Have you ever noticed that the Christmas carols you sing from memory don’t always perfectly match the original sheet music? In this post, we’ll explore some of the small but meaningful changes that have crept into our most beloved holiday tunes. Let’s start with “O Come All Ye Faithful.” Many churches and choirs include a… The post Are we singing Christmas carols wrong? appeared first on James Flores ..read more

Every musician knows about Sheet Music Plus. It’s that place you go to for actual printed music (but there’s still downloadable music) second to IMSLP. SMP recently provided me with some data on their top 100k selling items. I spent some time parsing this data and pulled out the top 10 selling items for solo organ. Some of the music and collections were surprising to me! Do you own any of the publications below? I’d be interested to hear what you think. Leave a comment below. At the Console – Edmond Lemaigre A Collection of Transcriptions from The Masters for The Standard and Modern Electri ..read more

I can’t exactly remember when Australians were suddenly forced to adhere to public health orders which included heavy restrictions on social interaction and the forced closure of many businesses (coronavirus). All I know is that it happened pretty fast. In the space of a week, we went from having our freedoms to having only the basic necessities. The general instruction was to “stay home” unless you need to go out for supplies, exercises or caring for someone else. Generally, I prefer to stay at home but when that’s forced upon you, the more I felt the need for greater social interaction. The ..read more

At the beginning of the year, I decided to keep note of all the organ repertoire I played during church services. I did this last year as well, so I thought I’d make this my own “tradition” and reflect on how much music I covered. It’s easy to take each week in isolation and be so critical of yourself after each service. I often have feelings of self-doubt and that I’m not doing enough. This post will serve as a reminder of how much music I’ve played in church services alone (not including recitals!). This should lift my spirits…but not enough to become complacent! As a very rough figure, let ..read more

I’m pleased to announce that I’ve released a CD to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the St. Matthew’s, Albury, Létourneau organ. Own a part of Albury’s history by ordering a CD!   Order CD (free shipping within Australia) – $23.00 Contact me at hello@jamesfloresorganist.com for international orders or any other enquiry. Track list: Remembering the 25th anniversary of the organIn memoriam – Denis Bédard (4:00) Transcriptions of well-known piecesJesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring – Johann Sebastian Bach (3:05) Adagio in G minor – Tomaso Albinoni (4:33) Aria (from Concerto No. 12, H ..read more

As 2018 draws to a close, here is a list of voluntaries that I will have played on the St. Patrick’s organ when I have been scheduled to play at Mass. (This post was inspired by Sarah Bereza – The 25 Best Organ Postludes). Easter Vigil Communion: Meditation sur O Filii et filiae – Denis Bédard Postlude: Toccata from Symphony No. 5 – Charles-Marie Widor 3rd Sunday of Easter (B) Postlude: Tuba Tune – Dulcie Holland 6th Sunday of Easter (B) Postlude: Marche Triomphale: Nun danket alle Gott, Op.65 – Sigfrid Karg-Elert Corpus Christi (B) Postlude: Offertoire sur les grands jeux ..read more

Thirteen in twelve…sounds like an obscure time signature but that’s not what it’s about. It refers to the number of recitals I completed in twelve months (2017). This personal challenge didn’t start as a premeditated one at all, but rather as a natural progression from what happened in the previous year. In 2016, Albury hosted its inaugural Albury Chamber Music Festival – a three-day annual musical oasis of concerts featuring professional recitalists. For many years the Victorian town of Wangaratta (75km south of Albury) is home to the annual Wangaratta Festival of Jazz. A team of local m ..read more

French Repertoire Masterclass – Johann Vexo Back in May, I was blessed and fortunate enough to be able to attend a masterclass by Johann Vexo, organist for the choir organ at Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris and the great organ of the Cathedral of Nancy. This opportunity was made possible by Paul Taylor (Director of Music at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne) and was held at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne. The masterclass’ focus was on French Repertoire and Liturgical Accompaniment. Unfortunately, the works presented at the masterclass were quite substantial and Johann didn’t have time to ..read more

The joy (or headache) of being an organist is being able to adapt to different instruments on short notice. In my younger piano days, I remember the stress of having to play a different piano for an exam, eisteddfod or performance. You had to somehow quickly adapt to the touch, action, tone and geometry of the instrument. When playing a new organ, these things suddenly don’t seem so bad anymore. You see when you get onto a new piano, you’re always guaranteed 88 keys, a sustain/soft pedal and the physical layout is the same. With an organ, you’re faced with a variable number of keys (preferably ..read more

In a bid to learn more organ repertoire in 2017, I have entered myself into a challenge of booking in 12 recitals in 12 months. There could be possibly more than this, but for now this is what I have signed up for. So far I have completed two, the first being in January at St Stephen’s, Macquarie St, Sydney and the latter at St Matthew’s, Albury. Most of these recitals are a 40 minute programme, which takes into account a brief introduction and address to the audience. I have had reservations, doubts and nightmares about the whole challenge, set late last year, because there is an expecta ..read more