Comments on: Two awesome pieces that blow my mind http://blog.doshiyo.com/2008/12/17/two-awesome-pieces-that-blow-my-mind/ music, life, meditations, japan Fri, 10 Sep 2010 03:25:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Francis Crociata http://blog.doshiyo.com/2008/12/17/two-awesome-pieces-that-blow-my-mind/#comment-669 Francis Crociata Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:18:11 +0000 http://blog.doshiyo.com/2008/12/17/two-awesome-pieces-that-blow-my-mind/#comment-669 Very much enjoyed reading your reflections on the middle movement of Sowerby's Sonatina. You might enjoy another of Leo's French-tinged organ works from about the same time (early 1940s)--Arioso--which is more in a Ravel direction than Very Slowly's references to the contemporary French organist/composers. There is a wonderful recording of Arioso on Lorenz Mayher's all-Sowerby Raven cd--which also includes a very persuasive reading of the Sonatina. (Maycher is, in my opinion, the finest Sowerby interpreter of the current generation.) From a previous generation, the late U of Michigan professor Robert Glasgow was a supreme interpreter Arioso and left two recordings of it--both of which are still available--and both coupled with another rarely heard Sowerby work--Pageant of Autumn (frequently confused with two other works--"Pageant"--the pedal tour de force, and "Comes Autumn Time"--probably the most popular Sowerby organ work--known also in an orchestral version.) Lastly, and back to Very Slowly--there is a wonderful recording by Maycher's teacher, the late William Watkins, in the Vermont Organ Academy's Aeolian-Skinner series. Again, thanks for sharing these impressions. Cordially, Francis Crociata Very much enjoyed reading your reflections on the middle movement of Sowerby’s Sonatina. You might enjoy another of Leo’s French-tinged organ works from about the same time (early 1940s)–Arioso–which is more in a Ravel direction than Very Slowly’s references to the contemporary French organist/composers. There is a wonderful recording of Arioso on Lorenz Mayher’s all-Sowerby Raven cd–which also includes a very persuasive reading of the Sonatina. (Maycher is, in my opinion, the finest Sowerby interpreter of the current generation.) From a previous generation, the late U of Michigan professor Robert Glasgow was a supreme interpreter Arioso and left two recordings of it–both of which are still available–and both coupled with another rarely heard Sowerby work–Pageant of Autumn (frequently confused with two other works–”Pageant”–the pedal tour de force, and “Comes Autumn Time”–probably the most popular Sowerby organ work–known also in an orchestral version.) Lastly, and back to Very Slowly–there is a wonderful recording by Maycher’s teacher, the late William Watkins, in the Vermont Organ Academy’s Aeolian-Skinner series.

Again, thanks for sharing these impressions.
Cordially,
Francis Crociata

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