Gerre Hancock Improvisation DVD / CD

Gerre Hancock, one of the most recognizable of all artists active today in the concert organ and church music fields, is featured in a new DVD / CD which is due to be released in June 2009 on the American label Pro Organo (Item # CD7233), entitled "Praise the Eternal Light."

The DVD contains a 68-minute nine-movement organ symphony, spontaneously improvised by Gerre Hancock upon the 4-manual Austin pipe organ at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Hartford, Connecticut. Each improvisation is a musical interpretation of a set of 3 adjacent stained glass windows in the nave of the Cathedral of St. Joseph. Each trio of windows depicts a chapter in the life and passion of Christ. There are 4 such tableaux on the East side of the Cathedral, and 4 on the West side. In addition to these 8, Gerre Hancock also improvises upon the window, known as the "Christ the King" window, which overlooks the organ in the rear gallery.

There is a great variety of styles and moods within the 9-movement improvisation. We hear various forms, including a free-form Toccata, a Scherzo, and a Prelude and Fugue. As often as not, Dr. Hancock draws upon plainchant and other sacred hymns, and he employs these as themes in the improvisations where their liturgical season is matched by the season depicted in the windows.

Gerre Hancock enjoyed a long and successful tenure as Organist and Master of the Choristers at Saint Thomas Church on Fifth Avenue in midtown Manhattan. Today he teaches organ and sacred music at the University of Texas at Austin.

The DVD offers a choice of stereo or 5.1 surround sound audio. The CD audio disc which is packaged with the DVD video contains the 9 stereo audio tracks that are heard in the video. This 2-disc product, entitled "Praise the Eternal Light," is scheduled for release worldwide in June, 2009. Advance orders are being received presently at Zarex (in the USA 800-336-2224). $20 plus shipping/ handling.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Gerre
• Hancock
• organ
• music
• liturgical
• improvisation
• pipe
• Austin
• Hartford
• Cathedral
• of
• St
• Joseph
• Jean
• Barillet
• stained
• glass
• windows
• Pro
• Organo
• CD
• DVD
• release
• Praise
• the
• Eternal
• Light
• symphonic
• religious
• art

[bombarde1701a]

I have this CD/DVD and I love it

[aglamirande]

I have also played this organ. One of the finest anywhere in the USA. The masterpiece of the Austin company. Splendid acoustics too. The stained glass windows are extraordinary --- albeit that the windows rattle when the wind blows!

[organflick]

I have played this organ and it is amazing!

[bombarde1701]

WOW! Can't wait for this!!!

[codeman2008]

Ha. We drove by this Cathedral today on our way home from a trip to Boston. Perfect timing for this upload to get to me.