A lunchtime organ recital at the Church of St Anne’s seems like just the thing for a woman a bit worn out by Warsaw life and the length of Warsaw days. However, the baroque church is overpowering to this erstwhile plain Protestant, and after the first few notes, I wonder what made me think I could relax to organ music. It demands attention as it enters the head, vibrates through the body and pulses into the toes, the absolute reverse of meditation. There are layers of sound from the sonorous and exultant to the recorder-like. The music doesn’t fade: it ends decisively without the faintest hint of an echo.
Today the organist is the Polish virtuoso organist, Przemysław Kapituła. He plays music by Johann Ernst, Mieczysław Surzyński and Bach.
After the concert I wander round the church. I begin collecting feet for a projected post sometime when I have enough; I am amused by the gleaming gold figures perched casually on the edge of a lectern; and I am moved by the plain side chapel which is a soldiers’ memorial.
For an account of a previous concert and more photos of the inside of the church see here.
I’m not a mistress of video, but here’s a taste of the music and the venue.
12monthsinwarsaw 
But the order and control of Bach – I just let the music take me somewhere, anywhere, nowhere and I am at ease again. Magnificent church.
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I’m sorry it didn’t provide the peace you hoped for, I took a visiting friend into Exeter Cathedral recently and there was an organ recital taking place. I find it overpowering and almost oppressive after a very short time!
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Oh, so I’m not the only one. I liked the second piece in the video. I used to go frequently on one visit – respite from tourism, and a chance to sit down and have the mind taken over, but it makes me feel hot. (How’s that for music criticism? On a par with Maja’s food criticism!
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I thought you did that rather nicely. Applause! Applause! Awfully good at ostentation aren’t they but I rather love it. I can be happy in simple churches with plain walls too, but I do like a bit of stained glass. I was thinking this is the big church near Stary Miasto, Meg, but I expect your other post will tell me. The one where you can climb to the roof and overlook the square. I shall go, forthwith, and check. 🙂 🙂 Wishing you a peaceful, meandering weekend. Find a bench in the shade.
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I visited a Japanese garden and sat in the Zen garden listening to the birds singing their hearts out, the melody of wind chimes and the rustling of leaves; admiring the pattern of the bamboo against the willow woven fencing, the rocks and the calming gravel sea. Sitting on a age-worn lacquered stool next to a cheerful Buddha I was very happy to meditate for a while. Organ music?No thanks. Too heavy for this non-musician. But I do have a church for you when I get around to it 😀
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Wow! Is this your video, Meg?
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Yeas. It’s a bit wobbly, but I was pleased with a first attempt. I was planning to do similar for Chopin in the park yesterday, but there was a ban on recording. (They had parallel texts in the intro)
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Great sound. Do you have the space upgrade? How did you post the video on your blog?
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No space upgrade … Yet. I posted it via the Worpress app on my iPad. I didn’t realise I could do this. Last time I did it via online WordPress on my laptop – still lying around in a sulk, inoperable after the flight over.
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