Dear Visitor,
I absolutely marvel at how technology has ‘taken off’, enabling not only the sterling efforts of rock and pop stars to be available virtually anywhere on the planet via the magic of the Internet, but also the handiwork of classical musicians is now equally and as easily obtainable by all. Even recently, to simply sit back in a comfy recliner-armchair and absorb a classical performer’s interpretations via a spinning CD was considered most acceptable but, more and more, you, the music-loving public, have tended to draw the old axiom to heart: ‘Seeing is believing’, particularly when some clever artists would multi-track themselves into knots, resulting in the end result becoming nigh on unbelievable (unless, of course, the performer happened to be blessed with twelve hands and twelve feet!).
When I look back at my own long-time efforts in the recording arena with such giants as RCA ‘Red-Seal’ and Decca, the memory of making an organ performance video, back in the early 1990s, on the grand Harrison & Harrison organ of the Church of St. Mary, Redcliffe (Bristol, England) for the latter firm, still makes my heart pump just that little bit quicker. It was a substantial undertaking for all concerned, believe you me. Said to be the premier commercially-available video recording of classical organ performance, it was available throughout North America and Europe in VHS format and, in Japan, it appeared as a gleaming LaserDisc. And to jog your memory, here is the very LaserDisc cover! Whoever is that stern-looking chap clad in that ecclesiastical cloak? What a superb space!
Destined to Decca’s deep vaults, almost surely never to be seen again…
Well, Decca, in their infinite wisdom, and after so much fiduciary and artistic investment and just plain hard work, chose to allow this video to vanish from the market-place after a year or so, into their musky, dusty archives and, in spite of sales figures being most acceptable for main-line classical performance, it has never once re-appeared, even after numerous attempts by my management to have it re-released, nor was there ever any sign forthcoming from them that we should ‘get our skates on’ and do several more (big sigh!), in other equally-stunning venues.
After recently telling him this sad tale of woe, a dear English colleague advised: “Carlo, if you want a job done properly, do it yourself.” It is an old saying that has stood the test of time, yet, as I looked around in my ‘world organic’, it soon became clear that performers were commissioning their own CDs and DVDs, thereby ensuring they never, ever could be removed in a heart-beat from a catalog by a multi-national, behemoth recording company. Ah-ha! The seed was planted and the result of that planting in rich, fertile soil has translated into no less than three new DVDs (of my own commissioning) of my performing on a most large and enchanting instrument in the Parish Church of St. Nicholas, Trelleborg, located in the south of Sweden.
Having worked with him previously on a well received solo CD, recorded on a beautiful organ in Trönö, Sweden, I approached Per Frendahl, a friend of long-standing, and enquired if it might be possible to record a single, one-off DVD recording at St. Nicholas Church, where he is organist and in charge of the overall music program.
Carlo, back from attempting to gain entry into Decca’s vaults in London,
appears here in Trelleborg, seated in a Bishop’s Chair,
ready to be filmed introducing the 30 DVD selections.
Note both the pedal-board and bench have been removed for this exercise.
To cut a long story short, I visited Sweden in June of this year and over two evenings, my investment in this project began to bear fruit. The first ten selections were recorded in rapid succession with not one retake. As I still had a fair amount of force to record more pieces, we decided to carry on, and carry on we did, until a total of 30 selections were safely ‘in the can’! Nobody could have been more surprised than were we. It seems that Lady Luck was obviously hovering nearby. This was a 4-camera shoot by a talented team that, while jolly expensive, was the best to be had, with oceans of experience in general television and classical performance work.
For those of you who enjoy performance and films through a home theatre arrangement, the superb sonic tonality will arouse the neighborhood via the cutting-edge technology of Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound. Otherwise, the alternative is also of the very highest quality. It is safe to say that the sound of this great instrument is as thrilling, sensuous and moving as any organ recording I have ever experienced and I have heard more than a few, for sure! The engineers far exceeded even my lofty expectations and I can recommend these three titles to you without reservation.
It is said that self-praise is no judge of merit. I concur with this completely and therefore trust that you’ll invest in one or all three of these DVDs, the repertoire being wide-ranging and colorful. Included are original masterworks for organ as well as many of my most requested arrangements and transcriptions. The journey from triple pianissimo to triple fortissimo on this grandest of organs is one of the most seamlessly smooth I know. And the sheer crystal-clear breadth and quality of the entire package is a joy to experience (dare I say it!).
Again, thanks so much for visiting. I am personally most keen and curious to know your impressions of these DVDs, so do send some words my way and I promise to reply as soon as possible.
