So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. - Psalm 90:12
Music
2007, April 05
More from Hauptwerk
Cool pictures from Hauptwerk.nl.
The organ sounds for Hauptwerk, by Crumhorn labs, are recorded as samples then published by many sample set producers. Hauptwerk.nl has created sample sets for organs in the Netherlands. Below is one of the church organs they have sampled.
Wouldn't you love to do an organ tour of Europe?
2007, March 18
Hauptwerk Virgual Pipe Organ Software
James Pressler uses Hauptwerk to create his music files at Virtual Baroque.
Hauptwerk is a wonderful program from England; your computer can become a pipe organ. It uses sound samples of organs from all over the world; if attached to an adequate sound system, it can serve as an organ for churches, auditoriums, or in outdoor public spaces.
James Pressler uses Hauptwerk to create all his wonderful mp3 organ files on Virtual Baroque. He occasionally has midi files and a few wav files available also.
Using My Super PC and PC Perspective Hardware Leaderboard as starting points, I recently spent some time virtually building a Windows system that would meet Hauptwerk requirements and I was surprised to find that the cost, though self-built, was comparable to an equivalent Mac system.
Then, a few weeks later, the news broke from Hauptwerk:
Hauptwerk is now available for the Apple Mac (Intel and G4/G5) as well as Windows PCs. It performs so well on the current Mac range and OS X that we now recommend them as an ideal platform for Hauptwerk.
So now you can have the best of both worlds, the Mac world and the Hauptwerk Organ world. You can blow your neighbors' socks off with your virtual pipe organ on your Mac.
Requirements to use Hauptwerk Virtual Organ Software.
2007, February 05
Very Early Signs of Spring
Today is the beginning of meteorlogical spring, halfway between the Winter solstice and the Vernal equinox.
Kate, at Ciderpress Hill has seen the Bald Eagles arrive and begin to nest. Here the signs are more subtle--the cats are beginning to shed. Both these signs are related to the increasing day length, so now we know officially that Spring will arrive.
From James Pressler, here is Georg Friedrich Kauffmann's "O Jesulein süß", a short piece to lift your spirits. It seems to bring Spring to life.
Here is the same melody, in the hands of J.S. Bach, from the Schemelli Songbook, BWV 493.
Granted, this is usually considered a piece for the Christmas season, but somehow it speaks to me of new beginnings.
2006, December 29
Louis Vierne
The Westminster Carillon in D Major for New Years.
Louis Vierne was the organist of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris from 1900 to 1937, when he died at the keyboard giving his 1750th recital. A prolific composer, he is hardly heard of today though he is considered by some to be one of the greatest composers of the last century. His music seems to me to be Modern, perhaps a little prematurely. This is a favorite piece, I find it inspirational. I hope it will inspire us all to have a peaceful and productive year.
Louis Vierne, Organist of Notre Dame
The organ (English is in the second half of the page)
2006, December 21
Christmas Eve Sarejevo
For all of us at Christmas from the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, directed by Paul O'Neill.
2006, September 17
Scordatura
Alternate tunings of stringed instruments
The standard (or Italian) tunings of the violin strings are G D A E. Other tunings are common in folk music and have a long history. Their use in "classical" music has been limited, however. Bach did employ an alternate tuning for the Fifth Cello Suite, changing the highest string from A to G. Standard pitches of the cello are C G D A; the altered tuning gives C G D G.
Altering the pitches of the strings makes it possible to play chords that would be difficult or impossible with the standard tuning, and chords were written into more string music in early times.
Links: Scordatura
Wikipedia.org definition of scordatura
Discussion and examples
Definition and example
