Romantic and Virtuosic

Adam Brakel . . . does indeed go through a work-out with this demanding program of Reger, Bonnet, Liszt, and Demessieux . . . Sure technical mastery is combined with informed interpretation,... — Choir & Organ More…

Catalogue No: OAR933
Label: Raven

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Buck, D: Concert Variations on 'The Star-Spangled Banner', Op. 23

Adam Brakel (109-rank Austin Op. 2777, built in 2000 at Bethesda-by-the-Sea Episcopal, Palm Beach)

Nanney: Adagio from Sonata in E Minor

Adam Brakel (109-rank Austin Op. 2777, built in 2000 at Bethesda-by-the-Sea Episcopal, Palm Beach)

Bonnet: Etude de Concert (No 2 of 'Douze Pièces Nouvelles', Op. 7)

Adam Brakel (109-rank Austin Op. 2777, built in 2000 at Bethesda-by-the-Sea Episcopal, Palm Beach)

Reger: Fantasy & Fugue in D minor, Op. 135b

Adam Brakel (109-rank Austin Op. 2777, built in 2000 at Bethesda-by-the-Sea Episcopal, Palm Beach)

Fletcher, Andrew: Cantilena

Adam Brakel (109-rank Austin Op. 2777, built in 2000 at Bethesda-by-the-Sea Episcopal, Palm Beach)

Liszt: Legende S.175 No. 2, St. Francis of Paola walking on the waves

Adam Brakel (109-rank Austin Op. 2777, built in 2000 at Bethesda-by-the-Sea Episcopal, Palm Beach)

Demessieux: Six Études, op. 5

Adam Brakel (109-rank Austin Op. 2777, built in 2000 at Bethesda-by-the-Sea Episcopal, Palm Beach)

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Romantic & Virtuosic makes Adam Brakel’s wonderful organ playing available on CD for the first time, and presents the first CD recording of the excellent 109-rank Austin completed in 2000 at the large and resonant Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea in Palm Beach, Florida. The stoplist appears at the end of the long description, below.

Reviews

Adam Brakel . . . does indeed go through a work-out with this demanding program of Reger, Bonnet, Liszt, and Demessieux . . . Sure technical mastery is combined with informed interpretation, presented on this 109-rank Austin organ . . . There are copious sleeve notes and a specification so detailed as to fascinate the most introspective of organ nuts. . . . this disc conceals hidden depths.

Diapason

. . . We are in the golden age of organ audio recordings. Here is . . . an interestingly planned and beautifully executed recording with varied literature . . . and superb CD booklet. . . . The Six Etudes were performed by Demessieux in her debut recital and remain some of the most technically difficult pieces in the entire organ repertoire. Brakel plays these pieces not with shallow virtuosity but with total musical understanding of these pieces, which constantly make equal technical demands of both hands and feet. . . .A "serious recording" does not, however, preclude "a fun recording." Real gems here include the Adagio from Herbert Nanney's Sonata in E Minor. An important teacher who studied with Dupre, Nanney organized and directed the doctoral program in organ performance at Stanford University. By the time he retired in 1985 he had taught a generation of organists who went on to hold significant teaching positions and performance careers at American universities. . . . Another gem on this recording is Joseph Bonnet's Etude de Concert, op. 7, no. 2, published in 1910. This is a piece in the French symphonic tradition that bears a striking resemblance to the Gigout Scherzo in E-flat Major, played with lightness and clarity. Also included is Andrew Fletcher's Cantilena from Five Miniatures for Organ (listed on the composer's website as Five Meditations), where the signature soft registrations in which Austin always excelled are on full pp-p-mp display. . . . Buy this CD! You will not be disappointed.

American All Music Guide

Adam Brakel’s recording is, indeed, virtuosic! It includes the Demessieux Six Etudes, Reger’s large Fantasie and
Fugue in D minor, as well as Liszt’s St. Francis of Paola Walking on the Waves. All difficult music! Adam pulls
this off magnificently, along with Dudley Buck’s Concert Variations on “The Star-Spangled Banner,” Herbert Nanney’s Adagio from Sonata in E minor, Bonnet’s Etude de Concert, and Andrew Fletcher’s Cantilena from Five Miniatures for Organ. The organ, at Bethesda-by-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Palm Beach, FL, is a huge Austin (109 ranks). The
picture on the cover of the CD shows Adam appearing very buff in a white tee shirt, and clearly he aims to set the organ world alight with dazzling technique. NPR in Florida called him an “organ prodigy, with the technique and virtuosity that most concert pianists could only dream of, having the potential to be the leading organist of his generation… the Franz Liszt of the organ.” Certainly this recording reflects his extreme prowess. Very difficult repertoire is executed with great care and finesse. I applaud his work and encourage many more recordings from him!

Romantic and Virtuosic

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