Absolutely, the most beautiful organ song ever. Bravo on your outstanding organ presentation. The song is straight from heaven. Glorious, simply Devine.
This man has not only the talent, but the heart for this piece. He makes it sing and sail like no other player I've heard. Just beautiful 🏆🎹👏 Would be wonderful to hear in person.
I listen to this piece often. I lost my best friend last week from cancer. He showed me how to love the organ. I will miss him after 50 year friendship. I hope that someone will play this at my passing someday, as I listen I see him going on to another life with joy and hope.
This young guy is absolutely talented. I'd be willing to bet that he was born playing keyboard!...wonder what he's thinking while playing this....probably day dreaming in between measures and key changes!....He's got this down so pat that he doesn't even need the sheet music, except to keep track of where he is! What a blessing he is to be so talented and sharing that with us!...wow...wow...WOW!
+Crytears sunny Does anyone notice the several seconds time delay? A near impossible feat to do...this guy was born with a huge blessing, talent! BTW....4 people give a negative TD?...whats wrong with them? Perhaps mad at the world, off their meds! LoL...sad they must get ugly!
I love all kinds of music, I can't play an instrument or sing except maybe when I'm alone lol. My first musical memory was hearing our church organist/ choir master play this piece at the end of mass, and being moved to tears by its beauty, and sitting there until he played the very last note long after almost everyone else was gone. I love this
This Tocatta is the recessional piece by Widor and played at the close of each Easter Sunday's service at the National Cathedral. It is a masterpiece of music and hearing it at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC is quite a moving experience.
I did not expect such an outstanding experience. This amazing sound was so over the top. No hesitations or gulps. This was played with authority and grace. I have listened to this composition a million times. Sometimes it is quite good. Sometimes it is amazing , but, too fast. This is not a horse race or a contest. It can be a show off piece, which I understand. I learned it when I was sixteen. That does mean that I played it very well. I was a kid taking organ lessons. However, I learned to play it. At that time that was all it was. After all these years I have discovered that different organists have different styles. Some of them, though different are very interesting. Some people have not harnessed the concept of different ideas of style. For those people it will always a drink after the recital. Too many things , in life can be that. The last one I heard from the national cathedral was one of the best I have heard. One of the best not the only one but in a very small group. Sermon over. Why doesn't Bruce shut up? I am long winded at times but that is how I feel. Organists are a special. Group of people. No matter what your interest or ability, welcome. Keep going listen and think. You are all special no matter your ability or training. You express something that many could care less and they don't have to God bless you all and keep doing your thing. You will never regret it in any part of your lifes journey. Shut up Bruce. God bless you all. Bruce me
Beautiful tempo and his registrations are about perfect for the National Cathedral. And you can NEVER make a mistake playing an Aeolian-Skinner. Virtuoso performance in my opinion. Thank you Mr. Kennerley.
This has to be one of, if not, THE best performances of this piece I've heard in a long time ! It's nice to stumble across new talent, and this man is full of it !!!
Bravo James. Such perfection. I am thrilled to have you as our Municipal Organist here in Maine's Merrill Auditorium. I am looking forward to Bach's Birthday Bash!
listening to this amazing work.......my Father was an brilliant organist and died on the 6th April, this has to be played at his celebration - dedicated 50 years if his life to Cherry Burton St Michaels and all Angels and this piece meant so much to him
You have a BIG fan here James ... I studied pipe organ (the now fully restored Skinner, built in 1928, at First Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, North Carolina) from the age of 12 through 17 ... you have the touch of an angel!! Cheers, Gary
YES! Excellent pacing, clear articulation (thanks to the organ and its environment), great playing, top quality sound and video, and nice images of the building. Most enjoyable.
A beautiful organ in a magnificant building. My favorite Cathedral in all of the world. The organ and building are elegant and majestic throughout. Artistic perfection.
Amazing piece and to take a look at someone playing such a complicated instrument, you have to know what your feet are doing without being able to look incredible love this.
As an organist, I had to play this piece for my juries in college. It was not easy. It took me about two years to learn this. I can play Bach, Buxteheude and some simple church music... when it came to Widor's 5th Symphony, I about had a nervous breakdown! LOL!! BUT I practiced every day, and when jury day came, I played it, and got great remarks! In fact, I got an A!!!!! :) Very well Done James. Played at the right speed, no need to rush. Now I'm working on Bach's Passaglia!!! OY!!!!
i would hardly class this as one of the hardest in the repertoire - the key is relatively easy, pedal section easy- repeated sections which are not hard at all - the only thing that makes it appear hard is the tempo people tend to play it at and the difficulty of this piece is reflected in the exam selection it is used for - around grade 8 - hard repertoire would be bach, widor 6th symphony, vierne finale from the 1st symphony, guilmant organ sonata in d minor finale- the list goes on- but this i definitely would not consider anywhere near those pieces in difficulty
This is a magnificent performance! I love the way you play this piece, and I can't imagine anyone playing it better. It's wonderful to hear this particular instrument, too. My father gave an organ recital at the National Cathedral when I was too young to appreciate it. I am grateful for the chance to hear this now. Thank you for that!
Salmagundiii My father was Robert Knox Chapman. He was the organ architect who designed the Austin organ at Packer Memorial Church on the campus of my alma mater, Lehigh University, in Bethlehem, PA. Here are the specs: www.lvago.org/SPECS/packerch.html
Thanks for the update. There can only be so many Chapmans in the small world of organists who were good enough to concertize at the Cathedral, so you can see how I might have inferred you were related to the one who tragically died in the 80s.
My "FAVORITE PIECE" of music of all time . I would like to thank James Kinnerley for playing this so beautifully , I'm absolutely BLOWN AWAY. Thankyou so very much . And yes I have subscribed 👍👍
Mary Poppins was heard to say, "Spit spot. Nearly perfect in every way." Thank you James for both your imaginations and integrity. Blessings all over your world. Moi
The best performance of this I've heard. Not mechanical at all, as though hanging on for dear life 'til the end, no (which would be understandable with this piece). No. Instead, masterful articulatuon and nuance, always singing the melody, natural, artful dynamics, making beautiful sense of the whole thing. Beautiful 🏆🎹👏
Yes, the organist programs "presets" which will "pull out" (activate) stops that the organist wants to use and cancel the rest. You set that up ahead of time. The presets are used by the buttons below the keys on the keyboard but just in case your hands are occupied there are presets above the pedals as well.
Don't you ever miss a note? If you do the Widor at St. John the Divine, you might want to slow it down just a tad because of the nine-second reverb. It's amazing how well French music comes across on a great American classic organ. I'm in awe.
wow. Best interpretation and performance... VERY nice!!! what a musician, and what a wonderful, inspiring piece.... I could listen to it for hours - actually, I just have.
Played wonderfully... I wish the mic had gotten a bit more of the Treble about half way through... just lovely though.. My father was Charles McManis, organist and pipe organ builder of some note. I was able to play the organ there at age 12. Up to then I had been a pianist.. Playing a 2 part Bach invention I got slower and slower waiting for the auditory affirmation of each key being pressed.. after only a few bars I had ground to a halt... ha... All the best Philip (McManis)
I like this guy's tempo here. If played too fast it loses it's gravitas. (If I remember right Widor plays it faster on his recording) Washington National Cathedral is a magnificent building without question I'd love to hear this played live in those surroundings!
Yes, and yes. The things that move are called stops and control the sounds. The buttons under the keys and above the pedals are called pistons and store memory settings of combinations of stops.
Have you ever heard of organist Robert Burns King? He often played this piece for memory as the resessional for our church service during the 45 years he was at the church.
You will be happy to learn that the Crown Prince of Denmark and his fiance chose this for the recessional at their marriage at Copenhagen Cathedral in 2004. Plenty of videos on YT for the curious. BTW: the music making at that wedding was exceptional. When I first watched the video of the prince and his brother/best man processing from the door to the altar area, a rather complex fanfare-ish piece for brass was played, instantly recognizable as the work of the Danish composer Nielsen. And when the bride and her father came down the aisle, the famous anthem "Zadok the Priest" was sung perfectly by the choral forces present. You may wonder at playing a coronation anrthem at a wedding: simple explanation: Mary Elizabeth Donaldson, the bride, instantly became the Crown Princess of Denmark when she and Prince Frederik were declared married. She is now Queen Consort of Denmark.
James Kennerley nous donne une magnifique interprétation de cette oeuvre de virtuosité archi-connue de Widor (qui, pendant des années fut la sortie jouée à la fin des messes de mariage). Je voudrais en profiter (comme Belge) pour rappeler que Widor fit ses études au Conservatoire de Bruxelles, disposa d'un instrument toujours merveilleux à nos jours (à Paris, Saint Sulpice) dont il fut le titulaire pendant plus de 60 ans !
How did you get to be the way you are organist wise today? Im a young and inspired organist as well. Ive seen and read some articles about you in the TAO. Keep up your good work! Thank you for playing! Alex
My sister played this at her senior college recital, and she was 5' 2". HOW she could use both arms and both feet always amazed me. May she rest in peace!
Absolutely, the most beautiful organ song ever. Bravo on your outstanding organ presentation. The song is straight from heaven. Glorious, simply Devine.
This man has not only the talent, but the heart for this piece. He makes it sing and sail like no other player I've heard. Just beautiful 🏆🎹👏 Would be wonderful to hear in person.
I listen to this piece often. I lost my best friend last week from cancer. He showed me how to love the organ. I will miss him after 50 year friendship. I hope that someone will play this at my passing someday, as I listen I see him going on to another life with joy and hope.
This young guy is absolutely talented. I'd be willing to bet that he was born playing keyboard!...wonder what he's thinking while playing this....probably day dreaming in between measures and key changes!....He's got this down so pat that he doesn't even need the sheet music, except to keep track of where he is!
What a blessing he is to be so talented and sharing that with us!...wow...wow...WOW!
+Crytears sunny Does anyone notice the several seconds time delay?
A near impossible feat to do...this guy was born with a huge blessing, talent!
BTW....4 people give a negative TD?...whats wrong with them?
Perhaps mad at the world, off their meds! LoL...sad they must get ugly!
I love all kinds of music, I can't play an instrument or sing except maybe when I'm alone lol. My first musical memory was hearing our church organist/ choir master play this piece at the end of mass, and being moved to tears by its beauty, and sitting there until he played the very last note long after almost everyone else was gone. I love this
This is perfection. The tempo is exceptional.
This Tocatta is the recessional piece by Widor and played at the close of each Easter Sunday's service at the National Cathedral. It is a masterpiece of music and hearing it at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC is quite a moving experience.
I did not expect such an outstanding experience. This amazing sound was so over the top. No hesitations or gulps. This was played with authority and grace. I have listened to this composition a million times. Sometimes it is quite good. Sometimes it is amazing , but, too fast. This is not a horse race or a contest. It can be a show off piece, which I understand. I learned it when I was sixteen. That does mean that I played it very well. I was a kid taking organ lessons. However, I learned to play it. At that time that was all it was. After all these years I have discovered that different organists have different styles. Some of them, though different are very interesting. Some people have not harnessed the concept of different ideas of style. For those people it will always a drink after the recital. Too many things , in life can be that. The last one I heard from the national cathedral was one of the best I have heard. One of the best not the only one but in a very small group. Sermon over. Why doesn't Bruce shut up? I am long winded at times but that is how I feel. Organists are a special. Group of people. No matter what your interest or ability, welcome. Keep going listen and think. You are all special no matter your ability or training. You express something that many could care less and they don't have to God bless you all and keep doing your thing. You will never regret it in any part of your lifes journey. Shut up Bruce. God bless you all. Bruce me
Lol
Excellent playing with a superb tempo! Not played at breakneck speed as many concert organists play it.
just a tiny bit slower but indeed almost there
Beautiful tempo and his registrations are about perfect for the National Cathedral. And you can NEVER make a mistake playing an Aeolian-Skinner. Virtuoso performance in my opinion. Thank you Mr. Kennerley.
Hi Bill; I have to agree with you. And I too love an Aeolian-Skinner.
This has to be one of, if not, THE best performances of this piece I've heard in a long time ! It's nice to stumble across new talent, and this man is full of it !!!
I have heard this on another A.S. keyboard and this would literally bring me back to life if played while my heart was stopped. Play on Brother!
Damn. That was pretty well perfectly played. Well done!!!
That was a lightning speed page turn! 3:04. Great job on great organ.
Bravo James. Such perfection. I am thrilled to have you as our Municipal Organist here in Maine's Merrill Auditorium. I am looking forward to Bach's Birthday Bash!
Beautifully played with the right tempo - feet and hands coordinated! Bravo!
A favorite of mine, masterfully played! 🙏✝️♍️🎄😀
Thank you for the wonderful performance and recording. I'm going to play this on my home theater system with another organ aficionado.
wish I could have been there to listen. wow!
Thank you James for such a wonderful presentation. My 2014 Christmas is now complete!
Incredible!! Wonderful and so inspiring!! My favorite organ work of all time!
listening to this amazing work.......my Father was an brilliant organist and died on the 6th April, this has to be played at his celebration - dedicated 50 years if his life to Cherry Burton St Michaels and all Angels and this piece meant so much to him
You have a BIG fan here James ... I studied pipe organ (the now fully restored Skinner, built in 1928, at First Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, North Carolina) from the age of 12 through 17 ... you have the touch of an angel!! Cheers, Gary
YES!
Excellent pacing, clear articulation (thanks to the organ and its environment),
great playing, top quality sound and video, and nice images of the building.
Most enjoyable.
This is another performance of the piece that truly impressed me. Excellent!
A beautiful organ in a magnificant building. My favorite Cathedral in all of the world.
The organ and building are elegant and majestic throughout. Artistic perfection.
Wonderful! Perfect tempo. What a treat to listen to on New Years Eve.
It is amazing how your hands are coordinated with your feet all while you look straight ahead to your music. It was beautiful. Thank you!
Tony La Russa Many years of practice combined with innate talent.....
Amazing piece and to take a look at someone playing such a complicated instrument, you have to know what your feet are doing without being able to look incredible love this.
Great organist. Perfect registration & tempo. Magnificent instrument and amazing sympathetic acoustic. Wonderful.
As an organist, I had to play this piece for my juries in college. It was not easy. It took me about two years to learn this. I can play Bach, Buxteheude and some simple church music... when it came to Widor's 5th Symphony, I about had a nervous breakdown! LOL!! BUT I practiced every day, and when jury day came, I played it, and got great remarks! In fact, I got an A!!!!! :) Very well Done James. Played at the right speed, no need to rush. Now I'm working on Bach's Passaglia!!! OY!!!!
+Roy Martin Impressed!
i would hardly class this as one of the hardest in the repertoire - the key is relatively easy, pedal section easy- repeated sections which are not hard at all - the only thing that makes it appear hard is the tempo people tend to play it at and the difficulty of this piece is reflected in the exam selection it is used for - around grade 8 - hard repertoire would be bach, widor 6th symphony, vierne finale from the 1st symphony, guilmant organ sonata in d minor finale- the list goes on- but this i definitely would not consider anywhere near those pieces in difficulty
Not so fast. Try Reubkes 94th symphony, the sonata and Mullet's Thou Art The Rock. Both much more difficult.
Everything is great about this video and the player and the organ, of course
Heard this yesterday at the Wednesday demo, it was the highlight of my trip to DC this week. This, and the Elgar "Nimrod" was moving beyond belief.
Superb playing and great precision and control! Years ago I had the chance to play this magnificent instrument!
If Christ comes again I hope he comes with this song blasting away
I agree LOL
I agree also, LOL.
+cloma clim Oh....I'm with you!...this music sends me to heaven!...awesome music and talented musicians!...wow!
+cloma clim WHEN He comes, NOT IF. But, I DO agree with you. Perfect for His arrival.
+cloma clim You are in for a disappointment
MY ALL-TIME FAVOURITE ORGAN MUSIC
Absolutely insane!!! That was beautiful👍🏻
We are singing this in our choir this Christmas.Wish us luck please.Fabulous performance James
Magnificent playing and a wonderful sound from that organ.
brilliant piece and brilliant playing !
This is a magnificent performance! I love the way you play this piece, and I can't imagine anyone playing it better. It's wonderful to hear this particular instrument, too. My father gave an organ recital at the National Cathedral when I was too young to appreciate it. I am grateful for the chance to hear this now. Thank you for that!
You look like you might be Keith Chapman's son?
Salmagundiii My father was Robert Knox Chapman. He was the organ architect who designed the Austin organ at Packer Memorial Church on the campus of my alma mater, Lehigh University, in Bethlehem, PA. Here are the specs:
www.lvago.org/SPECS/packerch.html
Thanks for the update. There can only be so many Chapmans in the small world of organists who were good enough to concertize at the Cathedral, so you can see how I might have inferred you were related to the one who tragically died in the 80s.
BTW I'm sure that's a fine sounding Austin, I'll check it out if I'm ever up there and there's a concert scheduled.
Excellente interprétation...Bravo...
I've listened to thus video for so long and want to hear this song played in person sooo bad!! I live only an hour from DC too. maybe one day :)
One of my favorites. Nicely done!
Perfect tempo thank you
Everything one could hope for!! Including a seven second reverb. WOW!!! CVD
Charles Davis At the end? I never really paid attention to that before, that's incredible :)
The best rendition of this piece I have heard: Bravo!
This music makes me cry
My "FAVORITE PIECE" of music of all time . I would like to thank James Kinnerley for playing this so beautifully , I'm absolutely BLOWN AWAY. Thankyou so very much . And yes I have subscribed 👍👍
I attended an organ concert by Richard van Auken here many years ago and sat in front of the console in the choir stalls. What an amazing instrument!
Mary Poppins was heard to say, "Spit spot. Nearly perfect in every way." Thank you James for both your imaginations and integrity. Blessings all over your world. Moi
SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL!!! THANKS YOU MR. JAMES KENNERLY!!! MAY GOD BLESS THEE!!!
Excellent performance. I always enjoy this organ being played.. THanks for posting.
The best performance of this I've heard. Not mechanical at all, as though hanging on for dear life 'til the end, no (which would be understandable with this piece). No. Instead, masterful articulatuon and nuance, always singing the melody, natural, artful dynamics, making beautiful sense of the whole thing. Beautiful 🏆🎹👏
I think that was very played. Better than I can, it makes my fingers ache!
loved your performance!!! That's exactly how I'd play it if I could....
Fantastic sounding organ and this piece is being played at the perfect tempo!
Awesome! Loved the tempo, loved the playing!
Yes, the organist programs "presets" which will "pull out" (activate) stops that the organist wants to use and cancel the rest. You set that up ahead of time. The presets are used by the buttons below the keys on the keyboard but just in case your hands are occupied there are presets above the pedals as well.
This is so friggin impressing. I go to church every christmas only to watch the organist play this.
Don't you ever miss a note? If you do the Widor at St. John the Divine, you might want to slow it down just a tad because of the nine-second reverb. It's amazing how well French music comes across on a great American classic organ. I'm in awe.
Wow that was excellent a top performance and the sound was terrific too!!
wow. Best interpretation and performance... VERY nice!!! what a musician, and what a wonderful, inspiring piece.... I could listen to it for hours - actually, I just have.
Played wonderfully... I wish the mic had gotten a bit more of the Treble about half way through... just lovely though.. My father was Charles McManis, organist and pipe organ builder of some note. I was able to play the organ there at age 12. Up to then I had been a pianist.. Playing a 2 part Bach invention I got slower and slower waiting for the auditory affirmation of each key being pressed.. after only a few bars I had ground to a halt... ha... All the best Philip (McManis)
I like this guy's tempo here. If played too fast it loses it's gravitas. (If I remember right Widor plays it faster on his recording) Washington National Cathedral is a magnificent building without question I'd love to hear this played live in those surroundings!
Widor's recording is much slower. His performance of it is about 7:00 minutes long.
But of course Widor was 88 years old when he made his recording...
Bravo! Nothing else to say. (Exept that I love the soud of this organ!) :)
I was searching for a recording of this online and you came up first. You're famous! :-)
Tha was great. Thank you for playing. it.
Very Best Wishes
Derek De Maine (Actor) U.K.
Technically superb. Musically astounding. Great performance of a wondrous piece. Thank you!
Well Player Sir.
Yes, and yes.
The things that move are called stops and control the sounds. The buttons under the keys and above the pedals are called pistons and store memory settings of combinations of stops.
Ésta Toccata es una preciosidad ,muchas gracias. Magnífico.
Amazing presentation
fantastic acoustics and recording technique.
sound quality 10/10.. my Velodyne DD-18 sub has woken up... Lol....
Have you ever heard of organist Robert Burns King? He often played this piece for memory as the resessional for our church service during the 45 years he was at the church.
Guide us to The perfect Light!
Lovely job!
Just plain wonderful Mr. Kennerly
Very nice, James!
incredible paying and best sound!
Sublime
Very well played.
I hope it's so loud people's ears fucking explode
Bravo James ...................
Beautiful!!
I must bite the bullet and learn this masterpiece like I should have 50 years ago
Beautiful song...:)
Definitive! You're setting the standard young titan. CVD
This is excellent.
Had this for the recessional at our wedding 33 years ago--our organist earned his fee that day!
You will be happy to learn that the Crown Prince of Denmark and his fiance chose this for the recessional at their marriage at Copenhagen Cathedral in 2004. Plenty of videos on YT for the curious.
BTW: the music making at that wedding was exceptional. When I first watched the video of the prince and his brother/best man processing from the door to the altar area, a rather complex fanfare-ish piece for brass was played, instantly recognizable as the work of the Danish composer Nielsen. And when the bride and her father came down the aisle, the famous anthem "Zadok the Priest" was sung perfectly by the choral forces present. You may wonder at playing a coronation anrthem at a wedding: simple explanation: Mary Elizabeth Donaldson, the bride, instantly became the Crown Princess of Denmark when she and Prince Frederik were declared married. She is now Queen Consort of Denmark.
Kick arse.
Excellente interprétation avec beaucoup de respect pour ce qui est écrit
James Kennerley nous donne une magnifique interprétation de cette oeuvre de virtuosité archi-connue de Widor (qui, pendant des années fut la sortie jouée à la fin des messes de mariage). Je voudrais en profiter (comme Belge) pour rappeler que Widor fit ses études au Conservatoire de Bruxelles, disposa d'un instrument toujours merveilleux à nos jours (à Paris, Saint Sulpice) dont il fut le titulaire pendant plus de 60 ans !
that is fantastic
How did you get to be the way you are organist wise today? Im a young and inspired organist as well. Ive seen and read some articles about you in the TAO. Keep up your good work!
Thank you for playing!
Alex
DANG nice to hear it at a REASONABLE tempo. Many organists play this WAY too fast.
Man, you are damn good!
I hope when Christmas
My sister played this at her senior college recital, and she was 5' 2". HOW she could use both arms and both feet always amazed me. May she rest in peace!
James Sewall hi bitch
Wow!
Superb!!