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EAST
OF BERLIN MUSSORGSKY: Pictures at an
Exhibition and music by BEN-HAIM, SOKOLA and
SÜDA
FLORENCE
MUSTRIC RUDOLPH VON BECKERATH PIPE ORGAN TRINITY
EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, CLEVELAND, OHIO
VOLUME I
MS1270 ~ $14.95
"A
fine arranger-player thrills with colorful Pictures on the organ. Florence
Mustric's version [of Pictures] provides a fresh spin on a piece originally for
solo piano. Mustric's adaptation is a particularly spacious evocation of
Mussorgsky miniatures, with all manner of expansive tempi allowing for time to
dwell on details that may fly by in other versions. Even to ears accustomed to
Ravel's wondrous spectrum of orchestral colours, the organ transcription has
plenty of convincing and effective registrations. Mustric makes use of the
highest wind-like sonorities with great success, just as the pedals add ample
weight when needed.
The instrument's grandeur is put to magnificent use in "The Great gate of
Kiev". Mustric plays the Mussorgsky as if the work were born for organ. The
recording's sound is excellent."
Gramophone ~ June 2008
Florence
Mustric has a master of music in
organ performance from Cleveland Institute of Music and a bachelor of arts from
Oberlin. In April 1994, in order to showcase Trinity’s world-famous Beckerath
organ at the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Cleveland, Ohio, Florence
Mustric and Robert Myers, director of music, began Music near the Market, a
concert series of themed programs presented free every Wednesday of the year.
*
* *
The
Beckerath organ employed in this recording has the rare and winning combination
of clarity, power and warmth. Its versatility makes it superb not only for
Baroque masterpieces but also for music of almost every other style and period.
The goal in recording this program is to showcase the fabulous qualities of
the instrument in some of the most beautiful and imaginative music composed over
the past three centuries.
These
recordings document the sound of the Beckerath at its half-century mark, before
restoration. After 50 years, the pipes, keyboards and many other parts need
attention. Leathers and other items need replacing. This Beckerath still sounds
wonderful, despite the need for restoration, a project currently under the
direction of Leonard Berghaus.
RUDOLPH
VON BECKERATH ORGAN (1956)
Trinity
Evangelical Lutheran Church, Cleveland,
Ohio
This
historic organ was the first large mechanical-action organ in North
America. It was built in 1956 in Hamburg, Germany by Rudolph von Beckerath, who
crafted it in the tradition of the organs of northern Europe in the Baroque era.
With this organ, Beckerath demonstrated that centuries-old techniques of
organ-building produce a beautiful sound that is transparent and powerful yet
warm. Ideal for Baroque repertoire, this organ also serves music of many other
styles and periods. It has inspired more than one generation of builders,
organists and music lovers. This organ has 3,467 pipes arrayed in 65 ranks in
five divisions.
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LISTEN
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MODESTE MUSSORGSKY (1839-1881)
Pictures an an
Exhibition (Transcription by Florence Mustric)
PAUL BEN-HAIM
(1897-1984)
Prelude
MIKLOS SOKOLA
(1913-1972)
Toccata
PEETER SÜDA (1883-1920)
Prelude and Fugue in G
minor
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