Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Recital - Ropek
Czech composer and organist Jiří Ropek taught at both the music conservatory and at the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Prague, and in 1950 became organist at Prague’s beautiful St. Jacob Church. His Variations on ‘Victimae Paschali Laudes’ is based on the medieval sequence for Easter Sunday. The variations seem to be based on the eight divisions of the sequence:
1. Christians, to the paschal victim offer your thankful praises!
2. A lamb the sheep redeeming: Christ, who only is sinless, reconciles sinners to the Father.
3. Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous; The prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.
4. Speak, Mary, declaring what you saw when wayfaring.
5. “The tomb of Christ, who is living, the glory of Jesus’ resurrection;
6. Bright angels attesting, the shroud and napkin resting.
7. My Lord, my hope, is arisen; to Galilee he goes before you.”
8. Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining. Have mercy victor King, ever reigning! Amen. Alleluia.
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2 comments:
This is just fantastic. Listened this morning and later in afternoon while working.
What I noticed:
- at about 8:30 No. 8 Ropek commences as per your earlier only-audio post. 8:30+ is my favourite.
- I very much like long, very long, ominous chords at the end of compositions...like this one.
- three things done at same time: keys, pedals, reading notation. That is so confusing to me. How do you do it?
- lots of movement considering organ width, especially on pedals... how many octaves on pedals.
- you posted 2 more videos
This is just fantastic.
Hi TH2,
I consider the other seven variations as necessary penance before getting to play the 8th. It's VERY dramatic as a live performance.
The playing and reading is almost second-nature; it's the piston changes (changing the registrations with a button or toe stud) that are difficult. But seriously, all it takes are good multi-tasking skills. And speed. :)
I uploaded low-res videos because my parents have dial-up, and I was hoping to give them the chance to watch. After I get a DVD to them, I may upload hi-res. Haven't decided yet, though.
But speaking of low-res, you perhaps can't tell that the organ is not a standard size. The keyboards are about 1/4" shorter over the space of an octave than AGO (American Guild of Organists) standard, and the pedal board is missing a few notes at the upper end (which saved $$). Additionally, the individual keys are not as long, which means I very occasionally accidentally hit the divisional pistons for the Swell keyboard (which is BAD!). A visiting recitalist who was here a few months ago states that this organ was "unforgiving".
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