This morning I recorded four organ improvisations which I just posted onto YouTube, and I would like to share them with you now and tell you a bit about them.
The first improvisation I recorded this morning, Wedding Song, is dedicated to my friends Vidas and Ausra (@organduo, @laputis) on the occasion of their twenty-third wedding anniversary. God's blessings continue to be with you both, my friends!
The second improvisation I recorded this morning, Bourdon, is dedicated to my friend James Flores (@contrabourdon). The manual registration consists solely of mixture and mutation stops and the pedal is a solo Gedackt 16'. The title refers to two things: 1.) The drone above which the Arabic and Greek music-inspired melody is heard in this improvisation; 2.) A play on words (James's Hive username is "contrabourdon," etc.).
The third improvisation I recorded this morning, Music Box, is dedicated to my friend Diana (@drugelis). This is a manuals-only improvisation. The registration for this piece is Swell: Gedackt 8', Viola Celeste 8', Sw. to Gt. 8'; Great: Rohrflöte 8'; Choir: Celesta. This improvisation was inspired by musical jewelry boxes I remember seeing at my grandparents' house when I was a kid (I haven't seen such jewelry boxes since that time, actually). When the lids of these boxes were opened music was produced via a wind-up mechanism. On the interior of the lid was placed a little plastic ballerina figurine that twirled along with the music. The opening and closing sections of this improvisation, played on the organ's MIDI celesta stop, imitate the kind of music those jewelry boxes produced. After the "jewelry box" introduction, the celesta becomes an accompaniment to a gentle, wistful melody played on the Great manual. The tonality of this melody changes frequently. I usually determined the change of tonality based on whatever was the final pitch of a given phrase. For instance, the middle section begins in what might be considered "C Major." If/when a phrase ended on an "A," I might change the tonality to A Major or A minor, etc. Sometimes I abruptly changed key (one instance I remember is a sudden switch to E-flat Major. This can be heard beginning ca. 1:48 in the video).
The title of the last improvisation I recorded today, Cats and Their Games, refers to a musical "inside joke" between a friend and myself. I consider this to be the best improvisation I've recorded to this point.
For my friends Vidas, Ausra, James, and Diana, I hope you all like the improvisations I recorded for you!
I hope anyone who checks out these videos will likewise enjoy them. If you do enjoy these videos please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel!