Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Pipe Organ Removal -- The Hardest Thing about Taking Out a Pipe Organ


Check out my most current blog post on the removal of a wonderful old pipe organ from an old church building.  In the coming weeks I'll be blogging both the removal process and the history of this church as the organ goes into a period of hibernation until it's next home can be found.

Excerpt:

The Hardest Thing about Taking Out a Pipe Organ

by Brian Ebie

I’m not sure what has been the hardest thing about taking out this pipe organ.
 
A beautiful instrument going silent?

The closing of an historic church?

Experiencing vicariously the loss the congregation must feel?

Figuring out where to store countless pipe organ pieces and parts?

In the early hours of each morning as I’ve worked in the church, walking from balcony to organ chamber and out the door to my truck, my mind replays many happy times as organist at the church as well as the  great memories of installing the pipe organ.  Twenty four years ago I enlarged the existing pipe organ, barely beefy enough to accompany the hymns, to become a great instrument in worship and recital. 

You can read the full post here on my website, http://brianebiepipeorganservice.com

http://brianebiepipeorganservice.com/blog/2016/8/1/the-hardest-thing-about-taking-out-a-pipe-organ


Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Pipe Organ Removal--When churches no longer need the King of Instruments



Check out my most current blog post on the removal of a wonderful old pipe organ from an old church building.  In the coming weeks I'll be blogging both the removal process and the history of this church as the organ goes into a period of hibernation until it's next home can be found.

Excerpt:

The Last Songs of an Old Friend -- Pipe Organ Removal

By Brian Ebie

It's all too often the way of things these days.  Congregations age, worship styles change, members move away and churches find themselves struggling to adapt, retain membership, and attract new members.  Such is the case at a local church I service, a congregation who has served their community for nearly 190 years.  I was once part of their membership and served as music director and organist, and I have serviced their pipe organ for the past 26 years.  

Read the full post here on my website, http://brianebiepipeorganservice.com

http://brianebiepipeorganservice.com/blog/2016/7/19/the-last-songs-of-an-old-friend-pipe-organ-being-removed

Friday, February 19, 2016

Bach Fantasia In C Major BWV 570 -- Brian Ebie Organist

Organist Brian Ebie plays Johann Sebastian Bach's Fantasia in C Major BWV 570 on the 1974 Rudolf JANKE tracker pipe organ at the United Methodist Church of Berea, Ohio. Recorded Ash Wednesday 2016.

The Fantasia in C is an early organ work of JS Bach.  It is composed as a standalone piece, not coupled with a fugue or any other movements which is somewhat unusual for Bach, who wrote many preludes and fugues, toccatas and fugues, and fantasias and fugues.  That being said, in his earlier years he did compose individual organ works not tied to a larger structure, such as the Fugue in G Minor ("Little Fugue") BWV 578.  The Fantasia in C Major (as well as the aforementioned "little" fugue) was written around 1706-07 while Bach was serving as organist in the town of Arnstadt, or during a brief stay in the city Muhlhausen.

I hope you enjoy my impromptu performance on the Janke pipe organ, recorded during the Ash Wednesday services.  Thank you for watching!