I am pleased to report that organ music is not dead, at least not in
New Jersey.  I attended a dedicatory recital tonight, played by Fred
Swann, and the church was full - probably about 400 people.  And my
guess is that most were parishioners, and not organists (those around
me certainly were not organists).  Quite a number of young people, too,
which was refreshing.
 
The organ is in a rear gallery and so they set up a large screen TV in
the sanctuary.  A good idea for this sort of situation.
 
I won't give a review of the organ, or the playing (well, just a bit of
a review.  Fred did some strange things - a Nasard in the Voixe humaine
section of the Franck B minor chorale.  And chimes in the Alain
Postlude for Compline.  Chimes at the beginning and three rings of the
chimes on the last chord.  Fred, Compline is not held at 3 AM (or PM,
for that matter)) since this is just to note that it is possible to get
a good crowd out to an organ recital.
 
===Anthony Celentano
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