How Great our Joy! – Organ music for Christmas
A special album of works for Christmas – many of them arrangements and fantasias on well-loved hymns and carols, and some new dedicated compositions. All the music is by Carson Cooman, composer in residence at the Memorial Church, Harvard University, and America’s most prolific composer of works for organ. This music is just as good to listen to at any time of year and is expertly played by Erik Simmons, a superb organist for whom this is the twelfth album of Cooman’s music on the Divine Art label. We hear the wonderful ‘Sun Organ’ of St. Peter & Paul, Görlitz, recorded through the Hauptwerk system.
Find the other issues in this series and a discount complete set by clicking on the composer name above or in the composer index.
Track Listing
- Carson Cooman (b.1982)
- Fantasia on "Greensleeves" (7:43)
- Fantasy on "Veni Emmanuel" (4:57)
- Little Partita on a Polish Carol (6:06)
- Variations on a Basque Noël (5:02)
- Little Fantasia on "In dulci jubilo" (2:44)
- Carol Paraphrase on a Motive of Wilhelm Weismann (3:02)
- Voluntary on “O du fröhliche” (3:58)
- Meditation on "Es ist ein Ros"
- Rhapsody on a German Carol (6:12)
- O Sleep, Dear Holy Baby (2:47)
- Rondino for St Joseph (2:43)
- All my Heart this Night Rejoices (2:20)
- Triptych on a Sorbian Carol (6:16)
- Three Pastorales on a German Carol - I. Adagio molto (2:22)
- Three Pastorales on a German Carol - II. Allegretto leggiero (1:37)
- Three Pastorales on a German Carol - III. Lento tranquillissimo (3:30)
- Fantasy on "Adeste Fideles" (6:38)
Reviews
“The composer at his most felicitous… fine instrument, and Hartmann is fully the equal of Simmons as a dedicated interpreter of Cooman’s music. You will definitely want to add to your collection; enthusiastically recommended.
” —James A Altena
“Cooman provides a clear statement of the melody early on, followed by piquant, imaginative reworkings that keep the tune recognizable while taking it far afield as well. Erik Simmons is an exemplary performer, and the recorded sound captures the Sonnenorgel very well indeed. This is just the sort of thing that is needed to break the monotony of hearing the same old Christmas tunes trotted out in the same old unimaginative manner. Make this a stocking stuffer for your music-loving friends; cheerily recommended.
” —James A Altena
“The style is modern but accessible, even when crunchy dissonance is involved. The expressive range is wide…music marked by highly imaginative touches.
” —William J Gatens
“A most enjoyable addition to my Cooman collection. [Cooman] may well be the most significant currently active composer for his instrument. Erik Simmons plays as well as ever, with finesse and imaginative registration. Strongly recommended.
” —David deBoor Canfield
“This is not a Christmas album. This is Christmas music played on a church organ, a different thing altogether. It can be played any time, as what’s popular elsewhere is new to English ears.
” —Jeremy Condliffe
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