Sacred Classics
Encyclopedia
Sacred Classics is a weekly two–hour radio show originating from WBVM-FM
in Tampa, Florida
, featuring choral and organ music from international venues. Founded in October 1983, it is broadcast on Saturdays and Sundays, as well as streamed over the Internet
at various times to accommodate listeners worldwide. The program is produced by Atlas Communications and hosted by Jim Howes, who uses the thousands of pipe organ
and choral recordings in his personal collection, gathered from his travels around the world. Programs typically include music from such diverse locations as England
, Germany
, South Africa
, Riga, Latvia
, and Sydney, Australia
, along with prominent church choirs and organists in the U.S. Live organ concerts are also sponsored and recorded for later broadcast, as in 2004 when celebrated organist Frederick Swann
performed at the 88-rank organ of St. Paul's Anglican Church in Bermuda
.
(2002–2007) and St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport
(1980–2001), produces the program at WBVM
's studios in Florida. When he was in Bermuda, he told the Bermuda Sun, several weeks' programs were pre–recorded at a time during trips to his home in Florida, using his personal library. Howes regularly gets emails from his audience in Europe, the Mideast, and the Philippines.
Tom Derzypolski, then-vice president of WBVM-FM in Tampa, told the St. Petersburg Times
in 1997 that the show is "extremely popular. Jim mixes some of the pieces that he picks up traveling around the world with some of the sacred classics. A lot of the selections that he broadcasts are literally not available. He provides a unique blend". Howes said he "enjoys conversing with the audience and providing sacred masterpieces performed at famous cathedrals and concert halls."
On location
live recordings are also occasionally broadcast. Past venues have included the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, New York, the Ocean Grove Auditorium in New Jersey, St. Paul's Anglican Church in Bermuda, and Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church
in Baltimore, Maryland.
, expressed the organization's "great debt of gratitude for the joy that Sacred Classics has brought untold thousands of listeners over the years". Premier of Bermuda Ewart Brown
sent his "sincere congratulations", saying he "hopes Sacred Classics enjoys another 25 great years".
In addition to streaming Sacred Classics on the internet, the program's website also maintains a widely consulted ranking of the world's largest pipe organs, based on independently researched and verified specifications.
WBVM
WBVM, branded as Spirit FM 90.5, is a Christian-based radio station in Tampa, Florida, broadcasting on 90.5 FM with an ERP of 77 kW. It signed on in May 1986 and began broadcasting a second channel in digital HD radio in 2007. In June 2008, the station began additionally streaming its HD...
in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
, featuring choral and organ music from international venues. Founded in October 1983, it is broadcast on Saturdays and Sundays, as well as streamed over the Internet
Streaming media
Streaming media is multimedia that is constantly received by and presented to an end-user while being delivered by a streaming provider.The term "presented" is used in this article in a general sense that includes audio or video playback. The name refers to the delivery method of the medium rather...
at various times to accommodate listeners worldwide. The program is produced by Atlas Communications and hosted by Jim Howes, who uses the thousands of pipe organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
and choral recordings in his personal collection, gathered from his travels around the world. Programs typically include music from such diverse locations as England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Riga, Latvia
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
, and Sydney, Australia
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, along with prominent church choirs and organists in the U.S. Live organ concerts are also sponsored and recorded for later broadcast, as in 2004 when celebrated organist Frederick Swann
Frederick Swann
Frederick L. Swann is a prominent American church and concert organist, recording artist, choral conductor, and former president of the American Guild of Organists . During his career spanning more than a half-century, he has performed on most of the well-known pipe organs in the world and made...
performed at the 88-rank organ of St. Paul's Anglican Church in Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
.
Production
Howes, who is former executive director of the Bermuda International AirportBermuda International Airport
L.F. Wade International Airport , formerly named Bermuda International Airport, is the sole airport serving Bermuda, a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. It is located in the parish of St. George's and is northeast of Bermuda's capital city of Hamilton. In 2006, L.F. Wade...
(2002–2007) and St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport
St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport
St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport is a joint civil-military airport located in unincorporated Pinellas County, Florida, north of St. Petersburg, serving St...
(1980–2001), produces the program at WBVM
WBVM
WBVM, branded as Spirit FM 90.5, is a Christian-based radio station in Tampa, Florida, broadcasting on 90.5 FM with an ERP of 77 kW. It signed on in May 1986 and began broadcasting a second channel in digital HD radio in 2007. In June 2008, the station began additionally streaming its HD...
's studios in Florida. When he was in Bermuda, he told the Bermuda Sun, several weeks' programs were pre–recorded at a time during trips to his home in Florida, using his personal library. Howes regularly gets emails from his audience in Europe, the Mideast, and the Philippines.
Tom Derzypolski, then-vice president of WBVM-FM in Tampa, told the St. Petersburg Times
St. Petersburg Times
The St. Petersburg Times is a United States newspaper. It is one of two major publications serving the Tampa Bay Area, the other being The Tampa Tribune, which the Times tops in both circulation and readership. Based in St...
in 1997 that the show is "extremely popular. Jim mixes some of the pieces that he picks up traveling around the world with some of the sacred classics. A lot of the selections that he broadcasts are literally not available. He provides a unique blend". Howes said he "enjoys conversing with the audience and providing sacred masterpieces performed at famous cathedrals and concert halls."
On location
Filming location
A filming location is a place where some or all of a film or television series is produced, in addition to or instead of using sets constructed on a movie studio backlot or soundstage...
live recordings are also occasionally broadcast. Past venues have included the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, New York, the Ocean Grove Auditorium in New Jersey, St. Paul's Anglican Church in Bermuda, and Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church
Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church
Brown Memorial Park Avenue Presbyterian Church of Baltimore, Maryland, U.S., is a large, Gothic Revival-style church built in 1870 and located at Park and Lafayette Avenues in the city's Bolton Hill section...
in Baltimore, Maryland.
History
Sacred Classics was initially two distinct programs, King of Instruments and Choral Masterpieces, both produced by Howes for the old WXCR beginning in 1983 and 1985, respectively. After production moved to WBVM in 1986, the current format combining choral and organ music was adopted and the program was retitled Sacred Classics. On the show's 25th anniversary broadcast in 2008, Frederick Swann, president of the American Guild of OrganistsAmerican Guild of Organists
The American Guild of Organists, or AGO, is a national organization of academic, church, and concert organists in the U.S., headquartered in The Interchurch Center in New York City. It was founded in 1896 as both an educational and service organization...
, expressed the organization's "great debt of gratitude for the joy that Sacred Classics has brought untold thousands of listeners over the years". Premier of Bermuda Ewart Brown
Ewart Brown
Ewart Frederick Brown, Jr. was Premier of Bermuda and leader of the Progressive Labour Party from 2006 and 2010. He served as Member of Parliament for the constituency of Warwick South Central for 17 years until his retirement from politics in October 2010.Brown was elected leader of the ruling...
sent his "sincere congratulations", saying he "hopes Sacred Classics enjoys another 25 great years".
In addition to streaming Sacred Classics on the internet, the program's website also maintains a widely consulted ranking of the world's largest pipe organs, based on independently researched and verified specifications.