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This brand new DVD contains close to two hours worth of music played on the Böhm Sinfonia 480 organ (which is almost double the length of most organ DVDs and the longest electronic organ one we’ve ever stocked).
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This is the sixth DVD top Dutch organist Dirkjan Ranzijn has made over the years with releases in 2005, 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2013. This release is a live concert recorded at DK4 Studio 55 in Copenhagen, Denmark, which I am pretty sure is a TV studio. It has been dressed as an intimate venue with what looks like around fifty people all sitting around small candle-lit tables drinking their coffee and wine (now you don’t get that at your local organ club do you). The audience all seem very civilised (apart from their tendency to clap at the beginning of the faster numbers). Being shot in a professional TV studio gives the whole thing a very high-end look and sound. The lighting is very cool with orange and blue spotlights and we even get some dry ice wafting through. Everything looks sharp with cameras pointing everywhere, in fact the sleeve lists seven people on cameras (including a camera crane operator). There is pleasant a lack of coughing, shuffling and unwrapping of sweets at this event and you can’t even make out any clinking of wine glasses or opening of sugar sachets.
The DVD opens with the Les Reed song “Love Is All,” which starts slow before getting all up-tempo (cue vague clapping). Next we have the first appearance of Dirk’s cheerful patter with him asking who in the audience are still in love with each other (now that stopped them clapping, but probably increased their wine consumption) and this leads into a romantic piano piece called “Melissa”.
Highlights from the first half include “Exodus,” the Elton John tracks “I’m Still Standing” and “Circle of Life”. The twelve-minute ABBA medley sounds great and goes down well and leads to the interval.
The second half opens with the “Theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey” and we have some other treats including a “Rock ’n’ Roll Medley” and Eric Clapton’s “Wonderful Tonight.” We have some audience participation in “The Wild Rover” (albeit prompted) with linking arms and swaying (although that may be partly due to the wine). The lovely piece “I Belong to Me” from the musical “Elisabeth” is the penultimate track and we end with the title track and a dance version of Neil Diamond’s “Beautiful Noise.”
Dirk’s playing is very enjoyable throughout and he’s obviously spent a lot of time creating some fabulous arrangements that show his ability and the sound of the Böhm to full effect, the “Theme from Exodus” is a good example of that, with a whole raft of styles and sounds.
This is a lovely DVD and great value for money at £16.95 when you consider it’s a professionally filmed full concert with a running time pushing two hours (almost double the length of most organ DVDs). Dirk and his audience are obviously enjoying themselves and he must be one of the most enthusiastic players out there. It’s obvious that he enjoys both his music and putting on an entertaining show and he’s certainly not shy in coming forward. He mentions his thirty years in the business during the concert (probably pushing thirty-three now), so he’s learned a thing or two about keeping the audience happy (giving them wine is a good one).
The DVD is presented in a luxury full-colour digi-pack, which is a nice change. Format wise, it is produced in multi-region/PAL, Widescreen 16:9 and 2.0 (Stereo) format.
Those who like DirkJan are sure to enjoy this and it also makes a lovely evening’s entertainment. You don’t even have to travel to the local organ concert, let alone Copenhagen.
FULL TRACKS: Love is All • Melissa • Song of Ocarina • I’m Still Standing • Circle of Life • Another Cha Cha • Listen • Theme from “Exodus” • ABBA Medley: Dancing Queen / Voulez-Vous / Super Trouper / Money, Money, Money / Mamma Mia • Also Sprach Zarathustra (Strauss Op.30 – Theme from 2001: A Space Odyssey) • Can’t Help Falling in Love • Hero • Rock ’n’ Roll Medley: Let’s Have a Party / Let’s Dance / Let’s Twist Again / Rock Around the Clock / Johnny B. Goode • Wonderful Tonight • Sway • The Man with the Harmonica • Party Medley: Beautiful Sunday / Tulips from Amsterdam • Sweet Surrender • All I Ever Need is You • The Wild Rover • Wiener Praterleben • I Belong to Me • Beautiful Noise.
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