Music for organ depicting the agony of death and the joy of the resurrection. The listener will hear excerpts from the "Dies irae" and "Te Deum" chants, along with original themes. A somber dirge-like beginning leads to an ecstatic dance with shifting meters and sections infused with jazz harmonies. The score is available at www.baroquenotesmusic.com

Diptyque (organ) By George Baker

A joyful organ processional, written for the late Sir Stephen Cleobury at King's College, Cambridge, England. The composer plays the piece in concert at The Riverside Church, New York City, April 29, 2022, at the AGO Gala celebrating Karen McFarlane.

Procession Royale

This piece, commissioned by the 2022 AGO National Convention in Seattle, uses plainchant from the Requiem to honor Jean Langlais, teacher and friend of composer George Baker. Its subtitle is "Threnody for the Heartbeat of Humanity," remembering the great suffering and death caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Le Tombeau de Jean Langlais

Stephen Tharp plays George Baker's Variations on 'Rouen' at the historic organ of St-Sulpice Church in Paris, France

Rouen St-Sulpice

Ben Kerswell, DMA student at Rice University, gives the world premiere of George Baker's "A Texas Pastorale" in a DMA recital, October 18, 2022. The piece is a nod to the 19th century improvised pastorales of such virtuosi as Lefébure-Wély, who was famous for giving fantastic and very vivid demonstrations of new organs of Aristide Cavaillé-Coll. This piece is part of Baker's new Organ Improvisation Workbook, available at baroquenotesmusic.com

Texas Pastorale

Tuba Tune Royale was commissioned by Frederick Swann to honor his colleague, John Wright, upon his retirement as Director of Music at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, Palm Desert, California. Sadly, our beloved Fred Swann passed away from cancer exactly one week before the piece’s premiere at St. Margaret’s on November 20, 2022. Fortunately, composer George Baker recorded the work for Fred, who said he “loved the piece!” Stylistically, it has a distinctively early 20th century British feel. It is written in Eb Major (as is Bach’s great Prelude and Fugue, BWV 552) and contains two complementary themes: the main tuba theme, and a more lyrical second theme. The piece is appropriate for any festive occasion. The score is available at www.baroquenotesmusic.com.

TubaTune Royale

Here is a recording of my 2004 Ricercare on 'Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland. The score is available at baroquenotesmusic.com. Enjoy and Happy Advent!

Ricercare On 'Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland'

Stephen Tharp performs George Baker's Diptyque on the magnificent Fisk opus 100 at the Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas, Texas. Following the piece is a dialogue between Tharp and Baker discussing the new work and the process of music creation.

Tharp plays Baker at Meyerson

Vincent Dubois plays George Baker's Prelude on the Sanctus from Mass VIII on the new Casavant organ at St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church in Flower Mound, Texas. The music is a multi-sectional Gregorian paraphrase reflecting the text in its various dynamics, textures, and tempos.

Baker Prelude on the Sanctus from Mass VIII

The "Chant d'Espoir" (Song of Hope) was composed for the October 1, 2023 concert at SMU, honoring the Fisk Opus 101 organ and former professor Dr. Robert T. Anderson. The notes RTA (D, F, A) are harmonized several times, forming musical pillars between phrases of the tune Hanson Place ("At the River"). This peaceful meditation ends with a statement of the chant Ubi Caritas and cadences in D Major.

Chant d'Espoir_1

Bach's "Jig" Fugue BWV 577 from 1976, when I was but a lad of 25. Its subject was the inspiration for my Toccata-Gigue on the Sussex Carol. The late Sir Stephen Cleobury liked the piece and recommended to his organ scholar, who was kind enough to use it as the second closing voluntary in the 2009 Lessons and Carols at King's College Chapel in Cambridge.

JSB 577 (Fugue in G Major "à la Gigue" for organ

Something different today? My son Evan recorded an improvisation on his Low F Pygmy hardpan, which can be used to relax and calm the soul. 

Evan Baker Handpan

This is a modern chorale prelude on "If thou but suffer God to guide thee." The organist is the composer, George Baker

Chorale Prelude on "If thou but suffer God to guide thee"

Chorale Prelude on If Thou But Suffer God To Guide Thee

This recording from King's College Chapel in Cambridge England features organist Stephen Cleobury. George Baker's new organ work Procession Royale is dedicated to Mr. Cleobury, whose superb 2017 recording, The King of Instruments--A Voice Reborn, is available from Amazon and iTunes, as well as www.kingscollegerecordings.com

George Baker: Procession Royale for organ

Stephen Tharp plays George Baker's Variations on 'Rouen' at St-Sulpice in Paris. The piece is dedicated to Tharp, who plays it here with elegance, virtuosity and deep understanding.

Rouen St - Sulpice

Ken Cowan performs George Baker's L'Envoi at Rice University, Houston, Texas

G Baker - -L'Envoi

Stephen Tharp plays George Baker's Danse Diabolique live in concert at Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago

George Baker--Danse Diabolique

Stephen Tharp plays George Baker's newest organ work on the great organ at St-Sulpice Church, Paris, France

Prière Grégorienne - -G Baker

This organ work was written in 2019 to honor Dr. Fred Swann, who will turn 90 in 2021. Its primary theme is SWANN, or CGAFF when turned into musical notes. It is in three sections, preparation for the birth, Mary's struggles and pain of her travail, and the Holy Family resting afterwards, with joyous angels and brilliant stars blazing forth in the heavens. It was commissioned by Wayne and Joseph Burcham-Gulotta.

SWANN Berceuse GBaker.WAV

This is a meditative setting by George Baker on the old American folk tune 'The Lone Wild Bird'. It was commissioned by and composed for Doug Cleveland in 2015 for the inaugural concerts of the new Fisk organ at Plymouth Congregational church in Seattle. The canons on the 4' Flute represent Jesus with his disciples closely following behind, as best they could.

LoneWildBirdEdit1.WAV

This piece was written for Stephen Tharp as a concert étude. It is extremely difficult technically. There are several themes, including the blues scale, jazz harmonies, the Dies Irae plainchant, and the old American hymn tune 'Foundation.' They are combined into a fast jig-like danse. This recording is live from Tharp's concert at Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago, on November 18, 2016.

dermadog

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