Suite for Organ - II. Sarabande

This is one of my favorite pieces of all time. I originally heard Marilyn Mason perform this in the 1970's at a regional AGO concert at Bethel Lutheran in Madison, Wisconsin (which is kitty-korner to the Wangarin at the Masonic Temple).

The Tune: Land of Rest

I must confess that I am still getting used to functioning pistons. You can tell in the middle where I almost forgot to trip the sequencer. Alas, I will re-record this when I do the whole Suite - later this year.

The Sarabande is smooth and fluid with plenty of Jazz harmonies which sound right at home on the organ!

Gerald Near ~ is considered one of the finest composers of church music writing today. He first studied theory and composition at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago with Leo Sowerby, and continued those studies with Leslie Bassett at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. While at the University of Michigan, he also studied organ with Robert Glasgow, published organ and choral music, and completed his Master's degree in orchestral conducting while studying under Gustav Meier.

This piece can be found in the Marilyn Mason series 5 but I am using a H.W.Gray Publications - G.B.278 which is just this Suite. It was published in 1966.

I am using the Peterborough Cathedral 3rd set with Re-pitched samples to match the real instrument which went for a full refurbishment with a tuning update.