tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-157146342011-12-23T16:01:46.958+01:00If you read this, you have probably already visited <a href="http://www.organamateur.com">The Organ Amateur Page</a>. This blog contains personal opinions on church music and related topicsO. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.comBlogger721100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-49443852968063018732011-08-21T19:08:00.004+02:002011-09-04T11:33:12.745+02:00

Today I played at the same church as 24nd July. This Sunday was, despite the likelihood, made a remembrance Sunday by the church centrally to remember the victims the terror 22nd July. As it seems, I have become my home town's own terror organist! Luckily, I didn't have to change much of my prepared music, I just had to play a few extra pieces as part of a change in the liturgy. I did do too

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-65956279479475863342011-07-25T18:00:00.002+02:002011-08-17T12:15:57.988+02:00

Tuesday 19th July i was asked to play at the Sunday Service as the organist had been injured. On the Friday (22nd July) I went to church 4 pm to practice for the comming service. Little did I know of what took place in Oslo at the same time, a maniac killing 80+ people. I was of course shocked to learn about the tradegy, but took no further notice organ-wise until the priest phoned me 10 pm (22:

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-33014309947582853272011-06-21T22:32:00.003+02:002011-08-17T12:16:32.381+02:00

After a long break from performances, but still keeping up the harmonium playing at home, I played at a wedding last Saturday. Sadly, there wasn't any organ, only a piano (a small church). The coming Friday I am asked to play at a funeral in a small chapel. There is just a piano there too. I haven't played at a funeral before, so this is going to be an interesting experience I believe. Also a

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-77509449457746343582010-08-12T23:15:00.002+02:002010-08-12T23:38:34.301+02:00

27th of June and 8th of August I played at Lutheran services, in two different churches respectively. I am starting to regain the confidence and playing skills I had 7 years ago. I hope to continue this good trend so stand-in assignments can be done without unnecessary struggle on my part. Then I can actually start producing some real music, which would be nice. I was very close to playing the

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-72213412432266545612010-06-07T11:29:00.004+02:002010-06-07T11:41:28.414+02:00

Normally I wouldn't pay any attention to "gospel music". On youtube I found this video. Just look at their faces. I can never get tired of watching it. It really is an inspiration to all musicians to watch the joy they're expressing.However, I can not imagine having this music in my church....

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-56725341158893549002010-05-24T16:01:00.003+02:002010-05-24T16:12:07.596+02:00

I have now changed the layout on my homepage. In effect I have improved the old section "Music by me", removed everything else, and then made the old "Music by me" as the main page. In fact, the only page.Please don't try to hack it, but I made the changes partly because of security reasons, and partly for my own convenience. The homepage now extracts the contents from my database where I keep

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-18081674518395855122010-05-23T23:13:00.003+02:002010-05-23T23:29:52.983+02:00

I have stood in twice as organist lately; First the Norwegian National Day festive service on 17th May, and then at a wedding on 22nd May. It took me by surprise, as I have never been asked to play during the 7 years I have been living down here. I gave up any hope of being asked many years ago...I made a last verse flourish for one of the hymns called "No livnar det i lundar". It's standard

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-37469100291497400032010-04-02T19:17:00.002+02:002010-04-02T19:24:41.803+02:00

Jeg har justert litt på ordlyden i korbønnen, som opprinnelig var (for) preget av direkte oversettelse fra originalen. Den nye versjonen følger:Herre, velsign oss, som nå vil tjene deg.Til din glede skjeat det vi synger med våre munner   kan bli sannhet i våre hjerter,og at hva sant er i våre hjerter   kan bli virkelig i våre livgjennom Jesus Kristus, vår Herre.Amen.

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-61967357352856508852010-03-27T20:46:00.002+01:002010-03-27T20:53:40.112+01:00

Sing along!This is one of my favourites; Thou Wilt Keep Him in Perfect Peace (Wesley). I prefer the upper tenor or alto part. The youtube user "morphthing1" has published an impressive collection of Anglican choir music in this manner. No reason for ever getting bored again!

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-47082835742351442542009-11-30T18:10:00.003+01:002009-11-30T18:16:31.156+01:00

Christmas is soon here. I made a short intro to "O Come All Ye Faithful" for my harmonium at home.You'll find it at the Organ Amateur Page by clicking "Music" and "Music by me". You can also access the PDF-file here.

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-69714764390786785752009-09-09T13:01:00.001+02:002009-09-09T13:03:17.913+02:00

Thalben-Ball plays his own elegy!!!The interpretation is not what I expected...

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-61694310933613545932009-07-21T18:31:00.003+02:002009-07-21T18:44:12.406+02:00

I sang "O perfect Love, all human thought transcending" to the tune "Highwood" at my sister-in-law's wedding (with organ accompaniment). I had to sing it D major (rather than the given B-flat major as given in Ancient and Modern New Standard). I found the words in Songs of Praise.I got many kind comments on my singing, so it couldn't have been quite so awful.

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-22144985737278388552009-04-10T23:09:00.003+02:002009-04-10T23:13:01.121+02:00

Today I sang a descant voice in a male chorus for the Good Friday Passion Service at the local Evangelical Church.

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-67264200019105376712009-03-14T12:40:00.002+01:002009-03-14T12:52:46.455+01:00

Not exactly church music... nevertheless I sang yesterday. I don't know how to describe it other than it was fun. We were 8 men singing a two voice song. It was a part of a live stage show with a Christian undertone, but with a lot of irony. There is nothing much more to say, really.Other than that, I have picked up the harmonium practice again. Perhaps I will start practising the pipe organ

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-60598254502491188492009-03-11T19:26:00.002+01:002009-03-11T19:30:35.721+01:00

Last Thursday I sang in a male quartet. We did not sing very well, but it was good fun.

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-75680864202299300202008-07-26T12:44:00.003+02:002008-07-26T13:11:09.419+02:00

... this is a must-have. Father Willis, Simon Nieminski and the lot at Palmerston Place have given us a taste of their daily life with English church music at it's best. The label is named "Pro Organo" and the CD is numbered CD 7208. So hear my words, ye people, the online store is just a click away!Father Willis? Click here to find out....

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-23118091319327445102008-07-14T20:13:00.003+02:002008-07-25T12:50:37.769+02:00

Very Important!!Many of my previous posts are linking to the now inactive site "homefree.freewave.no/~s302202". These links will not work anymore. However, if you replace the part of the URL containing what I just mentioned with "www.organamateur.com", the links will work beautifully...!!

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-52084925738707008072008-04-20T15:39:00.002+02:002008-04-20T15:43:28.845+02:00

I am still catching up with trends on the internet. This time it is YouTube. Go to my channel here. There is a video there too!!!

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-47155599750844272902008-04-05T18:57:00.003+02:002008-04-05T19:25:13.276+02:00

I was let into temptation of buying a Messiah DVD, and I did it. I fell for the trademark of the Choir of King's College Cambridge. This a live recording from 1994 in the Pieterskerk, Leiden, The Netherlands, on the Brilliant Classics label. Brilliant is of course not a quality label, I knew that. I did buy a big Bach CD box from Brilliant many years ago, and I have not yet listened to all of it.

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1271220577910005852007-11-09T19:26:00.000+01:002007-11-09T19:34:51.536+01:00

I can't believe I have not written this earlier. It must have been a couple of moths now. Jo, our English organist, left us. Now there is no liturgical choir anymore. Now there is nothing positive left. I think I have given up the whole church business here where I live. That's why I have not bothered to write about it. It is just so uninspiring. Blah!

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-79622639937894494202007-11-04T13:06:00.001+01:002009-12-03T21:43:51.647+01:00

This wonderful Christmas hymn, exalted with with the even more wonderful tune Highwood (by R.R.Terry), is now translated into Norwegian. The tune will become public domain 01.01.2009, but for all Anglicans who has the Hymns Ancient & Modern New Standard it's number 462. But, how many of you Anglicans have missed a Norwegian translation? I find great pleasure in singing Anglican hymns to myself in

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-16694793233929363222007-10-27T10:15:00.000+02:002007-10-27T10:17:50.324+02:00

Only very busy with other things than this.

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-4708506560163011272007-05-18T17:33:00.001+02:002009-12-03T21:39:56.491+01:00

This is a mix between the Norwegian style prelude and the Anglican introductory music as the choir processes at the beginning of a service. The intention is the latter, and it is also the intention that the hymn shall be sung immediately after the prelude. This piece can only be used on Whitsun (because of the Pentecost theme), and the church must be packed with people.You'll find my new music at

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-812377733732274222007-04-28T12:40:00.000+02:002007-04-28T13:03:08.786+02:00

I am working on a new organ piece at the moment. I shall not give out any details before I am finished composing, but I think it is going to be good (if you're an Anglican...). Can't promise anything, but I hope to publish it within a couple of months. Very busy nowadays!I have also joined a newly started church choir, but we seem to be struggling a bit. So far we are only one person per voice.

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-50892694019712691372007-01-20T19:10:00.001+01:002009-12-03T21:38:10.003+01:00

I made this chant on my way to bed, between washing my face and brushing my teeth, so to speak. I had been hearing the acoustics of a large mediaeval chruch in my head all day. Even when my wife spoke to me, I would mentally "translate" every sound her mouth made into this wide, disperse cathedral sound. From this image the need for the perfect chant arose, the chant that would fill a cathedral

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-38562923867522785682007-01-14T15:05:00.001+01:002009-12-03T21:36:31.452+01:00

And suddenly, there was a chant! I guess all the chanting I mentioned in my last post have inspired me. When it comes to composing rules I have broken almost every rule there is. I have parallel fifths, parallel octaves, soprano part suggest a G minor ending (while it is G major), and Bach would certainly never used the modulations I have used. On top of this the first half of the soprano part is

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-59410732326969973052007-01-06T12:03:00.000+01:002007-01-06T12:26:25.511+01:00

Since the arrival of 2007 I've been playing and singing the psalms for each evening as set by The Parish Psalter (RSCM 1989 version) with chants mainly from the RSCM Chant Book (1981). As a guidance to tasteful accompaniment I've been using Church Organ Accompaniment by Marmaduke P. Conway (Canterbury Press 1952). Though I've been using my reed organ at home, I have tried to adapt the pipe organ

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-77932647531471511542006-12-01T17:46:00.001+01:002009-12-03T21:33:25.223+01:00

Ok, then, here's the scanned music for you! First thing to remember is that you must have a reed organ of the same make and model as myself in order to make sense of the music. Then there are short hand notations that only I understand (saves time during a moment of inspiration). Then I have written notes and expressions in 3 different languages: Norwegian, English and Italian (musical). Then

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1164706219368318102006-11-24T10:24:00.000+01:002006-11-28T10:32:30.806+01:00

Today I finished my second piece of music written especially for the "The Lakside" Chicago USA reed organ. I do not have an electronic version yet, as it is a demanding job to type the music into the sheet music software. An alternative is to scan the papers, but my music hand writing is not so easy to read, so I doubt anybody will find it any useful. Some day...

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1162564049303304682006-11-03T15:14:00.000+01:002006-11-17T08:50:56.210+01:00

Naxos 8.570131-32 gives you the 1751 version - no female voices, baroque ensamble and all the good music! The countertenor solo is just out of this world!!! My ears are certainly not worthy to receive those devine sound waves emitting from Iestyn Davies' mouth, but I let them anyway, because it gives me such pleasure. Much better than sex, sorry, six pints of English bitter ale! This is THE

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1159734485766841312006-10-01T22:25:00.000+02:002006-10-01T22:28:05.780+02:00

13 months have gone by since I first started practicing Messiah, and just over 10 months since the performance. Last Wednesday I bought it on CD with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields live from Dublin (Philips 470 044-2, reissue of 470 045-2). It has received fairly good critics, so I was very disappointed when I discovered that the tenor soloist didn't manage to sing "Comfort Ye" with any

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1158735649174560322006-09-19T18:56:00.000+02:002006-09-20T10:09:02.620+02:00

He was born in 1870He was a chorister in St. Paul's Cathedral 1879-1884He was the sub-organist in St. Paul's Cathedral 1895-1916He was the organist in St. Paul's Cathedral from 1916He wrote Andante in G published in A little Organ Book inmemory of Hubert Parry (1918)He died in 1927Please write a comment if you have more facts!

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1158575294985336522006-09-17T17:04:00.001+02:002008-10-25T13:40:59.180+02:00

I had a friend coming over with some recording equipment and recorded the sound from my beloved reed organ. We had to do some fiddling about before we got a recording that wasn't too embarrassing to put on the web, but still it could have been a lot better. Anyway, the point isn't to show off, but to get an idea of how the organ sounds like. Below you can hear Andante in G by Charles Macpherson

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1157115286453936122006-09-01T14:26:00.000+02:002006-09-01T14:55:42.600+02:00

I went to a second hand book shop in Oslo last Wednesday. I do that from time to time, but I never find anything related to church music. I don't know why that is. Perhaps there aren't many books out there, or perhaps there are some very keen collectors that hoovers (british word for vacuum cleaning) the market constantly. This time, however, I found something: J. S. Bach's Geistliche Lieder (35

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1156267033793574692006-08-22T18:56:00.000+02:002006-08-23T08:00:04.013+02:00

As I mentioned in a previous post the hymn tune called "Luther's Hymn" (in Anglican hymn books) is not used in Norway. I can not be 100% sure that it is not used, because I have not actually checked the Norwegian hymn books, but I have never heard it sung. Norwegian hymns are difficult to search because they don't name the tunes, and nothing is electronically searchable. Anyway, to make things a

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1156146701677520142006-08-20T19:30:00.000+02:002006-08-21T09:51:41.720+02:00

Since the previous organist left in February my local church has not had a regular organist. Today I had the pleasure to meet Jo (from England!!!) - our new organist. My first impression was very good, and I was very much satisfied with her musical skills. She also speaks Norwegian just after one year of living in Norway. Impressive!For all I know, Jo might read this because I gave her the URL to

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1154944815481691892006-08-06T17:45:00.001+02:002009-12-03T21:06:13.822+01:00

My eighteenth hymn tune, and the words to go with it, are one of those inspired-by-the-moment creations. I wrote the words and composed the music in a matter of hours. Compared to my sixteenth hymn, which troubled me every day for two weeks, this came about very easily. Even though I feel that I have finished it, it can still be improved upon, and any musical, literate and creative person will

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1149000174060853922006-05-30T15:49:00.000+02:002006-06-23T10:58:53.206+02:00

After digging into my small collection of hymn books (with music) I discovered that the tune "Nun komm..." is given in Songs of Praise (a), my edition is from 1931. It is also given in "Koralbok for den norske kirke" (b), a Norwegian hymnbook first time published in 1926. The Norwegian tune that I was referring to in my previous post is given in "Norsk koralbok" from 1985 (c).(a) This version is

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1147191275776605372006-05-09T18:14:00.001+02:002009-12-03T21:00:00.565+01:00

The famous Ambrosian hymn, better known to the Lutherans as "Nun komm der Heiden Heiland". In Norway this is the first hymn in the offical hymn book "Norsk salmebok". What most people seem to have missed, is that Luther has ommitted a couple of verses, and the Norwegeians have even further changed this hymn in their translation, bearing little resemblance to the original Ambrosian words.

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1147074718102161952006-05-07T14:19:00.000+02:002006-05-09T08:43:18.770+02:00

I took some pictures for the Robert Gellermann's reed organ database. I had to tidy the space around the organ i order to get a good view. Take a look:You can find my reed organ in the reed organ database (go via http://www.reedorgan.info) with reg.no. 5224.

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1146819588262715562006-05-04T21:20:00.000+02:002006-06-29T14:11:44.960+02:00

Every day I discover new details about my reed organ. When I pull out all the shutter stops together with Echo Horn and Dulcet (stops no. 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10) the colour of the tone is surprisingly similar to a real pipe principal sound, with the characteristic whistling sound. I believe that the reed cells are made this way to create wind "noise" when the shutters are opened. When the shutters are

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1146559753632472862006-05-02T19:56:00.000+02:002006-05-05T10:19:28.126+02:00

Blogthings quizes say a great deal about a person's personality, or not? Anyway, here's my verdict:You Are GuinnessYou know beer well, and you'll only drink the best beers in the world.Watered down beers disgust you, as do the people who drink them.When you drink, you tend to become a bit of a know it all - especially about subjects you don't know well.But your friends tolerate your drunken ways,

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1145877560348906602006-04-22T12:34:00.000+02:002006-05-30T15:47:16.736+02:00

Note (30th May 2006): The stop list given below is not 100% correct. Which shutter being opened by which draw knob is not clearly understood. When I have sorted this out, I will publish a new stop list.My beloved Chicago "The Lakeside" reed organ is now in my living room! Fully restored, cleaned and tuned. Everything in working order. A wonderful instrument! I don't understand how I have survived

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1145605888883956042006-04-21T09:48:00.000+02:002007-01-08T14:28:11.552+01:00

Harmonium music on Pipedreams. You must have RealPlayer to listen to this. Quite entertaining and educating programme. Includes the beautiful and very romantic style "Dialog" , Op. 35, no. 1. of Siegfrid Karg-Elert - piano and harmonium together (scroll ca 45 minutes).

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1142256719962300552006-03-13T14:06:00.000+01:002006-04-21T09:36:39.466+02:00

Jarle Fagerheim , 16 years old, is one of very few Norwegian organists who understands music, not only the science of pressing the right key at the right time (but he knows that, as well!). Listen to this:Fantasia in G minor, J.S.Bachplayed on a cinema organ. Good stuff! Never mind barouqe style and technique, music is more important.

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1140167208284355182006-02-17T09:45:00.000+01:002006-02-17T10:08:08.690+01:00

Mye tyder på at mange norske kor ikke har et bevisst forhold til sin egen rolle i gudstjenesten. Koret er på alle måter medvirkende, tildels ledende i gudstjenten, og bør således betraktes som en av "lemmene" på Kristi legeme (jf. 1Kor 6:15, 1Kor 12:12-14). I tillegg til at kormedlemmene representerer seg selv for Gud, har koret også et felles, eller enhetlig, formål på vegne av Gud og til hjelp

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1139410235287281432006-02-08T15:44:00.002+01:002009-12-03T20:17:58.731+01:00

J.S.Bach "Nun komm der Heiden Heiland" (BWV 659) prepared for one-manual organ is now available at the Organ Amateur Page under "Miscellaneous organ music". Click "Music" and "Music by me" in the menu to get there.

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1138617227441906952006-01-30T11:18:00.000+01:002006-01-30T11:33:49.653+01:00

In preparation and anticipation of my (one manual) harmonium to come from the organ builder's work shop I have looked into music that would be possible to play on the harmonium with only slight modifications. For example I have discovered that BWV 659 (the famous Nun komm' der Heiden Heiland) for organ would be playable on my harmonium. The only problem arises at the end:The G in the pedal is

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1138616211575709242006-01-30T10:39:00.000+01:002006-01-30T11:16:52.196+01:00

Evensong from Birmingham Cathedral on Jan 25th, BBC radio 3, is just another example of poor cathedral choir singing. This only shows how excellent Truro Cathedral Choir is. I don't think anyone held a pistol to the bishop's head in order to have the choir sing an evensong service for the BBC radio 3, so with all due respect (with emphasis on due): Practice, and practice correctly. It is shameful

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1136995916287752362006-01-11T17:08:00.000+01:002006-01-11T17:11:56.316+01:00

http://mmd.foxtail.com/Archives/Digests/199903/1999.03.20.05.html"Lakeside" is a name that goes back a ways. The Tryber & SweetlandOrgan Co. split up in 1899 to become the E. Sweetland Co. and theLakeside Organ Co. (quote from the link above)

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1136968403411303642006-01-11T08:56:00.000+01:002006-01-11T09:33:23.460+01:00

I discovered that the exact same model is listed in:http://www.reedsoc.org/ROdatabase/scrollfulldetails.asp?reg_no=3075&Choice=3&fs=Lakeside&Style=Compare the picture in the reedsoc.org database to my own (the music stand and the top side decoration are not shown as I had disengaged them before securing the organ to the trailer):Now I am even more excited since I know more about the organ. I

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1136910366483868252006-01-10T16:55:00.000+01:002006-01-11T09:46:57.126+01:00

It's been a while since last time so I thought I would drop a few lines. I have had a long Christmas break, but I did not do anything of what I planned to do. Almost no music related activities. Not even on Christmas morning. What is the world comming to?I am looking forward to get my harmonium back from the repair shop. The organ builder guy said that it would be ready by spring-time. That could

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1134384180256360402005-12-12T11:17:00.000+01:002005-12-12T11:43:01.783+01:00

Et tips i den åndelige tørke: Jeg fikk mitt eget eksemplar av "Norsk tidebønn" utgitt av Kirkelig Fornyelse/Oremus i posten for den nette sum a kr 222 inkl. porto. Dette er en bok jeg kan anbefale på det varmeste. Den er litt vanskelig å finne frem i til å begynne med fordi man må hoppe frem og tilbake mellom faste og variable ledd, men det har språklig rikdom som: "Fader vår, du som er i

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1134381724895799992005-12-12T11:02:00.000+01:002005-12-12T11:15:27.563+01:00

I just received an email from a priest in the Nordic Catholic Church saying: "Salmen din slo veldig vel an på patronsfesten. Takk skal du ha!" , which translates into english: "Your hymn was a big hit at the patronal feast. Thank you!". He was probably just being nice, I would not dear to hope that it actually was a hit. Nevertheless, it means that they tried to sing it, which is a good thing

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1132926212549367462005-11-25T14:26:00.000+01:002005-11-25T14:43:32.560+01:00

Aust-Agder Blad, a local newspaper for Risør, Norway, announced that Mr. Jostein Groild and his wife Anne-Christine will leave Risør because Mr. Grolid has accepted a new position i Drøbak, Norway. The Grolids have been organists in the parishes of Risør and Søndeled for several years now. They will be missed. Good luck to you both!

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1132925147917237652005-11-25T13:48:00.000+01:002005-11-25T14:25:53.726+01:00

I seem to have adapted the habit of commenting the choral evensong broadcasts on BBC 3 radio. I guess this is my way of venting my thoughts and living my dreams since the era of which point in time I lost contact with St. Edmund's Church Choir and Anglican music. Once you have got a taste of the real thing, it is impossible to go back. That's Anglican church music.And this very Wednesday, this

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1132575941385367952005-11-21T12:47:00.000+01:002005-11-21T13:25:41.610+01:00

BCC Radio 3 choral evensong broadcasts have had very varying quality in terms of music this autumn. However, this time I am quite pleased with the chanting of the Lincoln cathedral choir. It has been a while since I heard such relaxed and easy chanting, the words sounding as if they really are trying to be understood, and the organ supporting the meaning of the words (although the organ could

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1132038822061617202005-11-15T08:10:00.000+01:002005-11-15T08:13:42.073+01:00

Say no more...http://www.austagderblad.no/lokale_nyheter/article1824558.eceFinally life is back to normal.

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1129533909065659652005-10-17T09:19:00.000+02:002005-10-17T09:25:09.070+02:00

Noen som har lurt på hvor musikken i Statoil-reklamen kommer fra (der hvor verden "stopper opp" uten gass fra Statoil og et kor blir stående med hakk i plata inntil den siste guttesopranen er på plass)? Evensong på BBC radio 3 fra Westminster Abbey den 12. oktober hadde "Os justi meditabitur" av Bruckner som "introit". De som har lurt lenge, trenger ikke lure mer!

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1128272222208262282005-10-02T18:29:00.000+02:002005-10-02T18:57:02.216+02:00

I never seem to get any time for playing the organ, composing or other things I like to do. My fingers are turing stiff. The only musical activity nowadays is the occasional practice for Handels Messiah. "And he shall pu-ri fa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ah-ay the so-o-o-ons of Le-hi-vi" and "His yo-ho-hoke is ea-hea-hea-hea-hea-hea hea-hea-hea-hea-hea-hea-hea-sy" etc. We're going

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1127840175293514152005-09-27T17:59:00.000+02:002005-09-29T12:38:30.403+02:00

Are there hidden codes (anagrams) in the name of the Norwegian Lutheran Chruch "Den norske kirke"?- den snorkekirke (the snoring church)- der ikon krenkes (where icons are desecrated)- der kikker sonen (the son is looking there)- der knekk senior (senior is breaking down)- der koner nikkes (where wives are nodded)I guess The Anglican Church is even more suspicious:- anal church etching- angelic

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1127039511841772322005-09-18T11:56:00.001+02:002009-12-03T20:06:35.943+01:00

I inherited a Chicago "The Lakeside" reed organ ("American organ", or "harmonium") from my grandmother who died in 1994, but up until now my aunt has taken care of it. Yesterday I rented a car trailer and drove up to my aunt and took it with me. See pictures of the organ after I have secured it safely on the trailer:-Harmonium secured on trailer, front view-Harmonium secured on trailer, side

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1126633394480324692005-09-13T19:07:00.000+02:002005-09-13T20:12:34.096+02:00

Even though my christian journey began in an anglo-catholic-style congregation within the Scottish Episcopal Church, I was baptised and confirmed in the Norwegian Lutheran Church and has always been an official member there. But since the lutheran church was forced upon me and never managed to awaken my interest or open mind, I dicovered the christian faith outwith the church I "grew up" in. I

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1126204473875100302005-09-08T19:50:00.000+02:002005-09-08T20:36:30.643+02:00

The Introit "Holy is the True Light" by Richard Shephard is a lovely piece of music, and the hymn Praise to the Holiest (Gerontius) is also an excellent hymn - very Anglican. The Edington Service composed by Grayston Ives for the 1975 Edington Festival of Music within the Liturgy gave us the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis on this Wednesday's choral evensong, a modern type of music that uses a very

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1125835496651093002005-09-04T13:39:00.000+02:002005-09-04T14:40:05.656+02:00

This Wednesday's evensong was from St. Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh, Ireland. Armagh is the ecclesiastical capital of Church of Ireland, a province of the Anglican communion. They have daily services, including Morning Prayer, Holy Communion and sung Compline (men's choir), Choral Evensong on Sundays with full choir.See this floorplan of the cathedral with 360 degrees views several places around

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1125426357971734112005-08-30T20:16:00.000+02:002005-08-30T20:25:57.976+02:00

For a long time an image has been stuck to my brain - an image of a very brave organ design. Crooked pipes that are placed in an almost random manner around the console. Of course, I can see it now - Mickey Mouse playing the organ, dashing around on the bench with his enormous feet (and short legs) going wild in the pipe jungle. The organ of Walt Disney Concert Hall, ladies and gentlemen, built

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1125390432806153722005-08-30T10:25:00.000+02:002005-08-30T10:27:12.813+02:00

This site lets you simulate Lissajous patterns. This is only fun if you are skilled in maths or electronic engineering (like myself). Otherwise it is completely uninteresting.

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1125253080840736142005-08-28T19:37:00.000+02:002005-08-28T20:20:09.343+02:00

Jarle turned 16 years 4 days ago. Congratulations! If I had been more alert I would have written this on his day, but I got this blog only 5 days ago so I am perhaps excused. I admire Jarle for his many talents, playing the organ being one of them. He also likes to play with reeds on swell if he can find any. Norwegian organists usually have a very twisted view when it comes to reeds, and most

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1125060266941875552005-08-26T14:44:00.000+02:002005-08-26T14:48:43.750+02:00

It is not easy to get information on Edington Priory Church, Wiltshire, but I think this is the church that is referred to. The service of choral evensong this Wednesday was very choral, indeed. Only the final hymn could be sung by the congregation, and everything except this hymn and the voluntary were a capella (choir only). The introit, the office hymn and the anthem had Latin words, which can

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1124952873784593732005-08-25T08:54:00.000+02:002005-08-26T09:20:39.743+02:00

If someone wants to get rid of a copy of "The Art of Train­ing Choir Boys" by George Clement Martin (1844-1916), please let me know. That book is no fun to read, and old books tend to pile up, collect dust and have a scruffy appearance. In the end, old books like that are potensially hazardous to the environment. You'd better save yourself and your local community from a disaster by giving this

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1124880720220738672005-08-24T12:52:00.000+02:002005-08-26T09:46:28.176+02:00

Just thought I should share a recent discovery on the world wide web:St Peter's Church, Nottingham with all SaintsThey seem to have choral evensong every Sunday, and the choir has a good and varied selection of music. Several recordings are available on the web page. This is a church that makes an effort to keep the anglican musical heritage in use. This is just an example among many churches in

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15714634.post-1124821914774144672005-08-23T20:15:00.000+02:002005-08-25T08:40:05.046+02:00

As I live in Norway, far away from heavenly Britain (to capture both England and Scotland) and the even more heavenly Evensongs in cathedrals and churches, I was happy to find out that I could listen to the Choral Evensong programme on BBC radio 3 which is scheduled at 4pm each Wednesday via the internet - anytime within a week after the braodcast. Last Wednesday was from Edinburgh, St. Mary's

O. H. Bergerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17776440953514234270noreply@blogger.com0