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21:59 Pipedreams is going to be awesome tonight. It's a program called "Scandinavian Surprises". The link isn't up on the Pipedreams homepage yet (this is one of the earlier broadcasts of the program) but the program's page is ready. I'm especially looking forward to the Finnish component: organ music of composer Joonas Kokkonen. Not surprisingly, this is on a Finlandia CD.

22:02 BBC News is on now. I'm getting excited! (Not about the North Korean nuclear test thing.)

22:10 It's on! (Like Donkey Kong!)

"Clean lines, no nonsense . . . functional" Comparing the music to modern Danish furniture. I guess we had to expect this.

22:12 Knut Nystedt. I've seen this name a bunch, but I've never heard anything by him. This Toccata, Op. 9 is his second composition for organ. I like it.

22:15 Getting bigger. Very palatable.

22:16 A nice piece. Doesn't do a whole lot, but it would be very accessible.

22:17 Now for a "quiet prelude on a Norwegian folk tune". I'm not holding my breath.

22:19 At least it was short.

22:20 Now a piece for choir and organ by Ståle Kleiberg. Very engaging off the bat. Great sounds. Good choir. Reminds me of something I can't quite place. Almost Lauridseny, but not quite. Okay, there's a chromatic turn. Just for color it seems. Pretty.

Surfing simultaneous with "Scandinavian Surprises": Army Strong. I can see two approaches to this advertising campaign. One, hairy man beats chest and says: "Army Strong!" Two, a large pickup truck that we are told is built Ford Tough "Army Strong". Either way, dumb.

22:23 These triplets are sounding very Sibelian (the cantatas), but way moderner. This is eloquent, I know.

22:24 A grand pause. Maybe a little overdue.

22:26 Over? A little unconvinging. The toccata starts. I wish it had been part of the choir and organ piece, it might have made for a nice contrasting section. But, as it is, I see why Michael Barone chose to play this afterwards. It will leave the listener with more closure, presumably.

22:29 Pan-scandinavian! This means Finland! Kokkonen followed in the footsteps of Sibelius. Nuts, it seems that these are arranged opera themes.

22:30 Strings sound slightly of theater-organy. Disappointing so far. Just some rambling harmonies. I don't really hear "themes" here. Principal color is much nicer. The work is taking shape. This could go somewhere.

22:31 Nice fuller-sounding restatement. I get the Sibelius connection somehow. What was rambly before now has purpose, direction.

22:32 Reeds introduced. Later, mixtures. It's quite full already. Is this a Howellsian Psalm-prelude sort of structure? Even bigger now. It must climax soon.

22:33 Yes. I suspect the climax is here. Disonances lead to a nice C Major resolution.

22:34 Drops all the way back to soft string opening. This would make a great prelude? I hope?! Yes!

22:35 Barone outlines the structure I've written here. More on Joonas Kokkonen.

22:35 Bach? Boring! (At least, not a Scandinavian Surprise. Well, the registration, a little.)

22:41 Blah, blah, blah. Buildings look better on the web, not the radio. Play some more organ music.

22:42 Oh wait. He was just breaking up the prelude and fugue by talking. This is boring.

22:55 At no point during the Icelandic meditation have I been really interested. I am going to the kitchen for a snack. I can only hope that it will be over when I return.

22:58 Perfect timing. Ian Quinn is at St. John's Cathedral Albuquerque? So he does.

22:59 I like hearing the Marcussen organ in this performance. And I recognize this as the piece used in the program's introduction, so I know it gets better.

SSSS: "Last week, Scots composer James MacMillan, also a Catholic, blasted trendy music as 'smiley and cheesy' claiming it ruined services and was driving congregations away. . . . James MacMillan slammed popular folk hymns as “neither contemporary or popular and barely music.” Source.

23:08 Aha! Andreas Dében to the rescue.

SSSS: Not only has porn star Crissy Moran (if that even is her real name) decided to "to go back to [her] one true love who is Jesus", but she has begun writing Christian poetry. I can't tell you how excited I am at the prospect of writing an a capella setting of this. Well, maybe I'll throw in a cheesy 70s synth track.

23:19 I'm afraid "Finnishing" up with works for organ and instruments isn't going to cut it for me tonight. It feels like a cop-out. Working full time and late night organ music on the radio don't really mix. At least, it's gotta be better than this if I am going to stay up for it. I'll hope for better next week.

Labels: organ