In my grandmother's house there was an organ. It was an electric Hammond from the 1960s, the kind that whirrrrrrrred when you turned it on and whispered and clicked when you pushed the plastic keys. My brothers (who have grown up to be accomplished musicians) and I (who have not) all played it as children, stretching our legs far to reach the pedals and entertaining—and I'm sure occasionally annoying—the adults.

As the CHB staff discussed pictures for this issue, we were awed again and again by the magnificent organs Bach played. Organs seem, well, old-fashioned today, like petticoats and straight-backed wooden church pews. But they were the computers of the Baroque era, the epitome of complex craftsmanship, scientific precision, and cutting-edge technology. And Bach was their master.

For those who have come under its spell, Bach's music is anything but old-fashioned. In our Winter 2005 issue, executive editor David Neff wrote of Bach's impact on him: "I can still remember the first time ...

FREE E-Newsletter Sign up for the ChristianHistory.net e-mail newsletter. Discover more about your Christian heritage with this weekly e-newsletter that features key people, topics, and events from the history of Christianity.      RSS Feed   RSS Help