E. Power Biggs at Glens Falls in 1963

E. Power Biggs, “one of the eminent organists of the world,” presented a recital at 8:15 p.m. Jan. 30, 1963 at First Presbyterian Church in Glens Falls.

First Presbyterian Music Director Hugh Allen Wilson arranged the recital with Biggs, who at the time was heard weekly on CBS coast-to-coast radio broadcasts.

“It may be said that E. Power Biggs is heard regularly by more listeners than any other organist in history,” The Post-Star reported on Jan. 29.

The first part of the recital featured music from 18th century composers Antonio Vivaldi, Daquin, Mozart, William Sebastian Bach, and early Boston composer William Selby, Post-Star music writer Bruennhilde D. McCune wrote in a review published the next day.

“In these, as in the entire program, the organist displayed a clean, crisp technic on both manual and pedal keyboards,” she wrote.

McCune wrote that Bach’s Tocotta and Fugue in D minor was the high point of the first part of the program.

“This wonderful composition, made familiar to music lovers by the several fine orchestral transcriptions, is always a joy to hear,” she wrote. “In this, Mr. Biggs used varied registration. He set a fine tempo for the Fugue, carrying it through to a good climax.”

The second part of the program featured Paul Hindemith’s “Second Sonata,” a Brahm’s “Choral Prelude,” and Dupre’s “Variations on a Noel.”

“This writer found the evening’s greatest enjoyment in the Dupre Variations. This is an exceedingly beautiful composition. It contains a number of highly original variations treated in imitation canon, fugue and toccata forms,” McCune wrote.

“This work also showed to best advantage the various sections of the large Skinner organ. Mr. Biggs’ playing of this difficult organ piece was faultless.”

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