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Crown Him With Many Crowns

Crown Him With Many Crowns

  1. Stand Up, Stand Up For Jesus (3′ 31″ )

  2. What A Friend We Have In Jesus (6′ 27″ )

  3. Joyful, Joyful (5′ 03″ )

  4. Oh Sacred Wounded Head (5′ 55″ )

  5. My Redeemer (Oh My Father) (5′ 19″ )

  6. I Will Enter His Gates (5′ 33″ )

  7. Introduction, Passacaglia and Fugue on the Psalm # 138 (13′ 19″ )

  8. Christ The Lord Is Risen Today (4′ 49″ )

  9. Blessed Assurance (5′ 35″ )

  10. Crown Him With Many Crowns (6′ 39″ )

Recorded on a Rodgers 960


Click here for a critical review of this CD

To order this CD, CLICK HERE

CD jewel case folder information

ABOUT THE CD . . .

Mr. Olivera’s compositions of hymn tunes were inspired by how Johann Sebastian Bach treated the hymn tunes in the 1700’s.

With the exception of the Introduction, Passacaglia and Fugue, all the compositions performed for this recording consist of symphonic movements, forming mini-suites of three movements each. They are configured in such a way that they may be performed as prelude, interlude, postlude, or used as concert material.

Each work puts the spotlight on a famous composer; Holzt and Wagner in What a Friend we have in
Jesus, Tchaikovsky in My Redeemer, and Joseph Jongen in Crown Him with Many
Crowns. This last hymn was composed and orchestrated in Schloss Haunsperg, a castle in Salzburg, Austria, during a Christmas vacation in 1999. The
Introduction, Passacaglia and Fugue was inspired by the sound of the famous Hinzel organ at the church of St. Nicholas in Kampen, Netherlands, during a European Pipe Organ Tour in 1985.

Mr. Olivera wrote and orchestrated the music on airplanes, in hotel rooms, at early morning hours, solely with the aid of pencil and paper, without any sequencer, computer or keyboard.

Each composition was created specially for the Rodgers PR-300 Tone Module/Sequencer. The orchestral voices from the PR-3005 were edited to achieve a particular timber or attack needed for a specific part in the music None of the orchestral voices in the SC-8820 were edited. In addition to the Rodgers organ model 960, tracks 1 through 6 and tracks 8 and 9 are performed in conjunction with the Rodgers PR-300 sound module. Track 10 uses the Roland SC-8820 sound module, and track 7, exclusively the Rodgers model 960.

ABOUT THE ORGAN…

The CD was recorded In September, 2000 at St. Paul’s Cathedral in San Diego, using a Rodgers 960 which was temporarily installed while the Cathedral’s
Aeolian Skinner console was being repaired and upgraded.

The installation was engineered by Howard McCullough, owner of the Howard’s Keyboard Gallery.

My special thanks to Dave and Jean Van de Water, Ed and Angie Barr, Howard McCullough,
and Ray Britt for their support during the recording session, – Hector
Olivera

“CROWN HIM WITH MANY CROWNS” Hector Olivera plays Hector Olivera

RECORD REVIEW PRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF MR. ALAN ASHTON, APRIL 2001.

The well known hymns are brilliantly arranged and recorded on a Rodgers 960 organ, and a couple of Rodgers and Roland sound modules, which were Installed temporarily at St
Paul’s Cathedral, San Diego, California. Every single “Olivera performance” is a tour de force in
arrangements, and STAND UP. STAND UP FOR JESUS never sounded like that when played by the Salvation Army at the corner of my street on Sundays, in the days when I was the holder of a War time food and clothing ration book
! Why ? Because as any self appreciating Olivera fan will know, it isn’t enough for him to just play something as written, especially when with his furtive musical mind, he can turn it into something that the likes of Holtz, Wagner, Tchaikovsky or Joseph Jongen would have composed. The overall concept of the album was inspired by Hector’s passion for the works of Johann Sebastian Bach, and in particular how
Bach treated Hymn Tunes in the 1700’s. 

Each of the 10 Hymns are prepared in such a way that they can be performed as prelude, interlude. postlude or even concert material. What is hard to comprehend is that all of the arrangements were worked out and orchestrated on airplanes, in hotel rooms, at early morning hours, solely with the aid of a pencil and paper, and without a sequencer, computer or keyboard
in sight. I can personally vouch for the writing materials because the last time I met Hector he asked me to drive him to the local stationers prior to flying off to his next engagement! 

The sheer majestic sound of the Rodgers organ, plus what “appears” at times as a complete “electronic” Symphony Orchestra backing him
is … simply mind blowing. 

Included are What a Friend We have in Jesus/
My Redeemer/ Blessed Assurance, the CD title track and Joyful
Joyful…two words that perfectly sum up yet another masterpiece from this master musician.

Alan Ashton, April 2001