MONTHLY VIDEOS

MARCH 2010:
This months video features again the English Boy Choir "Libera." This 5:22 long video is of the Libera Choir singing "Going Home" live at one of their many concerts that they give every year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2aLSat3h0w



FEBRUARY 2010:
This month's video is Fr. Edward Beck on ABC News Now interviewing Joe Simmons and Nancy Meyer. Meyer is a singer and actress and cantor at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Lincoln Center, New York City. Simmons is the “Principal Cantor” at St. John The Baptist Church in New York City and was the cantor at the recent Yankee Stadium Mass with Pope Benedict. Both Meyer and Simmons have recent CD’s out. This video is 6:51 in length.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpNEr1UKBGI




JANUARY 2010:
This months video features the English Boy Choir "Libera." This video contains highlights from the U. S. tour in 2008. It shows the boys being boys as well as showing their "angelic" side while performing. The video also shows short clips of some of their concerts including the Pre-Mass concert at Yankee Stadium when Pope Benedict was there. With their musical talent, Libera is a group of very gifted boys. The video is 6:31.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8UITvUW_VQ



DECEMBER 2009:
With Christmas coming upon us, a version of "O Come, All Ye Faithful" is in order. And who best to play this wonderful Christmas Carol than the famous Virgil Fox in concert, complete with audience participation! ! ! This video is 5:51 in length.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hwJubxie88&NR=1


NOVEMBER 2009:
This months' organ video clip is a “Funny.” However, you need to know a little bit about organ stops in order to understand the video clip. Most stops on organs have numbers on them such as 16’ 8’, 4’, 2’. What this tells the organist is that in an 8’ stop, the pipe that plays low C on the keyboard (or pedal) is 8’ in length with middle C being the same pitch as middle C on the piano (and all notes are played at the pitch that they are written). A 4’ stop means that the low C pipe is 4’ in length and all notes sound 1 octave higher than written. A 2’ stop means that the low C pipe is 2’ in length and all the notes sound 2 octaves higher than written.


The same is true if we go the opposite direction (lower). A 16’ stop means that the low C pipe is 16’ in length and all notes sound 1 octave LOWER than written. Almost all organs have 16’, 8’, 4’, and 2’ stops. Some organs have 32’ stops which means that the low C pipe is 32’ in length and the notes sound 2 octaves lower than written. These stops add a lot of “depth” to the music with those low sounds coming through. Our St. Mary’s organ has 3, 32’ stops, but they are all digital, not pipes.


A very few organs have 64’ stops (low C pipe is 64’ in length and the notes sound 3 octaves lower than written) such as the Organ at the Atlantic City, New Jersey Convention Hall that you heard a couple of months ago. With these stops, the human ear can no longer detect the pitch, but you “Feel” the sound waves as it resonates through your body. Quite an experience! ! The St. Mary's organ can produce a 64’ stop, but again it is through digital technology, not organ pipes.


Now for this months' video: In this video, the organist supposedly has at their disposal a 128’ stop (complete with a “danger” sign) which he draws on and then the video shows you the consequence of drawing this stop on and how it effects an entire city! ! ! VERY funny.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Wpn7xyzUqg&feature=related


OCTOBER 2009:
Two versions of Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor (probably the most popular organ piece ever written) played first by organist Kurt Ison at the Sidney (Australia) Town Hall on a HUGE 5 manual monster!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FXoyr_FyFw&feature=related


The second (just the Toccata) is played on the organ at the U. S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. This is another HUGE 5 manual monster!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSjYAcUomds&feature=related



SEPTEMBER 2009:
LIBERA (5:30):The group is comprised of about 15 boys from all over London, England. Their ages are six to sixteen. They toured the US back when Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Mass at Yankee Stadium (April 2008). They are an amazing choir with rich, pure, and yet haunting voices.Check this link out the link:
http://www.libera.org.uk/video/wvx/newdawnepk_b.wvx

Another church musician made the following observation,“It really angers me that in our American culture we place so much emphasis on sports and by their audacity of questioning their masculinity, heap ridicule on innocent children when they sing to their hearts’ desire, sometimes destroying that innocence forever….for what gain? State championships, all-league, all-state honors are really only temporary and fleeting. And THAT is supposed to teach our young people about life?

These kids raise the beauty of the human voice to the highest level of musical art. I have been blessed to hear the Moscow Boys Choir, the Vienna Boys Choir, the Texas Boys Choir, the Pittsburgh Children’s Choir and now Libera (although not in person, yet!).

Through these childrens’ voices, they have soared and touched the wings of angels and have shared their God given talents for the nurturing of our spirits and the edification of our souls. In their simplicity, by sharing their art, they….have allowed us… a glimpse of the Sacred Artist…..”



AUGUST 2009:
THE WEATHER CHANTED (2:57)
How would you like the weather to be chanted like this every night on the evening news?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z2jwDcb9wI


JULY 2009:
With Independence Day being this month, we have another Virgil Fox video of Fox playing the "National Anthem" and parts of it he plays only with his feet! !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ocgQ-00deI


JUNE 2009:
This months' organ clips are from the famous Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City, Utah. This building is considered by many to be the most acoustically perfect building in the world. It recently underwent a massive multi-million dollar renovation. This huge pipe organ has grown in size over the years. The last additions were done in the 1950’s.

The Renovation of the LDS (Mormon) Salt Lake Tabernacle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akgRN6ITYyw&feature=related

Mormon Tabernacle Choir Celebrates Re-opening of Tabernaclehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-AlNVGzdr4&feature=related


MAY 2009:
This month's organ video clip is again on the largest pipe organ in the world at the Atlantic City, New Jersey Convention / Auditorium also known as the “Boardwalk Hall.” The organ is a 449 Rank Midmer-losh, Op. 5550 with 2 consoles. The first console has 5 manuals (keyboards) and the second console has 7 manuals. In comparison, St. Mary’s organ has only 11 ranks of pipes.

The Auditorium Organ video, click here.

Boardwalk Hall Midmer Losh Atlantic City video, click here.



APRIL 2009:
This month's video will introduce you to the largest pipe organ in the world at the Atlantic City, New Jersey Convention / Auditorium also known as the “Boardwalk Hall.” The first video (2 minutes, 5 seconds) is a little intro to the hall itself: it’s history and the $90 million renovation / restoration project that it has undergone. The second video (1 minute, 54 seconds long) is a summary of this massive instrument which is currently under a multi-million dollar restoration project. It is a 449 Rank Midmer-losh, Op. 5550 with 2 consoles. The first console has 5 manuals (keyboards) and the second console has 7 manuals. Next month's video will go into a little more detail about the organ itself.

Boardwalk Hall - Atlantic City Tour
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1y7PNUeQmx0&NR=1

The Senator's Masterpiece (trailer)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHJ-ral_IVM&feature=related



MARCH 2009:
Famous Organist Virgil Fox playing “Perpetual Motion” by Middelschulte (a "pedals only" piece)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbGCriVk9UM&feature=related