America the Beautiful at Washington Cathedral (Clare Fischer arr.)

The most lush arrangement of this classic that I've ever heard, & the magnificent IV/189 Skinner-plus at the world's 6th-largest cathedral can do lush. Clare Fischer, the arranger, has enjoyed a 60+ year career as a pianist/composer/arranger/conductor extraordinaire. Douglas Major was the cathedral's organist & choirmaster from 1988-2002, & started the tradition of Independence Day concerts. Please excuse the aural glitches: this was taken from a CD made from a cassette recording of a radio broadcast. The synthesizer-player accompanying Douglas Major was not identified. (At least I think it's a synthesizer. Either that or it's a stop I've never heard in 40+ years of listening to this instrument.)

Category:

Music

Tags:

• America
• the
• Beautiful
• pipe
• organ
• Washington
• National
• Cathedral
• orgue
• orgel
• organo
• Clare
• Fischer
• Douglas
• Major

[TheMaestro42]

Does anyone know where I might find the sheet music to this? I've looked everywhere... all the best American organ works are just impossible to find.

[a55b47]

@TheMaestro42 Wish I could help you, but all I can offer is that there was a rash a few months ago of comments from Clare Fischer's friends/colleagues/admirers, & I seem to recall mention of a Clare Fischer web site that might help (or maybe he's on Facebook?) I know Doug Major, the organist on this recording, is on Facebook, & he might have some advice.

[sneskid]

Do you still have the cd? I ask, because you might be able to get around the scratch, if the scratch isn't on the label side.

[a55b47]

@sneskid Thanks for the offer, but it's a CD I made from an old tape of an old radio broadcast -- so the audio has already gone through several iterations. Don't know where the scratch(es) came from, but I don't think they're on the CD.

[sneskid]

@a55b47

Exact Audio Copy on the other hand, detects these errors, and attempts to re-read these problem areas. If it succeeds, it continues on.

If it fails, it will log every area that it had a problem with, giving you the opportunity to listen to these "problem areas" and then try to "repair" them.

[a55b47]

@sneskid , Thanks for the advice. It sounds intriguing, & I may try it -- if I can ever find the time ;-) I'm not a huge audiophile; I'm an organ-phile, & just trying to get these old recordings out where more people can hear the King of Istruments.

[terrysisk]

The sheet music for this arrangement by Clare Fischer appeared in the June/July 1986 issue of Sheet Music Magazine. You can find them for sale on E-Bay or at  Amazon.com.

[sneskid]

@a55b47

Let me know how it goes!

[dinerdog]

Clare is one of the few people that can bring tears to your eyes with the notes he plays. You can't be the same after listening to him. Truly an other worldly talent. : >

[dwintz1]

A teacher, mentor and friend Clare Fischer composed this version of America the Beautiful. Sounds wonderful and like everything our country is - full of ideals, ambition, dissent and hope. Perfect timing to listen to again, particularly in light of today's date.

[methu124]

Profound beyond words, this timely arrangement expresses the inexpressible! It proclaims the existential mystery of a nation's pristine melody of progress remaining miraculously afloat atop the anguishingly dissonant harmonies of its trials, tremors, traumas, and triumphs. This is the kaleidoscopic reflection of a noble people renderred as only Clare Fischer can! As an American, I will always treasure it!

[sneskid]

@a55b47

Sorry for the double post, I deleted my last comment by mistake!

Anyway... If you're running Windows, you might try ripping it again, with a program called Exact Audio Copy (it's a free download, just do a Google search. It should be the first thing that comes up).

The problem, is that many audio ripping programs are not capable of detecting read errors on audio CDs. This results in these clicking sounds.