We’ve had our recent revolutionary performers on the piano, the violin, the banjo and other instruments, but the only one even close on the pipe organ was probably Virgil Fox. Welcome to Cameron Carpenter, whose heroes are Liberace, Nureyev and David Bowie – not E. Power Biggs. The young man – who dresses like a rock star or dancer – has been quoted saying “If I had to play the organ like they teach you to play it…in the conservatory and the church, I’d go mad. I’d take up the electric guitar. Or law.”
Carpenter’s amazing arrangements and performances cannot be contained even on a Telarc-quality hi-res surround audio disc – you must view the organist in action. And that is what has been provided on the second disc – a three selection DVD (the three works performed are indicated above with asterisks). So I suggest starting with the DVD. The title of the entire album comes from Chopin’s “Revolutionary” Etude, which always impresses audiences with its very difficult left hand work. Well, Carpenter has moved those virtuoso passages from the left hand to his feet, and you have to see the video to appreciate what a feat his feet are accomplishing! Carpenter clearly demonstrates that organ playing requires the whole body – not just the arms. The last of the three videos is another of his virtuoso arrangements for the organ. Horowitz always brought the house down with his own transcription of a theme from Carmen – which sounded like he had a great deal more than just two hands. With the added abilities of two hands and two feet, the piece now has more firepower than ever before.
Only four works actually composed for the organ are included on the program. Carpenter’s arrangements permeate most of the program. For example, Duke Ellington’s lovely Solitude is paired in a medley with Bach’s Sheep May Safely Graze. The two completely original compositions by Carpenter are world premiere recordings, and his closing Homage to Klaus Kinski leaves me, well, speechless. (Kinski was the crazed German actor featured in many of Werner Herzog’s greatest films.)
Another revolutionary aspect of this recording is the pipe organ used. Actually it’s not a pipe organ at all, but an all-digital Marshall & Ogletree Virtual Pipe Organ which is installed at Trinity Church on Wall Street in New York City – replacing the original pipe organ which was destroyed in 9/11. It also employs a pair of special Rotary Woofers designed by Bruce Thigpen of Eminent Technology. The multichannel SACD clearly demonstrates the great importance of surround sound in the reproduction of organ music – I couldn’t imagine enjoying listening to the two-channel SACD layer on even the most expensive hi-end player. Cameron Carpenter says he “wants to get in there and put on a show, because that’s what the organ is…” And via these two discs, he does!
– John Sunier
