For 2024/25, organist Aaron James dedicated himself to a challenge that few have accomplished: performing the whole works for organ by J.S. Bach inside a single season. He set out to try this in a sequence of 16 recitals at Holy Household Church in Toronto’s Parkdale neighbourhood.
A various viewers of as much as 100 and extra have been in attendance for just about the entire free 75-minute recitals. The journey started in September 14, 2024, and can culminate on Could 24, 2025.
We requested James about his Bach journey.
Organist Aaron James
Aaron James earned each a PhD diploma in musicology and a DMA diploma in organ, together with the Performer’s Certificates in organ from the Eastman Faculty of Music. In 2011, he received the Nationwide Organ Taking part in Competitors of the Royal Canadian Faculty of Organists, one in every of many such prizes he’d gather through the years. He’s a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Faculty of Organists, its highest tutorial distinction. In his analysis, he has targeted on Renaissance vocal polyphony, and printed a number of articles in tutorial and different publications.
He performs as a recitalist and collaborative musician, together with appearances on the Toronto Bach Pageant, the Pacific Baroque Pageant, at festivals of the RCCO and the Organ Historic Society, amongst others, together with each conventional and up to date repertoire.
James is the Director of Music on the Toronto Oratory of St Philip Neri, the place he performs
organ at Holy Household Parish and directs three choirs for Plenty and Vespers. He teaches music at St Philip’s Seminary, and is a Sessional Lecturer in organ on the College of Toronto.
Aaron James: The Interview
“It’s an enormous endeavor and it’s been within the works for a very long time,” James says of the Bach Marathon.
As he factors out, it takes time simply to be taught the 263 items that make up Bach’s organ repertoire. “It’s an enormous quantity of music to be taught.”
The initiative was delayed by the pandemic and different points, however he was decided to see it via. “In a broader sense, that is Everest for organists,” he says.
Bach’s organ works require each professional approach and expressive interpretation, and whereas it was a substantial amount of work to be taught, it was an immensely rewarding challenge. After all, with regards to works of the baroque, there’s additionally a certain quantity of uncertainty a couple of handful of the compositions.
“There’s actually a query of what’s Bach and what’s not,” James notes. His reference is the Breitkopf version of the whole organ works. “I’m taking part in the whole lot in it.”
Taking such a complete have a look at Bach’s organ works particularly, it’s clear to him that some stand out, and don’t really feel as very similar to the composer’s personal works. “However, you must decide to it,” he says. Some items don’t look as attention-grabbing on paper as they do as soon as performed. The work of slogging via to be taught all 263 items left him with many insights.
Placing them collectively into coherent recitals was the subsequent job. Some items, as he notes, are lower than a minute lengthy. His recitals are thoughtfully programmed to revolve round a theme, and his notes embrace background on each the music and the composer, alongside together with his time and its realities — just like the bubonic plague.
“You’re making an attempt to determine the way to current these in a means that they’ll be appreciated,” he explains.
He’s gratified by the viewers attendance, and their overwhelmingly optimistic reactions. “This can be a fantastic factor about taking part in a composer who’s near individuals’s hearts,” he says. As he factors out, many music lovers have already got a connection to Bach’s music. “This live performance actually grabs them.”
James factors out the fierce devotion to Bach that he’s seen, stating that he was a Lutheran composer working inside the Catholic church. A number of the viewers members have included Lutheran ministers trying to hear the music. “It’s a residing custom,” he says.
The challenge spans about eight months in whole. “We’re nearly midway via,” he notes.
A number of the recitals are programmed across the liturgical calendar, with others extra conceptual by way of programming.
“We’re coming right into a form of celebratory interval earlier than Lent,” he says. It’s adopted by the extra tragically oriented music for Easter.
He’s acting on the newly restored Kney/Gober organ in Holy Household Church, one which he says has been famous for its suitability for Bach.
“Even on an organ that’s an excellent Bach organ, developing with these different applications is [a challenge],” he says. “You don’t wish to play the form of piece [over and over]. Incorporating a wide range of voicings for the organ is vital, together with each timbre and quantity.
“There does come some extent, whilst an organist, you don’t wish to hear the complete organ suddenly,” he says. “It will get very tiring on the ear.”
- Discover particulars about Dr. James’ Bach recitals, together with the subsequent one on March 1, [HERE].
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Anya Wassenberg is a Toronto Metropolis Editor at Ludwig Van. She is an skilled freelance author, blogger and writing teacher.
