Organ Works

As a schoolboy, I lived with organ music daily and the music master made sure that we were informed about how and why organs worked the way they do. What Howard Goodall does in a way that's both entertaining and educational is to share facts about the history of the organ and how it is built. He does this by taking you to see organs on both sides of the Atlantic which are historic landmarks - the oldest organ in the world, in Spain, for instance. Unfortunately, it no longer functions, but just seeing it is an event. He visits really big organs and takes the viewer behind the scenes, so that you can see how the complex and beautiful mechanisms that allow organs to make their glorious noise actually work. Finally, he looks at what technology has achieved by making electronic keyboards sound unbelievably like the conventional organs that we have learned the history of. He demonstrates this in Alexandra Palace in London, where he lets blindfolded students hear the very large pipe organ and an electronic cousin and asking them which is which.

In short, Howard Goodall does it again. He makes music more interesting and more lovable.

This is a very entertaining and informative look at the history of the pipe organ, from its beginnings as the "hydraulis" in early Roman times, on through its evolution as a "portable" organ used by bards in the middle ages, its development by composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach in the 18th Century, to today's modern pipe organs and their computerized, electronic cousins. Howard Goodall has taken a subject that many consider dull or boring and presents it in a way that John Q. Public can understand.

Many examples of the pipe organ through the ages, along with their histories, are presented, including how a pipe organ works, what makes one up, how pipe organ music has remained popular throughout the centuries, and what the future holds for the pipe organ. Many organs are played throughout the program, some by Mr. Goodall himself. Examples include the world's oldest playable pipe organ from the late 16th Century and the newest computerized, digitally-sampled models being created today. Throughout the program, a synopsis of how the pipe organ art has changed over the centuries while still managing to hold on to its earlier traditions is realized.

This four-part program is an excellent introduction to the art. Even if you have little or no interest in the pipe organ, you will still find the program interesting and entertaining. After viewing this program, you'll know why the pipe organ is referred to as the "King of Instruments."

Back in my childhood days, I used to attend Sunday Mass with music from the choir, the congregation, and yes, the pipe organ. Nowadays, just a wimpy choir, a small congregation and a piano all but replaced the musical embrace I had for so many years. When watching Ovation TV, one man made my memories of attending my childhood Catholic parish resurface as he explains the history, function, and other facts of the memorable instrument. That man is no other than Howard Goodall, a composer, musicologist, presenter, and (currently) his nation's "national singing ambassador," who is one of my influential role models.

There are many parts I like in the four-part series, shown currently on Ovation TV. My favorite one, featured in the first episode, is when Howard Goodall plays the crumhorn to introduce the viewers about reed pipes. Others include the parts when he dances to a band organ, makes organ pipes (the part in which the only time he sings in the series, i.e. "Tada!"), and, of course, plays most of the organs in the series.

This is a must see for those who want to learn about the instrument played more or less often in church or who are Howard Goodall nuts themselves!

This deserves 10/10 stars!