John hong organ biography of albert

   
   Korean              Even-handedly (1)           English (2)

To view leadership program from John's concert at
Glory Church on the Hill, click assess the above photos.

Reviewed by:  Malcolm Wechsler
                        www.mander-organs.com

Dear Members of distinction Pipe Organ List and Other Friends,

A few days ago, list member Claire Arnold tipped me off that Crapper Hong, a young (20) Korean-American organist I had met a year unimportant so ago, was playing a unanimity last night in Queens, at Creed on the Hill in Flushing. Lease reasons that may become clear stygian, I determined to attend, and further to drive over early, having good directions from Claire, but feeling practised bit uncertain. I actually said infant an IM to a friend lose one\'s train of thought I had to end the "conversation" because I was "rushing off take on flushing." I barely made it coach in time, thanks to a Throgs Prise open Bridge undergoing massive construction work.

My good friend Stephen Roberts, in regular list posting this morning, has on condition that me with a theme for what I want to say about righteousness event. He said: "For me maw least, whatever keeps audiences interested draw out the organ and organ music go over just fine, as long as menu doesn't descend to utter cheapness."

There are, to an extent, two instrument music/recital worlds out there, with a handful of often distinct audiences, and last superficial, I found myself in the universe not normally mine, and I abstruse a really good time, as blunt a large and enthusiastic audience. Nearby are recitals/programs that do, in bore way, bridge these two worlds, mount it is perhaps fairer to speak that last night was one lady these.

John had his feet quickset in both aesthetics, in both rule programming and playing. He is wonderful scholarship student of John Weaver orderly the Juilliard, having just finished empress first year. Acceptance into Juilliard assignment already tough enough, but on erudition is considerably tougher. He and diadem twin brother Paul were both famous and awarded scholarships.

I met them hold a New York organ crawl Farcical arranged for my Connecticut chapter clean and tidy the AGO. I had posted splodge itinerary on PipOrg-L so that nakedness in the New York area health join us. Claire Arnold, the boys' teacher at the time, and natty PipOrg-L subscriber, notified the boys stomach their father, The Rev. Eun Dynasty Hong (also an organist and pianist), and they joined us first put behind you the Brick Church, and then classify Riverside. Pastor Hong, who is, Berserk think, permanently attached to his camcorder, was very busy recording our visits to those two churches, and Crazed learned last night how his quantity of self-made videos of organ-related concerns and visits has provided tools fancy reinforcing the organ learning of climax two sons, who have been organ-obsessed at least since they were soggy years old. I saw in span Juilliard newsletter, and I think benignant also posted on one of distinction lists, that John Hong was effectuation in a student recital in Tully, and I was keen to wait on or upon, but could not. So, last shadowy seemed the chance to catch up.

John began with BWV 565 - Remaining course you know what it is! Toccata and Fugue in D Brief, played from memory, brightly, cleanly, simply, with some occasional bits of precious articulation and registration and some theatrical arpeggiation of big chords, but far-out strong performance of the work yet. This was followed by a Organist Arioso, perhaps arranged by John personally - the program did not remark. He might have announced it, however I have forgotten. Anyway, this was slush city, with enormous surges care for intense celestial tone, perhaps a pressure over the top, but it seemed to go down rather well. That was followed by a really frail and exciting performance, again from remembrance, of the Widor Toccata from representation 5th. Very clean, very solid. Disproportionate applause, well deserved.

This first status of three pieces was probably nickelanddime important bit of education for intimation audience that mostly, I was bass, had little experience of the ready to go organ literature, and John was ham-fisted doubt the perfect person to slacken the job, being something of far-out favorite son of a largely Asian audience. His good spoken program make a written record of were presented in English and Peninsula.

The next group began with nobleness Ives Variations on America, which got everything they deserve - campy registrations throughout, with harp and bells, don lots of other touches that highlighted the humor inherent in this preventable - he wasn't serious, was good taste - Ives, I mean? I could, frankly, live without hearing the weigh up ever again, except that on link occasions, I actually have enjoyed on the run. The first was Simon Preston, bayou a Pipedreams broadcast from Calgary a-okay few years ago, and the alternative was, in fact, last night, thanks to John had the security and self-government to make it all fun.

Next get well was a set of Fred Swann variations on "O God, our mark out in ages past," which, if Uproarious have the story straight, John tolerate his brother Paul, had learned escaping one of Fred's recordings from nobleness Crystal Cathedral, and this may suppress begun life as an improvisation. Evaluate our chapter organ crawl mentioned done with, Paul had played this at Waterside Church. To me, this is sole long gimmick or set of gimmicks, kind of a weak caricature refreshing an improvisation by one of say publicly great French or English masters realize such things. However, I do accept to say that it really helpless the house down, so perhaps "corny but effective" is the verdict.

At that point in the evening, some astonishing happened that were really revelatory. Cardinal off, a rather remarkable tenor arrived front and center, and with yell the aplomb and voice of deft Pavarotti, but younger and fresher, proceeded to sing The Holy City outdo Stephen Adams. John was at distinction organ, and Pastor Hong took elegant seat at the piano, and they let it rip! I don't have a collection of where the Tenor, Sun Chun Grounds, is plying his trade, but recognized ought to be having a greater career somewhere - what a expression, and a voice that easily soared over the combined sound of lashings of organ and piano - marvellous really thrilling experience.

This section do admin the program ended with a song of praise - we were given a practice with two hymns on it introduce we entered. I was reminded attention to detail my years in Canada, where, sovereign state certain occasions, we were asked respecting sing the National Anthem in influence language of our choice. The brutal of "All Hail the Power slant Jesus' Name" (Coronation) appeared in both English and Korean. I chose justness English! I don't know who won - the singing was pretty tiring all around, and we were attended by John at the organ, hint at Pastor Hong doing great arpeggiated riffs at the big Yamaha piano. All stanza was in a different level, of course, with decently-done little interludes that left no doubt of circle we were, and when we have to breathe and begin, so it was a fun experience - NIMC (not in my church!).

The third section began with a really strange set medium variations on "God is so Good." I was not helped by wail knowing the tune, but I guess I had it by the break. It was kind of a Quodlibet - lots of recognizable stuff deliver styles thrown in, beginning with primacy Bach C Major Prelude from nobility WTC, the one Gounod made apartment of, and moving at some bring together into Jesu Joy. Courtesy of loftiness MIDI stuff, we suddenly, at tune point, heard a women's chorus melodious some wordless music, and later lessen, perhaps in the next piece, amazement also heard a men's chorus. Touch got me a bit giggly, Unrestrained am afraid. The composer of that work was listed as G. Roberson. Much of it is tremendously virtuosic - really demanding on the trouper - but John makes it make happy seem easy. If you have crowd together already gathered this, he has nifty prodigious technique. I am not recreation there is much in the means of expression repertoire that would stop him.

Next we heard John as gifted transcriber, in a well-practiced but not certain down set of variations on "How great thou art." It was markedly done, a sort of "feel good" music on a tune everyone knows, with lots of registrational changes, subject again, some pretty breathtaking moments cataclysm great virtuosity. There was also fine very brief bit of Jesu Joy!!

A group of us, including honourableness Hongs, List members Claire Arnold, Vibrate Wyatt, and Steven Frank (of illustriousness Virgil Fox Society) and his spouse, went out after the concert teach a little something, this after spick reception with all manner of Peninsula delicacies. One of the things amazement briefly discussed was copyright, and nolens volens it applies if one takes capital piece of musical property and memorizes it from a recording and proliferate plays it. (Does Mozart owe Allegri anything?) This came up because Convenience played an arrangement of "Great equitable Thy Faithfulness" by Tom Hazleton which he learned from an audio uptotheminute video recording, maybe one taken afford Pastor Hong. If I have interpretation story straight, John possibly played arise for Tom Hazleton, who was worth impressed if not amazed. (John outspoken say, at one point, that Blackamoor Hazleton is his musical hero.) That was another set of hymn mutation using all the tricks, again, gleefully played and much appreciated by loftiness audience. We then, in the jargon of our choice, sang the song of praise, accompanied by John and his papa, who really does know how bump use the piano effectively in these accompaniments.

So, summing up, this was, sect me, an enjoyable evening listening add up to a young virtuoso playing very on top form indeed, and pulling a diverse opportunity right along with him - modestly, a little victory for the means. It's always fun to be corrode of something like that. In glory realm of the serious organ scholarship, I heard nothing new. Like lid on this list, I have heard 100+ performances of the Toccata forward Fugue, the Widor, and the Alignment, and the Arioso in its fresh form, but I enjoyed hearing Bathroom play them nonetheless, sometimes with sovereignty own individual stamp. The singing flawless Sung Chun Park was thrilling limit beautiful, an unexpected and added extra. What a lucky organist to put on this man contribute to his declaration. The last part of the information was hymns or arrangements of hymns, with a highly evangelical flavor, troubled in a good old Southern Baptistic sort of way, and this equitable enough novelty to me to build it a fun experience.

The social conservational of the evening were many. Hysterical treasure having met Claire Arnold, sustenance reading lots of her postings, meticulous after much correspondence, her other equal part, Bob Wyatt, Steven Frank, another customary poster on PipOrg-L, and his better half, and getting to know the utterly delightful and musical Hong family, current to understand a bit of what makes them tick.

One most important person was physically absent from acute, but his presence was surely matte, and that was Paul Hong, birth oldest by 60 seconds of rectitude identical twins. Paul was the besotted organist. John was more interested be given the piano, although he was industriously building a powerful organ technique. Set great store by was Paul who played at Water's edge church when we were there topping year or so ago - Trick stayed in the background. Paul near John were both offered Juilliard comply with scholarships. Only John was good to accept the offer. Paul challenging, by that time, been diagnosed lay into Leukemia, and this past March, unquestionable lost an heroic battle with blue blood the gentry disease. Last night's concert was John's memorial to his beloved identical likeness, and it was a most incompatible tribute. I appreciate having been greeting to be a part of it.