"Organists and Me" released by Phillip Truckenbrod
Newly available from Amazon: "Organists and Me: Half a Century as an Agent for Musicians.”
At the beginning of the twentieth century the pipe organ was a major source of music for live audience consumption. As the century unfolded the organ had to yield a portion of the stage to upstart symphony orchestras, but despite rapidly changing musical tastes it remained a major player. The second half of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st, however, had become a challenging period for both organists and their booking agents. This is the story of one of the two agencies which dominated the American scene during that period, as told by the man who ventured from a Lutheran pulpit in New York City into the highly competitive and somewhat rarified world of performance musicians, with a stop along the way in the city room of a major American daily newspaper. Were these organists and their agents a bickering mostly gay tribe defined by jealousies, or a self-protective band of loyalists defined by mutual love of and sacrifice for the King of Instruments? This book is part memoir, part historical account, and part commentary. It is also a peek behind the scenes of how the art of organ performance survived into the 21st century.
“Organists and Me, by legendary impresario Phillip Truckenbrod, is a deeply personal, candid, and literate memoir that should be read by performers and by those who work in the arts.” –Anthony Baglivi, Editor Emeritus, The American Organist
“Phillip Truckenbrod has been a legend in the classical music industry, particularly managing the careers of some of the greatest organists as well as many other superb musicians. For anyone who loves classical music in general and the organ in particular, here is a fascinating behind the scenes look at how he did it for an amazing fifty years. Phil is a great storyteller, and he has a generous tale to tell, including choice anecdotes about everybody’s favorite organists, including Virgil Fox and Christopher Houlihan. A delightful and witty memoir that gave me a case of nostalgia for those good old days.” –Paul Bisaccia, American pianist