THE AMERICAN ORGANIST
October 1994
Women Composers For Organ. Music Spanning Five Centuries.
Barbara Harbach, organ.
Gasparo GSCD-294 (available from Gasparo, P. O. Box 600, Jeffrey, NH 03452-0600). In the total playing time of 72 minutes, one hears 15 compositions by Mary Jeanne van Appledorn, Violet Archer, Gracia Baptista, Amy Beach, Roberta Bitgood, Edith Borroff, Jeanne Demessieux, Barbara Harbach, Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel, Marga Richter, Clara Schumann, Miss Steemson, Elizabeth Stirling, Gwyneth Walker, and Greta von Zieritz. Notes by Barbara Harbach and Jonathan Yordy are informative and helpful. Publishers are given. The music was recorded at Holy Trinity Parish of Decatur, Ga., which has a 1971 II/33 Schantz organ. This record is a big success for three reasons: the music is excellent, the recorded sound is splendid, and Barbara Harbach is an exciting performer. The only piece here that we have played is Mrs. H. H. A. Beach's Fair Hills of Eire, O, and the only composers we have met are Roberta Bitgood and Edith Borroff. We welcome this revelatory release, produced and engineered by Roy Christensen.
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