Original image of a detail of Salzburg Cathedral by There Stands the Glass.
I associated church organs with sickly mood music for funerals during the first third of my life. As a child I wondered why mourners and the corpses on display in coffins were subjected to dreary laments of the built-in instruments at houses of worship. My sensibilities have changed.
Most of the Sunday morning services I now eagerly attend conclude with brief organ recitals that sometimes refute the preceding solemn rites with freewheeling showmanship. As most parishioners head for the exits, I stick around for the life-affirming exhibitions.
Organs were at the center of a significant portion of my favorite music experiences of 2024. In addition to churches near my home, I relished the sound of organs in Bratislava, London, Salzburg and Vienna.
Stellar new recordings by contemporary composers including Laura Cannell, Sarah Davachi and Kali Malone enhanced my appreciation of organ works of the standard classical repertoire. One thing hasn’t changed- I remain frustratingly allergic to jazz organ.