The organ is kind of a microcosm of the esthetic, artistic, and spiritual experience . . . . Not only is it complex to the point of being incomprehensible—still, to many people—but that complexity is applied to a sound which is controlled by a single player. And it's not just a single sound, it's a multiplicity of sounds which can be blended and contrasted, and changed in their dynamics—rich, soft, delicate, overwhelming. It also looks nifty. The architecture of the organ, just the visual splendor of it, gives you a hint of what will happen when the instrument begins to play.
Michael Barone has been involved with the pipe organ for more than half a century.
He is host and producer of Pipedreams, which began in 1982 and it remains the only nationally distributed weekly radio program exploring the art of the pipe organ.
Barone's talent and commitment have been recognized with numerous awards and he has been inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame.