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Organ concert
It is our pleasure to welcome Douglas Bruce as our guest, here at Christuskirche, on March 4, 2009, 7PM.
DOUGLAS BRUCE was born in Perth, Scotland, and educated at Fettes College, Edinburgh (where the former British Prime Minster, Tony Blair, was also a pupil). In 1965 he moved to London, becoming assistant organist at St. Columba's Church of Scotland, Pont Street. While pursuing a career in accountancy he took up organ studies with Noel Rawsthorne at Liverpool Cathedral, and obtained the ARCO, ARCM (magna cum laude) and LRAM diplomas in organ performance.
In 1974 he became Deputy Chief Accountant at the Bank for International Settlements, Basel, and has lived subsequently in Switzerland. He has continued his organ studies under Felix Pachlatko (Basel Cathedral), and in 2006 participated in master classes under Kevin Bowyer, Ludger Lohmann and Dame Gillian Weir.
Following early retirement in 2001 from the world of banking, Douglas has devoted his time fully to organ-playing, becoming a much-travelled recitalist. In this capacity he has visited 20 states of the USA, playing to wide (sometimes wild!) acclaim in the cathedrals of Atlanta, Chicago, Indianapolis, Los Angeles (twice), Memphis, Orlando, Pittsburgh, San Francisco (twice) and Washington National Cathedral, as well as in major churches in many parts of the country, including St. Thomas', New York and Trinity Church, Reno (several times). His travels in Canada and Europe have taken him to cathedrals in Berne (broadcast recital), Bordeaux, Bourges, Chester, Dunblane, Edinburgh (both cathedrals), Freiberg (Saxony), Geneva, Gothenburg, Hannover, Kalmar (Sweden) Karlsruhe, Prague, Stockholm, Toronto, Truro and Ulm. In addition he has played at the universities of Harvard and Edinburgh (three times) and at the Kelvingrove Museum, Glasgow. In August 2008 he played a recital at Liverpool Cathedral, on the UK's largest organ.
Douglas is currently principal organist at the church of St Franz Xaver in Münchenstein (near Basel). In 2007 he was diagnosed in the left hand with focal dystonia, an incurable form of cramp that has afflicted many musicians (including the composer Robert Schumann, and the US pianist Leon Fleisher). Fortunately, as a result of therapy that has brought about an almost complete restitution of the left hand faculty, he has been able to continue to play recitals and enrich the musical experience of listeners in several countries.
Christuskirche's 1997 Reuter Opus 2188 organ has already many devoted friends in the Los Angeles music world. The AGO has held its annual concert here many times, as well as Felix Hell, Clive Driskill-Smith, Christoph Bull, Christopher King and many more.
Tickets are $12.00 ($10.00 seniors & students) for more details please contact our church office @ 818/500-0786 or our website www.christuskirche.us . A small reception is scheduled after the concert (included in ticket).
Links to printable Flyers and posters
Program
Henry Smart (1810-1879) March in G major
Joao de Sousa Carvalho (1745-1798) Allegro in D major
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) Aria from Orchestral Suite no. 3 in D, BWV 1068 ("Air on the G string"), Arranged for organ by Douglas Bruce
Johann Sebastian Bach (attributed) Toccata and Fugue in d minor, BWV565
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) Three pieces for Clay's musical clock :
i) A Voluntary on a flight of angels
ii) Menuet
iii) Gigue
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809-1847) Sonata No. 4 in B flat, Op. 65, No.4
i) Allegro con brio
ii) Andante religisoso
iii) Allegretto
iv) Allegro maestoso
Dudley Buck (1839-1909) Variations on a Scotch Air, Op. 51 (1871 - ), dedicated to Mr. A.P. Gibson, Norwalk CT
Josef Haydn (1732-1809) Four pieces for mechanical clock
i) Menuett
ii) Allegretto
iii) Menuett
iv) Allegro
Hans Uwe Hielscher (*1945) Variations on "Immortal, Invisible"
i) Introduction – Maestoso
ii) Hymn
iii) Variation 1 – Andantino
iv) Variation 2 – Allegro
v) Variation 3 – Allegro vivace
vi) Variation 4 – Allegro
vii) Variation 5 – Andante
viii) Variation 6 . Vivace
ix) Variation 7 – Adagio
x) Variation 8 - Allegretto
xi) Variation 9 – Largo
xii) Variation 10 – Allegro maestoso
Noel Rawsthorne (*1929) Aria
Vincenzo Petrali (1832-1889) Allegro Brillante (from " Versetti per il Gloria")