concerto in G Major (BMV 980)
Allegro
Largo e cantabile
Allegro

Bach – Prelude and Fugue in E Minor (BMV 555)

Bach – If Thou but Suffer God to Guide Thee (BMV 642)

Bach – Pastorale in F Major (BMV 590)
Alla Siciliana
Allemande
Aria
Alla Gigue

Pachelbel – Theme with Eight Variations on O Sacred Head Now Wounded

Boëllmann – Suite Gothique (Opus 25)
Introduction – Choral
Menuet Gothique
Prière à Notre-Dame
Toccata

And Bro. Erik closed the performance with an incredibly rousing Lutheran hymn titled “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.”

I am unfamiliar with all of these pieces of music, so this was a revelation to me. I probably have heard the Bach compositions before, likely during WKCR’s annual Bachfest during the last ten days of the year, but I can’t say I know them. The Pachelbel piece either. And I’ve never even heard of Boëllmann, much less his Gothic Suite.

Vincent United Methodist Church is undertaking a fundraiser to make much needed repairs to its organ. Feel free to contact Becky Olivo here to help out.