First Baptist Church Of Saratoga

Our Church Organ and Organist

Our Church Organ

The church building, completed in 1855, was equipped with a pipe organ. A few decades later, due to high maintenance costs, the original organ was modified to an electric action pipe organ.  The replacement organ is no longer serviceable.  We have initiated a project that anticipates continued use of the original pipe organ façade, and to purchase an electronic pipe organ which will be housed in a new vintage console. We have selected a well-respected local company to design and install the necessary replacements. Completion of this project will mark the first time that a concert-worthy organ will be present in the church since 1905. We believe making these improvements will benefit the three churches that currently use the building, as well as the local community that benefits from the use of the building for weddings, funerals, and music concerts.

We have raised about $30,000 and need an additional $35,000 to complete the restoration process.  Please consider making a donation today.  You can mail your donation to First Baptist Church:

45 Washington Street
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

If you have any questions concerning the church or how you might contribute to the replacement of the organ, please call the church office at 518-458-6301.  Thank you for considering our request.  We look forward to seeing you at church or at our next organ concert.

Our Organist

Farrell Goehring was formally the Organist/ Director of Music of Bethesda Episcopal Church, Saratoga Springs, for nearly 30 years. Now in retirement, happy to be playing the organ at First Baptist Church, Saratoga Springs.

 Originally from the Midwest, he was self-taught at an early age. He went on to receive music scholarships and honors in high school and college. He studied organ under Jean Christian at Bethel College in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Joan Lippincott, at Westminster Choir College, in Princeton, New Jersey. 

Prior to moving to Saratoga Springs, Mr. Goehring spent twelve years as Organist/Director of Music at St. Mark's R.C. Church, in New York City. During that period, he maintained a busy concert schedule which in-cluded performances at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall. He also performed numerous concerts at St. Patrick's Cathedral and several other famous churches in NYC and The National Shrine in Washington D.C.. Summer recital tours have taken him to many cities in Europe, Mexico City and Helsinki, Finland. Most memorable were three summer tours to Southeast Asia where he was a frequent performer at St. Andrew's Cathedral and Victoria Concert Hall in Singapore.

October 6, 2024 Organ Concert

In honor of the 231st birthday of the First Baptist Church of Saratoga Springs, Mr. Farrell Goehring gave an organ concert for the community.  Each of the six pieces he performed are described below and a recording of the concert is provided for your enjoyment.

The Phantom of the Opera Overture  Andrew Lloyd Weber (b 1948)
 

Lord Lloyd-Weber has composed the scores of some of the world’s most famous musicals including Cats, Evita, The Phantom of the Opera and more. Being one of a small group in the world to receive EGOT status, an acronym for the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Awards, Andrew is an industry titan and musical theatre giant. This Organ Overture is arguably the most memorable and most recognizable of any musical theatre overtures.

Click Below and Enjoy

Three Pièces pour Orgue   Albert Alain (1880-1971) 

The polyphonic structure of these pieces makes them exiting in a certain way despite their calm character.  Jehan-Aristide Paul Alain was born in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, a suburb west of Paris. As an adult he entered the conservatory de Paris and obtained the first prize for harmony in 1904. He pursued counterpoint studies with Georges Caussade and Gabriel Faure. At that same time, he studied with Alexandre Guilmant and Louis Vierne. In 1924 he became the organist of the church of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. His lifelong wish was to die at the organ console. After over 1000 recitals and concerts, his wish was granted. Falling from the organ bench and hitting low E on the pedal board which resounded for what seemed an eternity. His prized student, Maurice Duruflé at his side.  

Berceuse    Louis Vierne (1870-1937)

Louis Victor Jules Vierne was a French organist and composer. As organist of Notre-Dame de Paris from 1900 until his death, he focused mainly on organ music. He toured Europe and the United States as a concert organist. His students included Albert Alain, Nadia Boulanger and Maurice Duruflé. This most charming piece, Berceuse or lullaby, is based on a French song, Dodo enfant do (Sleep, child, sleep).

Two Preludes, op. 39  Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) 

Composed as a series of preludes that modulate through all major keys, the work demonstrates Beethoven’s fascination with harmonic exploration. They date from Beethoven’s teenage years in Bonn and were not published until December 1803. Originally written for either piano or organ, these interesting works have been woefully neglected. Pianists are not likely to perform them, in view of the incomparable grandeur and size of Beethoven’s other piano music. Organist’s, on the other hand, have far stronger reasons to use these works, considering the slim output of original organ literature of that time. What speaks even more in favor of organ performance is the obvious advantage of colorful organ registration to enhance and to build up these works. One would expect that they were indeed performed by a young Beethoven as a court organist in Bonn, and may well have been written as part of his studies. The first of the two preludes is more substantial and spends enough time in each key to give a sense of its nature, ascending to a climax in the middle and then returning to earth and C major at the end; the second, clocking in at under two minutes, sometimes spends only a single measure in the various keys as it hastens on to the next key, with almost ridiculous efficiency.

Finlandia, Op. 26     Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) 

This tone poem written by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius was written in 1899 and revised in 1900. The piece was composed for the Press Celebrations of 1899, a covert protest against increasing censorship from the Russian Empire, and was the last of seven pieces performed as an accompaniment to a tableau depicting episodes from Finnish history. The premier was on July 2nd, 1900 in Helsinki. In order to avoid censorship, Finlandia had to be performed under alternative names at various musical concerts. Titles under which the piece masqueraded were numerous and often confusing. Famous examples include Happy Feelings at the awakening of Finnish Spring, Song of Peace, and A Scandinavian Choral March. According to Finland’s tourism website, “While Finland was still a Grand Duchy under Russia, performances within the empire had to take place under the covert title of Impromptu.” Now it is one of Finland’s most cherished national songs and also a cherished Christian Hymn, Be still My Soul, #712 in our Celebration Hymnal. The full work begins with sonorous chords with suspended excitement in anticipation of the heroic measures to come. It’s rousing and turbulent music, evoking the national struggle of the Finnish people. Following comes the calm, serene and melodic Finlandia Hymn which concludes in triumph. It is often incorrectly cited as a traditional folk melody, but indeed is Sibelius’ own creation.

Carillon de Longpont    Louis Vierne 

At the beginning of the 20th century, Louis Vierne was the organist of Notre Dame of Paris. He was a great friend of the Montesquiou family and was regularly invited to the Château in Longpont in the month of August. The 15th of August was an especially important religious festival. There was a grand procession through the village, and through the grounds of the Château. Louis Vierne naturally contributed to the festivities. A harmonium was fixed to a cart pulled by two donkeys; safely installed on this mobile stage, he accompanied the singing, and added brilliant improvisations. On hearing the four church bells on the 15th of August 1913, he was inspired to write the Carillon de Longpont. It was later dedicated to his brother René Vierne, killed on the 29th of May, 1918, not far from Longpont.