Their heavenly compatriots play brass and drums! What relaxed embouchures!
Meanwhile, smack dab in the middle of the music loft ceiling at Bavaria's wee country Blumenthaler Marienkirche, a wingless keyboard player (an earth-bound human?) accompanies a choir of cherubs under the experienced baton of Frau Engel.
See those lines radiating from the organist's head? Do not be fooled--they are not a halo. They are wisps of perspiration, for when the organist agreed to play for her nephew's wedding, she did not know the organ was actually an antique harmonium, nor that it possessed a mere two pedals, both of which had to be pumped continuously in order for music to sound.
On the bright side, pumping added some pleasant challenges to playing Pachelbel's Canon in D, a piece that, I'm sorry to report, has finally made it across the Atlantic as a wedding processional. The two singers and the violinist performing with me insisted that, despite being in the business for a long time, they had never once heard the Canon used for a wedding processional. German organists have much to look forward to.In any case, the organist was delighted to offer her services to the happy couple, and, during the lovely wedding mass, to get in a good workout.
Just a quick note to let you know that I appreciate your travel log! Very much.
ReplyDeleteHi, Liz,
ReplyDeleteI'm really enjoying your posts! Just out of curiosity, what are some of the usual wedding processional pieces at German weddings?
Thanks y'all! Lisa, the processional German musicians love to hate is the Air from Bach's third orchestral suite. Interestingly, you could transpose Pachelbel's Canon to G and mush it together with the Air for the first couple of measures (until the bass line in the Air goes from C to C#). But then, you can mush a lot of pieces into the Canon. The March from Wagner's Lohengrin is fading in popularity in Germany (as in the U.S.). Both countries favor the Clarke and Purcell trumpet tune/voluntary for postludes. (The postlude at this wedding was Rejouissance from Handel's Royal Fireworks Music.)
ReplyDeleteThanks for that very thorough explanation! I wonder whether Peter Schickele has ever written any mash-ups involving the Canon... The most interesting choice of wedding processional I've ever heard was the Promenade from Pictures at an Exhibition - that happened here in Chapel Hill. Anyhow, I'm sure your efforts were much appreciated.
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