22 July 2018

HO HO HOME for the HOLI-DAZE on the Allen Organ

0 Comment

Home for the holi-daze in July at Crestview!

Crestview’s Summer Organ Series is in it’s Second Year. After all the organs I’ve been playing it was fun to be “home” playing the 15 year old ALLEN R-308 Digital Organ with a Rodgers MX200 Sound Module. It’s a nice sounding

instrument and works well as an orchestral organ and a traditional pipe organ as well as it fully supported the program I advertised as Inspirational, educational, motivational, and hysterical!

CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION (a collection of carols arranged by Don Philipps) began the program using 10 general pistons with an amazing variety of sounds. The second piece combined two carols, the British HOLY AND THE IVY with Alfred Burt’s BRITE BRITE THE HOLLY BERRIES featuring BAGPIPES WITH TENOR DRUM, then ENGLISH HORN WITH ORCHESTRAL STRINGS, STRING ORCHESTRA and FULL ORGAN with GLOCK each contrasted with CHORAL AAHS and CHIME. A quick visit to France featured Chapman’s popular arrangement of BRING A TORCH with the fantastic pedal part!

Unique to this program were the next two arrangements of “MARY CAROLS”, “Mary DID you KNOW” and “Breath of Heaven”. From beautiful solo flute, vocal solos, vocal doos, harp, orchestral strings, to full organ, and choral pads with goblin sweeps, these pieces were both stunning and reflective as well. Cynthia Tate joined me in two hymn medleys which added both reflective and joyful sparkle to the program. The first half ended with Dan MIller’s classical organ favorites mixed with “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”.

Santa appeared on the second half, beginning with the Short Attention Span Medley and then the audience earned their cookies with 12 Days of Christmas. Cynthia returned for a jazzy arrangement of “Go Tell It”—-loads of fun! “KennyG’s” SAX, piano with strings and a wonderful tap cymbal created an intimate arrangement of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” followed by a “Scott Joplin” creation of Jingle Bells melody. We ended with the congregation standing and singing JOY TO THE WORLD using Virgil Fox’s arrangement.

There were magnificent CHRISTMAS COOKIES following and great conversation and fellowship. Cher and I also managed a delicious DOMINO’S VEGGIE LOVER “PIZZA ON EARTH” goodwill to all—on the way home in the car!