January 2013

Organ Method IV

Loft apartments

Nunc Dimittis

Philip Ledger died November 18, 2012, at the age of 74. He was the youngest cathedral organist in the country when he was appointed to Chelmsford in 1961, and later became a collaborator with Benjamin Britten, before succeeding David Willcocks as director of music at King’s College, Cambridge. 

Berghaus Pipe Organ Builders, 

Bellwood, Illinois

Pilgrim Lutheran Church, 

Foley-Baker, Inc.,

Tolland, Connecticut

St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, 

The debate over the authenticity of BWV 565, the Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, has continued for thirty years. This article summarizes and critiques key points of that debate, taking the position that J. S. Bach is not the composer. A candidate composer is presented, Cornelius Heinrich Dretzel of Nuremberg (1697–1775).

We have been blessed with beautiful weekends for this festival, but this year was especially lovely. The leaves don’t turn color until October, but the weather was indeed glorious. That, combined with wonderful organ music, set the stage for the fifteenth annual festival. We are grateful to be able to encourage young organists with this competition, and had some wonderful applicants who sent in CDs.

During my doctoral studies at Boston’s New England Conservatory, I had the privilege of serving as organ scholar and assistant university organist and choirmaster at Harvard University’s Memorial Church. I fell in love with the city and thoroughly enjoyed its many riches.