Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart dubbed the organ the “King of Instruments,” but even Mozart knew that the King of the Organ was none other than Johann Sebastian Bach. In Bach’s day, the organ was a piece of engineering expertise that required thousands of moving parts to send air through a series of pipes, each with its own distinct timbre.
UC Santa Barbara is a far cry from Europe, where the organ tradition thrived, but it is home to a Bach-era Flentrop organ. Though it has sat in shutters for almost a decade, the college is re-introducing the instrument to local music lovers with a special concert. “Bach to Flentrop” will feature music by former UCSB organist Dr. James Welch.
“Flentrop is a company from Holland, and people like this kind of organ because it is more like an organ you would see in an European church,” Welch said. “So, it can play Baroque music very easily.”
Welch served as a music lecturer at UCSB from 1977 to 1993, he was also the university organist, spending a good amount of time with the organ.
“These are relatively rare,” he said, “although around the country there are hundreds of tracker organs, but this is an expensive, intricate thing to make.”
The Flentrop works exactly like an organ of Bach’s era with one exception—the bellows are manned by a machine rather than a person, who in Bach’s day would be an unlucky pupil. Other than that, the Flentrop walks and talks like an instrument of a bygone era.
“It is different to play,” Welch said. “The touch is different because when you push down the key you feel more resistance because you are actually making mechanical things happen.”
Though Welch spent several years with UCSB’s Flentrop, he will be arriving a day early to practice on the organ and re-familiarize himself to the feel of the unique instrument. He will be performing works by Bach, of course, but by some contemporaries as well.
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“I’m doing a piece by Emma Lou Diemer, who actually wrote the piece for the Flentrop organ when it was first made,” Welch said. “I am also doing a piece by Jeremy Haladyna because he is at the university right now and is composing for the organ, and the rest are California organists.
“I thought it would be a great contrast,” he added, “Bach all the way to California organists.”
The show is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the organ’s presence on campus, but it is also dedicated to Karl Geiringer, a former UCSB lecturer and musicologist from Vienna and fled when the Nazis invaded. While at UCSB, Geiringer penned the book Bach: The Culmination of an Era, a fabulous biography and musical overview of the great organ virtuoso. Geiringer died in 1989 while Welch was still at the college.
“I used his book,” Welch said, “and many people use his book in teaching Bach.”
To end the show with some fun, Welch will be performing a work by Bach set to a swinging Jazz rhythm.
“Bach can withstand just about anything,” he said. “It’s a testament to the fundamental quality of the music.”
Bring on the fusion
¡Viva el Arte de Santa Barbara! presents La Santa Cecilia performing free family concerts including Jan. 10 at 7 p.m. at Isla Vista School, 6875 El Colegio Road, Goleta; Jan. 11 at 7:30 p.m. at the Guadalupe City Hall Auditorium, 918 Obispo St., Guadalupe; and Jan. 12 at 7 p.m. at the Marjorie Luke Theatre, Santa Barbara Junior High School, 721 E. Cota St., Santa Barbara. More info: 893-5037, 343-2939, or 884-4087, Ext. 7.
They live again
The Chumash Casino Resort presents The Fab Four performing a Beatles tribute live on Jan. 16 at 8 p.m. at the Chumash Casino Resort, 2400 E. Highway 246, Santa Ynez. Cost is $25. More info: 1-800-CHUMASH or chumashcasino.com.
Right off the runway
The Radisson Hotel presents live music every Friday and Saturday night, including Juan Marquez performing Jan. 10 and 11 from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Radisson Hotel, 3455 Skyway Drive, Santa Maria. More info: 928-8000.
Live from the vine
The D’Vine Wine Bar and Bistro features Greg Schroeder live on Jan. 4 and Jerry Stickell on Jan. 8 with both shows starting at 7:30 p.m. Karaoke nights are Thursdays from 7 to 9 p.m. at the D’Vine Wine Bar and Bistro, 107 W. Ocean Ave., Lompoc. More info: 430-8356 or find them on Facebook.
Get creative
Creative Juices Lounge presents Cheyenne McDonald live on Jan. 10. Shows happen from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Creative Juices Lounge, 874 Guadalupe St., Guadalupe. More info: 219-0518 or creativejuiceslounge.com.
Open to everyone
Lucia’s Wine Co. offers an open mic night featuring wine, poetry, and live music on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. at the tasting room, 126 E. Clark Ave., Orcutt. More info: 332-3080.
Get your country fix
The Maverick Saloon offers live entertainment, including a country dance party with Carmen and the Renegade Vigilantes on Jan. 10 at 8:45 p.m., followed by “Late Night with guest DJs” at 11:30 p.m. “Concert on the Deck” featuring Carmen and the gang is Jan. 11 at 3 p.m. Carmen and CRV performs on Jan. 11 at 8:45 p.m., followed by “Late Night with guest DJs” at 11:30 p.m. James Otto performs in concert with opener Jeff Ross on Jan. 16 at 8 p.m. at the saloon, 3687 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez. More info: 686-4785 or mavericksyv@aol.com.
Contact Arts Editor Joe Payne at jpayne@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Jan 9-16, 2014.