March 2021
The year 2020 was indeed an historic year for many reasons. As the calendar page turns to another year, it has become somewhat easier to see in retrospect that 2020 contained reasons for celebration even amidst a time of pandemic and…
Louis Vierne’s “Carillon de Westminster” from the Troisième Suite, opus 54, of his 24 Pièces de Fantaisie is a favorite of organists and audiences alike. While many play this piece, how many take the time to study the unique harmonies in…
Part 6: Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Church
This article is a continuation of a series in the August 2015, June 2016, July 2017, February 2018, and June 2018 issues of The Diapason. The information was delivered as a lecture for the…
Pipes, wind, and wood
During the 1960s and 1970s, a number of organ building firms were founded, dedicated to building mechanical-action pipe organs according to ancient principles. This proliferation has been generally called the “Tracker…
Nunc Dimittis
Murray Albert Burfeind, 89, died December 16 in Red Wing, Minnesota. Born May 8, 1931, in Belvidere Township, rural Lake City, Minnesota, he grew up on the family farm. As a young boy he learned to play piano. By age 12 he…
A short detour
As we approached the end of 2020 while looking forward to 2021, I noted an upcoming event that I had known about for years but had forgotten about recently, the ninetieth birthday of Alfred Brendel. I have been a fan of his…
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