Peteris Vasks has written compositions for organ again and again, whether original works or arrangements of his own works for strings. He drew his ideal sound image and his inspiration from the famous organ of the Cathedral in Riga where the composer has been living for a long time. Like in almost all his compositions, the basic idea of 'Musica seria' is the personal human examination of Creation: on the one hand the beauty of Nature, on the other hand the destruction of Nature by man.
Vasks' organ music does not provide any great difficulties but rather displays an impressive tonal variety of the most intimate, held back sounds to tremendous chordal eruptions.

Song List: On Jordan's Stormy Banks All Things Bright and Beautiful Hark! Ten Thousand Harps and Voices (L. Mason) I Will Sing of My Redeemer (J. Mcgranahan) When We All Get to Heaven (E. Wilson) A New Name in Glory (C. Miles) Savior, Like A Shepherd Lead Us (W. Bradbury)

The present volume of 12 Motet Intabulations complements the 3 volumes .already published .with organ music by Heinrich Scheidemann (around 1595-1663), so that the complete organ oeuvre of the organist from Hamburg is now available in a modern editorial standard. From 1611-1614 Scheidemann studied with Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck in Amsterdam and from 1629 worked as an organist at St. Catherine's in Hamburg for about three and a half decades. He amalgamated the style of his teacher with North German tradition and is thus regarded as co-founder of the North German Organ School. For a long time, the skill to transfer vocal compositions into finger notation had been one of the main demands on a competently trained organist. At the beginning of the 17th century, however, the rather technical 'intabulation practice' faded into the background in favour of innovative forms of arrangement of the sacred cantus firmi. To Scheidemann belongs the credit for helping the genre tradition, which had unmistakably been in decline, to experience a late revival with his Motet Intabulations and for virtually erecting a glorious monument of excellent artistic quality to this type of composition &ndash. an important document in the history of organ music, and an interesting addition to the organ repertoire.

German - English.

Band 9 der Reihe Meister der Nordeutschen Orgelschule enthalt 9 Magnificat-Zyklen von Heinrich Scheidemann (um 1595-1663). Scheidemann studierte 1611-1614 bei Sweelinck in Amsterdam und wirkte ab 1629 rund dreieineinhalb Jahrzehnte als Organist an der Kirche St. Katharinen in Hamburg.

Peteris Vasks has written a .large number of .pieces for the organ, both original works and arrangements of his own pieces which had originally been written for strings. The Riga-based composer created his ideal sound image after listening to the famous organ of the Cathedral of Riga. The basic idea of the organ work 'Cantus ad pacem' is, as with almost all of his compositions, the personal understanding of nature: the beauty of nature, on the one hand, and the destruction of nature by man, on the other hand.
Not presenting any great difficulties, Vasks' organ music displays an impressive variety of sounds, from the most intimate, restrained sounds to powerful chordal outbursts.

Peteris Vasks has written compositions for organ again and again, whether original works or arrangements of his own works for strings. He drew his ideal sound image and his inspiration from the famous organ of the Cathedral in Riga where the composer has been living for a long time. Like in almost all his compositions, the basic idea of 'Canto di forza' is the personal human examination of Creation: on the one hand the beauty of Nature, on the other hand the destruction of Nature by man.
Vasks' organ music does not provide any great difficulties but rather displays an impressive tonal variety of the most intimate, held back sounds to tremendous chordal eruptions.

Here are SIX Advent and Christmas favorites (with a bonus Seventh work!) in one useful set. These are creative arrangements that feature these holiday melodies in easily recognizable fashion, but with new and updated versions. The tunes included are:
Veni Emmanuel (O Come, O Come, Emmanuel)
Puer Nobis Nascitur (On Jordan's Bank the Baptist's Cry, or Come Thou Redeemer of the Earth)
Greensleeves (What Child Is This?)
In Dulci Jubilo (Now Sing We, Now Rejoice)
Personent Hodie (On This Day, Earth Shall Ring)
Cantique De Noel (O Holy Night)
Bonus: Picardy (Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence), for trombone (or baritone, trumpet) and organ

Each of these works is available separately here, and full recordings and videos are also on this website, or on my YouTube channel of "OrganGuyPhil".

I hope you enjoy these seasonal favorites!

Song List: Watchman Tell Us Of The Night Come Thou Long Expected Jesus O Come O Come Emmanuel Savior of the Nations Come Creator Of The Stars Of Night On Jordan's Bank The Baptist's Cry

Song List: Angels We Have Heard On High On Jordans Banks the Baptists Cry Christians Awake Lo How a Rose Joy To The World O Come All Ye Faithful What Child Is This O Little Town of Bethlehem Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence It Came Upon the Midnight Clear In a Lowly Manger Born Come Thou Long Expected Jesus