During the summer of 2004, I recorded a CD at First United Church in Oak Park. This was an idea that I’d been mulling over for quite a few years, and that summer the pieces finally fell into place for the project. This 88-rank Casavant organ from the year 1982 had been the instrument I’d played for five years as organist at First United, and it had a huge influence on me. The French style reeds are excellent for playing the repertoire of 19th and 20th century France, and thanks in part to this instrument, I grew to really love this literature and played quite a bit of it. This CD includes some of my favorite pieces and composers from this era. I’ve since left First United, to focus on 16th and 17th century North German organ music, studying in Germany with Harald Vogel on a Fulbright grant. So this CD is also –for me– a reminder of a place, an organ, a congregation, and a music that are still a big part of who I am. I’m happy to share that with you and hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Rhonda

Listen to Tournemire’s Improvisation on Victamae paschali from the CD:

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