Bamboo Organ

Douglas Lawrence and the Manila Chamber Orchestra. Manila's suburb of Las Piñas boasts the world's only organ with pipes made from bamboo. As well as demonstrating the full potential of the instrument with different solo pieces and Handel's Organ Concerto in G minor, Douglas Lawrence interviews the organ's restorer.

The fascinating story of the organ from its conception by the Spanish missionary Fr. Diego Cera in 1816 through many competent and incompetent repairs and restorations to its complete restoration by German organ builders is related in the programme notes.

Douglas Lawrence interviews Fr. Leo Renier (who was responsible for the restoration of the organ) on a bonus second CD.

Artist

Douglas Lawrence

Melbourne organist Douglas Lawrence is Director of Music at The Scots' Church and Teacher of the Organ at the University of Melbourne and was the founding director of Choir of Ormond College, a position he held from 1982 to 2006.


Press quotes

“a most interesting CD to listen to ... It should be a MUST in the collections of all organ music lovers.”

— The Organ Voice

“a highly significant release ... a model of informative, beautifully illustrated and thoroughly documented presentation. The album is a delight in every way ... excellent performances by Douglas Lawrence ... a most welcome addition”

— 4MBS FM

“This is a recording that will give great delight to the listener. The music and sound of the organ are charming and captured extremely well ... The playing is stylish, with nice ornamentation, clear articulation and varied registration ... Move and Douglas Lawrence are to be congratulated on a significant achievement.”

— John Maidment, OHTA Journal

“pleasing and sensitive playing ... a most interesting CD to listen to ... It should be a MUST in the collections of all organ music lovers.”

— David Vann, The Organ Voice, Organ Society of Queensland

“a most interesting and satisfying production. Well worth adding to your collection.”

— Greg Crawford, Organ Music Society of Adelaide

“fascinating”

— Bruce Steele, Organo Pleno

“What fun!”

— Kay McLennan, ABC Classic FM

“intriguing”

— Chris Copas, The Star

Audio preview

Track Listing

    Sonate d'intavoltura per organo e cimbalo Domenico Zipoli

  1. Toccata
  2. Verso I
  3. Verso II
  4. Verso III
  5. Musicalische Sterbens-Gedanken Johann Pachelbel
  6. [Allegro] Baldassare Galuppi
  7. Andante Baldassare Galuppi
  8. Allegro e spiritoso Baldassare Galuppi
  9. Largo Baldassare Galuppi
  10. Small Prelude 5 in C Major BWV 943 Johann Sebastian Bach
  11. Chorale Prelude on Jesu meine Zuversicht BWV 728 Johann Sebastian Bach
  12. Fughetta on Gottes Sohn ist Kommen BWV 703 Johann Sebastian Bach
  13. Fughetta on Ach Gott un Herr Johann Sebastian Bach
  14. Fughetta on Lob sei dem allmächtigen Gott Johann Sebastian Bach
  15. Two Sarabandes Louis Couperin
  16. Branle de Basque Louis Couperin
  17. Chaconne Louis Couperin

    18. Organ Concerto in G minor, Op. 4 No. 1 George Frideric Handel

  18. Largo, e staccato
  19. Allegro
  20. Adagio
  21. Andante

Disc 2

  1. Pajaritos (birdcall) stop

    2. Douglas Lawrence interviews Fr. Leo Rainer

  2. History of the restoration
  3. History of the organ
  4. The Bamboo Organ Festival
  5. St. Joseph's Church community
  6. Manila ― a noisy city
  7. The bells of St. Joseph's
  8. Local streetscape

Performers

Composers

Johann Sebastian Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity.

George Frideric Handel

George Frideric Handel was a German-British Baroque composer, famous for his operas, oratorios, and concertos. Handel's music was well known to such later composers as Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven.

Louis Couperin

Louis Couperin (c. 1626 – 29 August 1661) was a French Baroque composer and performer. None of Couperin's music was published during his lifetime, but manuscript copies of some 200 pieces survive, some of them only rediscovered in the mid-20th century.

Johann Pachelbel

Johann Pachelbel was a German Baroque composer, organist and teacher, who brought the south German organ tradition to its peak. He composed a large body of sacred and secular music, and his contributions to the development of the chorale prelude and fugue have earned him a place among the most important composers of the middle Baroque era.

Baldassare Galuppi

Baldassare Galuppi (18 October 1706 – 3 January 1785) was an Italian composer, born on the island of Burano in the Venetian Republic. He achieved international success, spending periods of his career in London and Saint Petersburg, but his main base remained Venice, where he held a succession of leading appointments.


Where to buy

Bamboo Organ is available for download from the iTunes Music Store.
It's available for streaming through Spotify and Apple Music.

Bamboo Organ is available as as CD. It can be purchased online through Buywell Music or the Australian Music Centre which both offer secure online ordering.

Move CDs can be ordered through music retailers across Australia including Readings.

Product details

List price
$25.00 AUD
Engineer
Josepf Kamykowski (tracks 18—21)
Martin Wright (all except tracks 18, 19, 20 and 21)
Editing
Vaughan McAlley
Release date
2001
Copyright
© 2001 Move Records
Phonogram
℗ 2001 Move Records
Categories
Baroque, Classical, Orchestral, Organ
Catalogue number
MD 3136
Alternate catalogue number
MD3136
Barcode
EAN 9314574313628