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House of Hope Organ Institute

Norma Stevlingson

Dr. Norma Stevlingson is Professor of Music at the University of Wisconsin-Superior.

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The Ninth House of Hope Organ Institute was held at The
House of Hope Presbyterian Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, July 27-30, 2003. The
single topic for the institute was the life and music of Louis Vierne. Participants
from seventeen states and three foreign countries heard organ and carillon
recitals, organ master classes, lectures, and concerts of Vierne's rarely-heard
chamber music and his Messe solemnelle
for choir and two organs. There was also an exhibit of original manuscripts and
Vierne iconography provided by Brigitte de Leersnyder.

Mme. de Leersnyder was the main speaker. She is in the
process of writing a book about Vierne's life and music, which will be
published with his correspondence, unknown iconography and additional research.
She divided her discussion into three lectures: Vierne's life from his birth to
the end of his studies at the Paris Conservatory (1870-1894); from the end of
his studies at the Conservatory to his return to France (from a lengthy stay
out of the country when he sought treatment for his eyesight), 1894-1920; and
from his return to France to his death (1920-1937).

Other lecturers were Ben van Oosten, Gregory Bover, and
Michael Barone. Ben van Oosten, who has recorded the six organ symphonies of
Vierne, the eight sonatas of Guilmant, and the complete organ works of Widor,
and is the author of the comprehensive Widor biography (in German), lectured on
"19th-Century French Organ Symphonists." Gregory Bover, Vice-President
for Operations at C. B. Fisk Organ Builders, worked with Charles Fisk on Opus
78 for House of Hope and led the restoration of the Ducroquet and Merklin
organs in the church. He was project manager and supervised the design and
construction of several important Fisk organs, including at the Meyerson
Symphony Hall in Dallas. His topic was "The Ducroquet and Merklin Organs
at House of Hope." Michael Barone is a senior executive producer at
Minnesota Public Radio and host of MPR's organ program, Pipedreams, who was also
on hand to record the concerts. His lecture was "Vierne on Record: an
audio document of Vierne's compositions and performances on disc."

In addition to institute events, the regular Sunday morning
worship service featured French organist Jean Galard, playing parts of Vierne's
Symphonie No. 3 for the prelude and
postlude. An excellent performer, Mr. Galard is organist of the church of St.
Médard in Paris, and Mme. de Leersnyder's husband. Before each evening
concert there were carillon recitals played by Julia Walton, guest carillonneur
from Michigan State University, Lansing.

Sunday night's opening concert featured the House of Hope
choir performing the Vierne Messe solemnelle en ut# mineur
style='font-style:normal'>, op. 16, under the direction of Thomas Lancaster,
choirmaster at the church and Professor of Choral Music at the University of
Minnesota. The organists were Nancy Lancaster, Organist and Coordinator of
Music at House of Hope, playing the 1979 Fisk organ in the back gallery, and
Dee Ann Crossley, Co-director of Music and Organist at Augustana Lutheran
Church in St. Paul, playing the 1878 Merklin organ in the chancel.

Organ recitals were given by Martin Jean and Ben van Oosten.
The first one, follwing the choral concert on Sunday evening, was by the gifted
young American concert organist, Martin Jean, Professor of Organ at the Yale
University School of Music and Institute of Sacred Music. Dr. Jean opened his
program with a moving performance of Franck's Fantaisie en la
style='font-style:normal'>, followed by
Triptyque
style='font-style:normal'>, op. 58 by Vierne. The three movements of this work
are "Matins," "Communion," and "Stèle pour un
enfant défunt." (In 1937, Louis Vierne, performing on a recital for
Les Amis de l'Orgue at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris, had just finished
playing this last movement when he died suddenly at the organ console.) Dr.
Jean followed with "Naïades" from
Pièces de
Fantaisie
, op. 55, no. 4, and then ended
his first half with the
Choral Improvisation on "Victimae
paschali"
by Tournemire, reconstructed
by Maurice Duruflé. The second half of his program was a superb
performance of Vierne's
Symphonie No. 2, op. 20 in its entirety; the five movements are Allegro, Choral,
Scherzo, Cantabile and Final.

The concert Monday evening was devoted to chamber music by
Vierne. Members of the Minnesota Orchestra joined other musicians in a program
of music that is seldom heard, but certainly deserves to be. The concert opened
with a three-movement work from 1910, Sonate pour violoncelle et piano
style='font-style:normal'>, op. 27, performed by Pitnarry Shin, cello, and
Christopher Wallace, piano. This was followed by a work composed in 1927,
Les
Angélus
, op. 57, whose three
movements (Au Matin, A midi and Au soir) were sung by soprano Cheryl Oie with
organist Jean Galard. Basil Reeve, oboist, then joined pianist Christopher
Wallace in a performance of
Deux pièces pour hautbois et piano
style='font-style:normal'>, op. 6, an unpublished work from 1896. The final
work on the program was the
Quintette pour piano et cordes
style='font-style:normal'>, op. 42, composed in 1917. This wonderful piece was
performed by pianist Christopher Wallace, violinists Vali Phillips and Sarah
Kwak, violist Kerri Ryan, and cellist Pitnarry Shin.

Tuesday evening's organ recital was played by the brilliant
Dutch concert and recording organist, Ben van Oosten, Professor of Organ at the
Rotterdam Conservatory and organist of the Grote Kerk in The Hague. In addition
to music of Vierne, he played Franck's Prière
style='font-style:normal'>, "Allegro" from
Symphonie No. 6
style='font-style:normal'> of Widor, and
Élévation
style='font-style:normal'>, op. 2 by Dupré (dedicated to Vierne). His
program opened with
Trois Improvisations: Marche épiscopale, Méditation, Cortège, by
Vierne, reconstructed by Duruflé, and closed with an electrifying
performance of Vierne's
Symphonie No. 6 en si mineur
style='font-style:normal'>, op. 59.

Master classes were offered on Monday and Tuesday with both
Martin Jean and Ben van Oosten teaching Vierne repertoire on the Fisk and
Merklin organs. Participants were Mari Ampe, "Madrigal" (24
Pièces en style libre
); Kenwick
Mervine, "Impromptu" (
Pièces de Fantaisie
style='font-style:normal'>); Mary Joy Rieder, "Cloches de Hinckley" (
Pièces
de Fantaisie
); Curt Sather,
"Romance" and "Final" (
Symphonie No. 4
style='font-style:normal'>); Lilly Ardalan, "Choral" (
24
Pièces
); Kirk Rich,
"Final" (
Symphonie No. 1);
Denise Lanning, "Scherzetto" (
24 Pièces
style='font-style:normal'>); Frederick Krieger, "Cortège" (
24
Pièces
); Ralph Johansen,
"Requiem Aeternam" (
Pièces de Fantaisie
style='font-style:normal'>); Kevin Gunderson, "Adagio" (
Symphonie
No. 3
); Roger Ruckert, "Allegro"
(
Symphonie No. 3); Timothy
Weisman, "Adagio" (
Symphonie No. 3
style='font-style:normal'>); Boyd Herforth, "Romance" (
Symphonie
No. 4
); and Doug Nelson, "Carillon de
Westminster" (
Pièces de Fantaisie
style='font-style:normal'>).

Wednesday morning began with a panel discussion with Martin
Jean, Brigitte de Leersnyder, and Ben van Oosten speaking and fielding
questions. This was followed by a participants' recital. House of Hope church
is fortunate to have four organs, each one a marvelous gem, and this program
used all of them. Performing were Keith Toth and Nancy Lancaster on the 1852
organ attributed to Ducroquet in the church's Assembly Room; Mari Ampe and
Denise Lanning performing on the 2001 Jaeckel organ in the chapel; Lily Ardalan
playing the Merklin organ; and Doug Nelson, Timothy Weisman, Mary Joy Rieder,
Curt Sather, and Kirk Rich playing the Fisk organ.

Every evening, institute participants were treated to
elegant receptions. Sunday we were welcomed to The Commodore, a former
residential hotel and home of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Sinclair Lewis. Monday
night we were invited to The University Club overlooking the downtown skyline
and the Mississippi River Valley, and Tuesday we went to the James J. Hill
House, a 1891 mansion, now museum, that even has an organ built by George
Hutchings in 1891.

The schedule was light enough that one did not feel rushed,
and the size was such that one could easily spend time with friends, yet the
institute was packed with valuable information and wonderful music-making.
Nancy Lancaster is to be congratulated for presenting such an outstanding
institute. James David Christie also deserves credit for his assistance in the
arrangements. And thanks are due to all those from House of Hope who
volunteered their time to serve refreshments at the breaks, two delicious
evening meals in the church's parlor, and were there to help in any way they
were needed during the entire institute.

Photos by Brad Althoff

Related Content

Redlands Rejuvenated: Organ & Festival

(The return of Casavant Opus 1230)

Irmengard Jennings
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The late Dr. Samuel John Swartz founded The Redlands Organ
Festival in 1987. Held on the campus of the University of Redlands in southern
California, the festival features many of the world's leading organists in
concerts, lectures and masterclasses. Formerly, clinicians had to rely heavily
on the aging 1927 Casavant organ (opus 1230). The Memorial Chapel, on the
university campus, houses the organ. Due to the renovation of the chapel the
festival was silenced in 2000. The organ returned to the Casavant Frères
factory in St-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada for rebuilding. On April 3, the
reinstallation of this grand symphonic organ was complete, and hailed, once
again, as a great success.

The week-long celebration of this landmark instrument ran
from May 11-14, 2003. The artists for this year included Pierre Pincemaille,
Craig Williams, James Welch and Russell Hancock, Christopher Pardini, and
Jacquelin Rochette. M. Pincemaille is titular organist of the
Cathedral-Basilica of St-Denis in France. Mr. Williams is organist and director
of music of the Cadet Chapel at The United States Military Academy, West Point,
New York. Dr. Welch is university organist at Santa Clara University. Russell
Hancock is director of the Shorenstein Forum for Asia-Pacific Studies at Stanford.
Mr. Pardini is the senior organist at the Crystal Cathedral, Garden Grove,
California. Jacquelin Rochette is artistic director at Casavant Frères.

Jacquelin Rochette gave the keynote address covering the
history of Casavant, its ties to the great Cavaillé-Coll tradition, and
the influences that shaped the original design of the University of Redlands
instrument--and comments on the renewal of interest in the symphonic organ. He
emphasized preserving high quality performances and diversity in programming.

Pierre Pincemaille presented the inaugural concert with
virtuosic flair. His program included the Prelude and Fugue in E-flat Major
style='font-style:normal'>, BWV 552 by J. S. Bach,
Choral in a minor
style='font-style:normal'> by César Franck, the Scherzo from
Symphony
No. 2
by Louis Vierne, Choral
varié sur Veni Creator
, op. 4, of
Maurice Duruflé, and
Le banquet céleste
style='font-style:normal'>by Olivier Messiaen. He also performed two
improvisations on submitted themes: the first, a chorale suite in the style of
J.S. Bach; and the second an improvisation in free style.

Craig Williams presented a solid performance of nicely
varied repertoire. This program included Carillon, op. 27, no. 4, by Marcel Dupré, Trio Sonata in C
Major
, BWV 529, by J. S. Bach, a
transcription of the theme from "Largo" of
Symphony No. 9
style='font-style:normal'> by Antonin Dvorák, and
the Concert
Variations on "The Star-Spangled Banner,"
op. 23, by Dudley Buck. The second half included Trumpet
Tune in B-flat Major
by Roy Brunner, Sonata
in F minor
, op. 65, no. 1, by Felix
Mendelssohn, and three movements from
Dix Pièces
style='font-style:normal'> by Eugène Gigout. Lynwood Farnham's
Toccata
on "O Filii et Filiae"
was the
encore.

The Welch-Hancock Duo was delightful, and featured
seldom-heard organ and piano music: Prelude, Fugue and Variation
style='font-style:normal'> by Franck, the
Festival Overture
style='font-style:normal'>, op. 50, by Edwin Grasse,
Prelude and
Jubilee
by Dale Wood and three movements of
the
6 Duos pour Piano et Harmonium
by Widor. They also played the
Final alla Schumann
style='font-style:normal'> by Guilmant, the evocative "Muir Woods"
from
Three Northern California Landscapes by Sondra Clark, Intermezzo and Scherzo from Joseph Clokey's Symphonic
Piece
, three movements from 6
Duos pour Harmonium et Piano
, op. 8, by
Saint-Saëns, and finally,
Fantaisie for Organ and Piano
style='font-style:normal'> by Clifford Demarest.

Christopher Pardini played with confidence and gave a
skillful performance. This diverse program included Festival Toccata
style='font-style:normal'> by Percy Fletcher,
Clair de Lune
style='font-style:normal'> by Claude Debussy,
Fantaisie in E-flat
Major
by Saint-Saëns, Soliloquy
style='font-style:normal'> by David Conte,
Rubrics
style='font-style:normal'> by Dan Locklair,
Cathédrales
style='font-style:normal'> by Vierne, and
Sonata I in d minor
style='font-style:normal'>, op. 42, by Guilmant. He closed with an encore,
Sonata
on the First Tone
by José Lidon.

The festival featured an eclectic sampler of workshops,
lectures and demonstrations. Jacquelin Rochette spoke describing the specific
changes accomplished on the Opus 1230 project. He discussed Casavant's
philosophy regarding organ restoration, and gave an exhibition of the various
stops in each of the divisions of the organ. He played the Variations de
concert
by Bonnet, Pascha Nostrum
style='font-style:normal'> and
Terra Tremuit
style='font-style:normal'> by Reboulot, and the Adagio and Final from
Symphony
No. 3
by Vierne.

Christopher Pardini presented a service repertoire workshop
that highlighted music that is accessible to most organists and appealing to a
wide range of tastes and styles. Organist James Welch and pianist Russell Hancock
gave a lecture-demonstration entitled "Unlikely Bedfellows: The Organ and
the Piano." This focused on the small but fascinating body of classical
literature written for piano and organ duo. A significant portion of the
lecture was devoted to the 19th-century literature for harmonium and piano,
including a history of the harmonium in 19th-century France.

Craig Williams led a workshop entitled "The Instrument
from the Organist's Perspective." He established practical and effective
ways to approach the diverse range of instruments that we face and how to
choose appropriate repertoire for any organ. Next, he displayed registration
techniques using the university's 17-rank Schlicker and then demonstrated how
to apply registration skills learned to repertoire of different countries and
musical periods. His final workshop on hymn playing had special focus on the
poetry of the hymn texts fitting the tune. Discussion centered on various ways
of interpreting a variety of hymn types.

M. Pincemaille taught a performance masterclass. During this
lively teaching session four organ students from California universities
participated. M. Pincemaille's unique style and flair brought out the best in
each of the performers. His passion for music was evident in his exuberant
teaching. At the student recital, three of the performers returned to show what
they had learned during the masterclass. The students represented Christopher
Cook of San Diego; Ladd Thomas and Cherry Rhodes, USC; Esther Jones, Cal State
Fullerton and Irmengard Jennings, University of Redlands.

We wish to extend a special thank you to all the individuals
and organizations that are too numerous to mention that helped to make this
program possible.

For information about the festival, scholarship opportunities,
or study at the University of Redlands, call or write: 909/793-2121, ext. 3264;

<[email protected]>.

edited by W. G. Chapman

Albert Schweitzer Organ Festival/USA 2003

David Spicer

David Spicer is Minister of Music and the Arts at First Church of Christ in Wethersfield, Connecticut, and co-founder of the Albert Schweitzer Organ Festival/USA. Undergraduate studies were at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where he studied organ with Dr. Alexander McCurdy. Graduate studies were at the Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary, also in Philadelphia.

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The sixth annual Albert Schweitzer Organ Festival/USA was
held at the First Church of Christ in Wethersfield, Connecticut, September 5-7,
2003. The festival opened with a celebration concert on Friday evening,
September 5. David Spicer, Minister of Music and the Arts at First Church of
Christ and co-founder of the festival, served as organist/choirmaster for the
choral portions of the concert. The opening carillon selection was Bach's Liebster
Jesu, wir sind hier
, one of Albert
Schweitzer's favorite chorale settings. The Campanella Handbell Choir, directed
by Linda Henderson, then played
Paean of Praise
style='font-style:normal'> (based on
Pasticcio
style='font-style:normal'>) by Jean Langlais, adapted and arranged by Sue
Mitchell-Wallace for handbells and organ. Following the handbell selection, all
in attendance were invited to sing "Christ is made the sure
foundation" (tune: Christ Church 
by Richard W. Dirksen). The Festival Choir sang the Kyrie from Louis
Vierne's
Messe Solennelle.

Mr. Spicer introduced the three judges: Colin Andrews and
Janette Fishell from Greenville, North Carolina, and Frederick Hohman from
South Bend, Indiana. Next the two high school finalists were introduced:
Christopher Mark Houlihan from Somers, Connecticut, and Stephanie Y. Liem from
Haverford, Pennsylvania, followed by the three college/young professional
division finalists: David Enlow from New York City, Andrew Cornell Pester from
Dayton, Ohio, and Jin-Ah Yoo from Cedar Falls, Iowa. Then the three judges
performed: Frederick Hohman played his own composition, A Patriot's
Processional
, Janette Fishell played Moto
Ostinato
by Petr Eben, and Colin Andrews
played
Concert Variations by
Joseph Bonnet.

After all the festival sponsors were acknowledged and
thanked, the choir sang He Comes to Us
by Jane Marshall (with text from The Quest for the Historical Jesus by Albert
Schweitzer) and the anthem
Go Ye into All the World
style='font-style:normal'> by Robert Wetzler. The concert concluded with all
singing "Let Heaven Rejoice" (tune: Rock Harbor by Alan MacMillan and
text by Hal M. Helms).

On Saturday, September 6, the high school division
competition was held from 10 am to 12 noon, and the college/young professional
division competition from 2-5 pm. The judges made the following decisions: high
school division, first place, $1500, was awarded to Christopher Mark Houlihan,
a junior at Somers High School and a student of John Rose; second place, $500,
was awarded to Stephanie Y. Liem, a junior in high school attending the
Friends' Central School outside Philadelphia, and a student of Michael Stairs.
In the college/young professional division: first place, $3250, was awarded to
David Enlow, a student of John Weaver at the Julliard School in New York City
(this award includes a return concert at First Church of Christ on March 21,
2004 at 7 pm); second place, $1000, was awarded to Andrew Cornell Pester, a
student of Hans Davidsson at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New
York; third place, $500, was awarded to Jin-Ah Yoo, a student of Marilou
Kratzenstein and Melody Steed at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar
Falls, Iowa.

Saturday evening the judges, finalists and invited guests
enjoyed a lavish meal prepared by Dana Spicer at Mainly Tea in Wethersfield. On
Sunday, September 7, the second and third place winners played during the 8,
9:15 and 11 am services of worship, and at 4 pm the two first place winners
were featured in recital. Awards were presented during this concert.

Special thanks to First Church of Christ hosting ASOF/USA
2003, Nancy Andersen, ASOF/USA manager; Karen Franzen, administrative
assistant; Betty Standish, chair of the music committee; David Gilbert for
photography, and to the following sponsors. College/young artist division,
first prize: The Austin Grand Prize Award, $2000, Austin Organs, Inc.,
Hartford; Jenny Fong Award, $300 (given in memory of King-Ao Tze); Helen L.
Reinfrank Award, $200; concert appearance, $750; second prize: The Betty
Standish and Evelyn Lee Award, $500 (given in memory of Richard M. K. Lee);
Dutch Point Credit Union Award, Wethersfield, CT, $500; third prize: Hartford
AGO Chapter, $500. High school division, first prize: Fleet Bank of Hartford
Award, $1500; second prize: Jason Solomonides Award, $500; Judges Award, Helen
L. Reinfrank Music Fund Award. The Albert Schweitzer Organ Festival/USA is
grateful to Bon Smith of Austin Organ Service Co. in Avon, Connecticut for the
gift of tuning and maintenance of the Austin Organ used in this festival.

The repertoire of this year's finalists included Bach: Trio
Sonata No. 5
, BWV 529, Prelude
and Fugue in D Major
, BWV 532, Prelude
and Fugue in f minor
, BWV 534, Prelude
and Fugue in G Major
, BWV 541, Fantasy
and Fugue in g minor
, BWV 542; Franck:
Choral No. 1, Choral No. 2, Choral No. 3
;
Widor: Andante Cantabile (
Symphony No. 4), Allegro Cantabile (Symphony No. 5
style='font-style:normal'>); Dupré:
Cortège et Litanie,
Prelude and Fugue in B
; Barber: Variations
on "What Wondrous Love Is This?"
;
Sowerby:
Toccata; Langlais:
Epilogue (
Hommage à Frescobaldi).

Next year's Albert Schweitzer Organ Festival/USA will be
held September 10-12, 2004. The deadline for competition applications is June
1, 2004. Interested candidates may find information about ASOF/USA 2004 by
visiting our website: <[email protected]> and click on Seventh
Annual Albert Schweitzer Organ Festival/USA or call 860/529-1575 x209.

Seventh annual Albert Schweitzer Organ Festival/USA

David Spicer

David Spicer began as Minister of Music and the Arts at First Church of Christ in Wethersfield, Connecticut in 1986. In 1996 he and Dr. Harold Robles founded the Albert Schweitzer Organ Festival/USA. Spicer is a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied with Dr. Alexander McCurdy, and of the Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

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From September 10-12, 2004, the seventh annual Albert
Schweitzer Organ Festival/USA was held at the First Church of Christ,
Congregational, in Wethersfield, Connecticut. This year two finalists for the
High School Division and four for the Young Professional Division were chosen
to come to Wethersfield and compete.

Finalists for the High School Division were Lily I. Ardalan
from St. Paul, Minnesota and Nathan J. Laube from Gurnee, Illinois. The Young
Professional Division finalists were Adam J. Brakel from Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania; Julia C. Howell from Red Lion, Pennsylvania; Scott Myers from
Doylestown, Pennsylvania; and M. Jonathan Ryan from Charlotte, North Carolina.

The three adjudicators were Cherry Rhodes from Pasadena,
California; John Rose from Hartford, Connecticut; and Frederick Hohman from
South Bend, Indiana, recently named a permanent adjudicator for this
competition.

Finalists began arriving in Wethersfield on Tuesday,
September 7. Each was allowed 41⁄2 hours of practice time on the Austin
pipe organ, Opus 2403, in the church’s historic Meetinghouse. Friday
morning, a tour of the factory of Austin Organs, Inc. in nearby Hartford was
given for the finalists. Friday evening the opening Celebration Concert began
with the Andante from Franck’s Grande Pièce Symphonique
style='font-style:normal'>, played by David Spicer, organist/choirmaster. The
First Church Choirs sang
Psalm 150
by Franck and He Comes to Us by Jane Marshall (text from
The Quest
for the Historical Jesus
by Dr. Albert
Schweitzer) as well as
Go Ye into All the World
style='font-style:normal'> by Robert Wetzler. Dr. Schweitzer’s missionary
work in Africa was underscored by African drumming by costumed drummers
Abubaker and Babafemi (Alvin Carter, Sr. and Alvin Carter, Jr.). Two hymns that
have become a tradition at this opening concert were sung with much enthusiasm
:
Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation
by
Richard W. Dirksen (tune: Christ Church) and
Let Heaven Rejoice
style='font-style:normal'> by Hal M. Helms (text) and Alan MacMillan (music)
(tune: Rock Harbor).

The three judges were the featured performers for this concert.
Cherry Rhodes played Toccata and Fugue in d minor (BWV 565) by Bach; John Rose played Prélude, Fugue et
Variation
, op. 18 by Franck; Frederick
Hohman played
Allegro vivace--Theme with Variations
style='font-style:normal'> (from
Symphony No. 5
style='font-style:normal'>, op. 42, no. 1) by Widor. Finalists and judges were
introduced to all those in attendance.

The required repertoire for the high school competition
included a work by Johann Sebastian Bach (8-12 minutes in length), a slow
movement from one of the Widor symphonies, and a work written after 1885
(3-8 minutes), plus two hymns: I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord
style='font-style:normal'> (St. Thomas) and one selected from a prescribed
list.

Young Professional Division required repertoire included the
same hymn requirements and an extended Bach work selected from a list including
prelude and fugues and trio sonatas, one of the three Franck Chorals, and a
work written by a composer born after 1885 (5-8 minutes in length).

First place winner in the High School Division was Nathan
Laube, who is 16 years old and is attending The Curtis Institute of Music,
studying under Alan Morrison. Before moving to Philadelphia, Nathan studied
organ with Dr. Beth Naegele at the Chicago Academy for the Arts. Second place
was Lily Ardalan who is studying at The Juilliard School under Paul Jacobs. Her
former teachers include Nancy Lancaster and Dean Billmeyer.

First place winner in the Young Professional (college through
age 26) was M. Jonathan Ryan, 22 years old, who is studying at the Eastman
School of Music under David Higgs. Previous organ teachers include André
Lash, Dr. Joyce Jones, and Todd Wilson. Second place was awarded to Scott
Myers, a student of Alan Morrison at The Curtis Institute of Music. During his
high school years, Scott studied with the late Robert Murphy at the Interlochen
Arts Academy in Michigan. Two third place awards were given: to Adam Brakel, a
student of Dr. John Walker at Duquesne University, and to Julia Howell, a
student of Dr. Delbert Disselhorst at the University of Iowa. Before attending
Duquesne, Adam was a student of Dr. William Lindberg. Julia studied at Lebanon
Valley College with Dr. Shelly Moorman-Stahlman.

We are grateful to the following for providing the funds for
the awards for this 2004 competition: College/Young Professional Division first
prize of $3500 provided by Patrick J. Murphy & Associates, Inc. Organ
Builders; second prize of $1000 provided by Betty Willard and David A. Smith;
third prizes, two gifts of $500 provided by the Hartford AGO Chapter. High
School Division first prize of $1500 provided by Ahlborn-Galanti Organs; second
prize of $500 provided by Karen Franzen in memory of Freida Mehre
(1905-2003); judges’ awards provided by Fleet Bank of Hartford,
Connecticut, and Dr. William Zeller in memory of Mr. Arthur Andrews, Julia and
Arleigh Green, and Mary Shonk Zeller.

The Albert Schweitzer Organ Festival/USA 2004 was made
possible by generous gifts provided by Jenny Fong, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Kelly,
Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Mellen, Mr. David Rieck, The Helen L. Reinfrank Music Fund,
Mr. Jason Solomonides, Mr. and Mrs. Leigh Standish, and Mr. Symond Yavener.

We are indebted to the following churches for allowing their
organs to be used for additional practice: Trinity Episcopal Church,
Wethersfield (Bruce Henley, organist/choirmaster); Sacred Heart Roman Catholic
Church, Wethersfield (Father Thomas Campion, Thaddeus Terzo,
organist/choirmaster and Robert and Geri Cashman); St. Joseph’s
Cathedral, Hartford (Ezequiel Menendez, organist/choirmaster); and Christ
Church Cathedral, Hartford (Canon James Barry, organist and choirmaster).

Sunday morning, all finalists shared in playing portions of
the worship services. At 4:00 p.m., first place winners Nathan Laube and M.
Jonathan Ryan played a recital from portions of their competition repertoire.
All awards were presented to the finalists at the start of the recital. Nathan
Laube then played the first movement from Symphonie Romane
style='font-style:normal'> by Widor,
Fantasy and Fugue in g minor
style='font-style:normal'>, BWV 542, by Bach, Andante Sostenuto (from
Symphonie
Gothique
) by Widor, and Fugue on
the name Alain
by Duruflé. M.
Jonathan Ryan played
Miroir by Ad
Wammes,
Prelude and Fugue in a minor,
BWV 543, by Bach,
Toccata by
Monnikendam, and “The World Awaiting the Saviour” (from
Passion
Symphony
, op. 23) by Dupré. The
recital also included the hymn
St. Thomas.

Special thanks go to Gordon Auchincloss, who was on hand
throughout the Saturday competition to offer assistance should the organ need
it, and to Bon Smith of Austin Organ Service Company of Avon, Connecticut, who
graciously gave the gift of tuning for this festival.

Our thanks to Nancy Andersen, festival coordinator; Karen
Franzen, administrative assistant; Betty Standish and Nancy Moodie, ASOF/USA
committee co-chairs for so ably performing the organizational work that made
the ASOF/USA 2004 run smoothly and efficiently. A special note of thanks to
Dana Spicer and Mainly Tea of Wethersfield, which provided a reception for the
three judges on Friday evening, and a wonderful dinner for finalists and judges
on Saturday evening.

The eighth annual Albert Schweitzer Organ Festival/USA will
be held September 9-11, 2005. For information:  860/529-1575 x209;

<[email protected]>;

<www.firstchurch.org/ASOF&gt;.

LP in LA: The 47th National Convention of the American Guild of Organists July 4-9, 2004--PART TWO OF TWO

Larry Palmer and Joyce Johnson Robinson

Larry Palmer is harpsichord editor of THE DIAPASON. Joyce Johnson Robinson is associate editor of THE DIAPASON.

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JR's Journey:

AGO Convention, Los Angeles, July 4-9, 2004

Over 2,000 organists from all 50 states and 17 foreign countries attended this meeting in Los Angeles. Blessed with fine weather, and shepherded to the various venues via comfortable, well-organized bus travel, attendees were able to experience the architecture and the instruments in many famed locations: the new Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles with its new 105-rank Dobson, the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, and of course the new Gehry-designed Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. My personal impressions were of consistently high caliber playing (everyone got an A; there were a few A-pluses, and some A-minuses), fine instruments and amazing spaces, and some interesting new compositions.

Monday

Mary Preston's program took place at Claremont United Church of Christ. Playing the 1998 Glatter-Götz/Rosales op. 2, the vivacious Preston showed spectacular energy as she bit into Jean Guillou's Toccata, a multi-textured wild ride of a piece with its bombast and staccato. Preston did a fine job bringing out the melodic line, which required frequent hopping between manuals. In the more lyrical Duruflé Scherzo, she displayed the beautiful colors of the organ's flute and string choruses. Preston joined forces with narrator Kathie Freeman (an actor, singer, and presently a manager of the Los Angeles Master Chorale) for the world premiere of George Akerley's whimsical and witty A Sweet for Mother Goose, a winner of the Holtkamp-AGO Award in Organ Composition. Based on selected Mother Goose nursery rhymes, the work combines rhythmically notated narration with the organ providing text illustration. Preston then demonstrated muscular playing in Jongen's Sonata eroïca, putting into play the full organ, with its weighty 32' Untersatz.

Ken Cowan played on the 66-rank C.B. Fisk Op. 117 (2002) in the Bridges Hall of Music at Pomona College. The room, with its highly ornamented ceiling, lacks a lively acoustic when filled to capacity. Cowan played his program from memory, beginning with David Conte's moody, cerebral Prelude and Fugue (In memoriam Nadia Boulanger). The Vierne works--Scherzo from Symphonie VI and Clair de Lune--showcased the Fisk's flutes and its assertive strings. Cowan closed with the first salvo in the convention Regerfest, the Fantasie on "Wie schön leucht' uns der Morgenstern, demonstrating the choruses (principal, flute, reed), and unleashing the organ's full power.

In Bridges Auditorium, which reminds one of an old-style movie palace (complete with zodiac images painted on the ceiling), Millennia Consort presented their program; they were at a disadvantage from the acoustic. The room and stage have great depth and width as well as height and length, and the sounds were quickly swallowed up--even the brass seemed underpowered in this great space. Alison J. Luedecke played a Rodgers Trillium 967, which also seemed unable to dominate the space. Its sound was most successful in solo passages; individual colors (particularly flutes) sounded well. But combined with the brass and percussion, it either was drowned out or the sound had a flatness to it.

John Karl Hirten's Variations on Auld Lang Syne presented the tune in various meters and key centers using techniques such as ostinato, inversion, and fugue. In Erica Muhl's Fleet, for percussion and organ, percussionist Beverly Reese Dorcy used a full complement of percussive color--small bells, marimba, vibraphone, drums, hanging cymbal, sheet of metal, and chimes--in varying textures such as percussion against an organ ostinato, and an organ and drum rhythmic onslaught.

Mary Beth Bennett's Preludes to the Apocalypse (like Fleet, a world premiere of an AGO commission), for two trumpets and organ, was inspired by biblical text relating to the Second Coming, the Transfiguration, and the Rapture. David Ashley White's Hymn (from Triptych), commissioned by Luedecke, was a lovely and lyrical movement centering on a hymn tune played by a trumpet offstage, a very striking effect.

Monday afternoon I attended two workshops. My general reaction to the convention workshops was disappointment of two kinds: either they were so well done that you were disappointed they could not have continued and gone into greater depth, or you were just disappointed. The latter type (fortunately, only one instance of this) will receive no further discussion here.

Elmo Cosentini presented a workshop on creating orchestral transcriptions for the organ. Cosentini first gave a bit of history of the transcription and then presented techniques for creating transcriptions. Most helpful were tips for successfully making a transcription that is idiomatic to the organ, such as using registrations that will place lines in the proper octave, and not repeating inappropriate figures from other instruments. The allotted time was insufficient for Cosentini's presentation, and this caused some consternation.

Monday evening, a choral concert was presented at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. The combined choirs (of the cathedral, and the churches of St. Charles Borromeo and St. Cyril of Jerusalem) performed the world premiere of Byron Adams' Praises of Jerusalem, heavily influenced by American (southern Protestant) hymnic style. Morten Lauridsen's Lux Aeterna, a five-movement work, is set to Latin texts, including from the Requiem Mass and Veni sancte spiritus; this is a thematically and texturally rich work that centered on references to light. The final work was Parry's I Was Glad. It was dismaying to hear the choirs, nestled under the overhang formed by the base of the organ case, indirectly through amplification. This also made for balance problems with the organ.

Martin Jean's recital was one of the convention high points. He played Duruflé's transcription of Tournemire's Improvisation sur le Te Deum, followed by Dupré's Symphonie-Passion. It was also the first chance to hear the cathedral's new Dobson instrument on its own, and it did not disappoint. This work (especially the Crucifixion movement), on that instrument, in the great space, along with Jean's cool and collected performance, all combined to form a sublime experience.

Tuesday

Tuesday morning's first stop was UCLA's Royce Hall, to hear UCLA University Organist Christoph Bull play the 1930 Skinner op. 818 (V/104). Not one to waste a minute, Bull strode on stage, slid onto the bench, and immediately struck the opening chord of Reger's Introduction and Passacaglia in d (round two of Regerfest). The full organ is a big sound--almost painful when heard from the balcony. Bull is a visibly passionate and energetic player; he bit into the dissonances of the Reger, and executed an exciting rendition of his own transcription of De Falla's Ritual Fire Dance from El Amor Brujo (displaying the reed chorus, which sounded from the back of the chamber and then front, providing spatial as well as coloristic contrast). Guitarist Scott Tennant then joined him to play the Ian Krouse's Renaissance-flavored Chiacona (after Bertali) for Organ and Guitar (world premiere of this AGO commission), an amplification, both in the volume and technical senses, of Antonio Bertali's work for violin and continuo. (This was the only piece Bull did not play from memory.) Bull closed the program with two more of his own transcriptions. First was Charles Mingus's jazzy Ecclusiastics; Bull is a natural for this type of music and he played with relaxed ease. He then segued into the finale to Mozart's "Jupiter" symphony.

On to St. Cyril of Jerusalem to hear the 1998 Rosales op. 23 (III/45). George Baker, clad in a white shirt and tie, began with the Vierne Third Symphony. His playing expressed the anguish and turmoil in the first movement, was lovely and sweeping in the Cantilène, danced through the scherzo-like Intermezzo, displayed the incredible beauty of the Adagio, and through waves of crescendo and decrescendo built up to the big finish of the Final. Baker made the changes between manuals--and textures--so seamless. The Rosales has powerful bass sounds--full, rumbling, and visceral. Baker's playing in the final passages of the Symphonie almost made one's hair stand on end. The "Lent" movement from Cochereau's Symphonie Improvisée had been  transcribed by Baker (a student of Cochereau's) from a recording. The movement's themes showcased a rich cornet and solo reeds. Baker concluded with his own composition, Tuba Tune Ragtime, a fun-house ride of Joplinesque idiom mixed with trumpet tune style--add the Zimbelstern and references to familiar pieces (including some Vierne and Widor), and you have a slightly wacky, very fun piece.

Robert Bates presented a very fine workshop on new sources and interpretations for early French registrations. This was an update on Fenner Douglass's guidelines as found in his 1969 book The Language of the French Classical Organ. Bates illustrated his talk with a handout of musical examples, and played recorded clips of French--and French-style--organs.

Craig Whitney's workshop entitled "The Organ and its Organists in America" focused in part on winning back audiences for organ music, and "proving the conventional wisdom about organs is wrong." Whitney, a New York Times editor and author of the book All the Stops, is an engaging speaker and his part history, part pep talk lecture was laced with anecdotes and fascinating facts (case in point: Dupré's Passion Symphony was first improvised at Wanamaker's). Whitney emphasized the need to do sufficient publicity for events: "Don't be afraid to be a pain." While the need for publicity may seem self-evident, we see countless examples of too-late publicity notices, or none at all, and the empty rooms that result from such neglect.

Tuesday evening I attended the Evensong service at First Congregational Church of Los Angeles, home to the 1935 Skinner op. 856, a massive collection of organs that, combined, total V/339.  The evening began with Lynne Davis's wonderful playing of Vierne's Toccata in b-flat minor, Marchand's Grand Dialogue in C, and Franck's Choral in E. The All Saints' Choir and the Choir of St. James' were directed by Dale Adelmann and James Buonemani. The service itself began with Adelmann's setting of the spiritual Steal Away to Jesus, heartbreakingly lovely in its crescendi and its hushed whispers of "steal away." There were settings of psalm and canticle settings by Craig Phillips and Herbert Howells, an anthem by Patrick Gowers (composer of the music for the Sherlock Holmes series seen a few years back on public television) and a wonderful homily by the Very Rev. Canon Mary June Nestler, herself a musician who really understands organists. Ladd Thomas capped it all off with that hot fudge sundae of pieces, the Widor Toccata--sweet, rich, and fun.

Wednesday

Back at the same church Wednesday morning, Judith Hancock, assisted by Gerre, began with Mendelssohn's Allegro (Chorale and Fugue); her playing was solid yet flowing, with beautiful articulation. She tackled one of her signature pieces, Petr Eben's challenging Nedìlni Hudba (Sunday Music), exhibiting deft handling of the many manual changes and hand crossings. In the Moto ostinato and Finale movements, through the use of different divisions she created a spatial melody, with sound jumping around the room. The pedal 'drumbeats' in the Finale were wonderful--her quietly disciplined technique made her fancy footwork all the more exciting.

Westwood United Methodist Church is home to a 1995-96 IV/153 Schantz, augmented with 85 digital voices, by Walsh & Tidwell. This is an enormous amount of instrument but it has to fight the acoustical brakes of heavy carpet and pew cushions, among other things. Paul Jacobs (who was at the side door of the church greeting conventioners as they entered!) played his program from memory. He began with a work by John Weaver (Jacobs' teacher and mentor), Toccata for Organ, an aerobic workout that nonetheless was very lyrical and lovely. Margaret Vardell Sandresky's The Mystery of Faith (world premiere and an AGO commission--one of my favorites of the new works) is a beautiful piece, sensitively played by Jacobs, utilizing various colors of the organ as it grows in complexity and volume, then reverting to quiet as it began. Jacobs' playing of the Handel Concerto in g minor was clean, crisp, well-articulated, and nicely ornamented. By now he had worked up enough steam to doff his jacket before playing Reger's Chorale-Fantasy 'Hallelujah! Gott zu loben,' in which Jacobs showed off his blinding technique. He brought out the chorale clearly, through the minefield of tempo and figurational changes (Round 3 of Regerfest).

At Wilshire United Methodist Church, Namhee Han played a program (not listed in our 1-lb. program books) of 'Herr Christ, der ein'ge Gottes Sohn' from the Orgelbüchlein (the only Bach I heard in the convention!), Brahms' O Welt, ich muss dich lassen, and Litaize, Prélude et danse fuguée. Then entered ensemble amarcord, five former choristers of the Thomaskirche in Leipzig. They would have pleased just as a change of pace, but more than that, the purity of their singing, the varied and interesting program choices, even the opportunity to hear Tallis' If Ye Love Me sung one to a part, made this performance another one of the convention's high points. Especially fine was their interpretation of Poulenc's Laudes de Saint Antoine de Padoue, and John Tavener's The Lamb.

The Wednesday night banquet featured actor David Hyde Pierce (star of stage and screens both big and small, including his role as Niles Crane in Frasier, seen by those who didn't have their rehearsals on Thursday nights). Mr. Pierce has studied the organ and served as a church organist, and his anecdotes of his organ-playing days were hilarious; he opened by displaying his organ shoes, and brought down the house with his opinion of mastering the details of ornamentation ('I don't care'). As if that weren't enough, Hector Olivera then dazzled the crowd with his fiery playing on the mighty Roland Atelier AT-90S, which was programmed with sounds that went way beyond the Spitzenundchiffenwerk we had been gorging on all week. He played the Flight of the Bumblebee, with the melody on the pedals at breakneck speed, and channeled Virgil Fox with his breezy interpretation of the Jig Fugue.

Thursday

The buses left early this day for a trip to Garden Grove. Attendees were able to enjoy a bit of the outdoors while strolling around the grounds of the Crystal Cathedral campus. Christopher Pardini, the cathedral's senior organist, demonstrated the 1951 Aeolian-Skinner.

Fred Swann presented a stunning program that opened with Robert Hebble's Heraldings, commissioned for the Cathedral, a fine splashy opening in 'stereo' (more for a truly quadraphonic, really, as it exploited the east and west chamade organs, and full organ of all the divisions). During all this there was racket from numerous noisy birds who seemed to take even the strongest crescendo in stride! In Franck's Choral II, the full organ passages really showed the power of the instrument; and when Swann drew the tremolo, one could feel one's own body trembling. After the Introduction and Passacaglia from Rheinberger's Sonata VIII came another rarely played work, Sowerby's Requiescat in pace, the performance of which was dedicated to the memory of Catharine Crozier. When Swann closed with the Final of Widor's Symphony VI, one of the cathedral's window panels was opened and the birds seem to have vacated the area. Perhaps it was due to the final six chords or so, with the en chamades in full volume.

In the evening was the event everyone had been waiting for: the concert at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, featuring the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the premiere performance of the 4-manual, 109-rank Glatter-Götz/Rosales op. 24, which some have come to refer to as the 'French fry organ,' based on the design of its façade pipes. Voiced assertively enough to stand up to an orchestra and an orchestral hall's acoustic, it had been reputed to be loud, but I found it to be just right. Cherry Rhodes, playing the movable console onstage, and the Philharmonic, led by Alexander Mickelthwate, opened the program with James Hopkins' Concierto de Los Angeles--Visión escondida y Visión revelada, another world premiere/AGO commission; here the organ functioned as ensemble player, and it was up to the task. Organ solo passages in the Concierto demonstrated the various colors of the organ. Next Joseph Adam played from the permanent console, beginning with the last Reger work of the convention, Fantasia über B-A-C-H, then Vierne's Naïades, and Naji Hakim's Hommage à Igor Stravinsky. Here the organ stood on its own, and displayed its wonders full throttle; it dominates the room, in an acoustic that is properly calibrated. Robert Parris and the orchestra then treated the audience to Sowerby's Concerto I in C Major, and the organ, hall, architect, acoustician, and organ builders received the standing ovation that was very much their due.

The spaces and surfaces of the building echo the sweeping, billowing shapes seen on the exterior; even the shape of the curved organ pipes is echoed, with what looked like a stub of a 64-foot pipe (curved, of course). One had the feeling of being on a large sailboat (Gehry, it turns out, is a sailor . . . )

Friday

All the attendees returned to the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. The last organ recital was presented by Samuel S. Soria, cathedral organist, playing Alec Wyton's Fanfare, Howell's Psalm Prelude, Set 2, No. 1, and Sowerby's Fast and Sinister (if there was this much Sowerby in Los Angeles, what will be left to hear in Chicago in 2006?). We had previously sat right in the line of fire of the organ; this time we were on the other side, with the pipework aiming past us to the left, yet the organ sounded much louder and clearer than it did before. The annual meeting included an improvisation (with references to the tune of Chicago, Chicago, That Toddlin' Town) by Peter Krasinski, the 2002 improvisation competition winner. The closing concert was presented by the Los Angeles Master Chorale, directed by Grant Gershon and with William Beck at the organ. The chorale stood front and center and was not assisted by microphones. Their wonderfully varied program included Byrd's Sing Joyfully, Billings' Beneficence, Jordan, and Chester, Michael Bedford's Psalm 96 (winner of the AGO/ECS Publishing Award in Choral Composition), with trumpeter Roy Poper, Fauré's Cantique de Jean Racine, the sublime Duruflé Ubi Caritas, Pärt's Solfeggio and The Beatitudes, Thompson's Alleluia, Roger Wagner's arrangement of Alleluia (The Old 100th), and Finzi's God Is Gone Up.

It could not have been a more satisfying conclusion to a week that was exhausting but enjoyable, at times even inspiring--an opportunity to hear marvelous new instruments in visually and acoustically awesome spaces, and a feast of new music to boot.

Congratulations, Los Angeles!

University of Michigan 44th Conference on Organ Music

Herman D. Taylor & Gordon Atkinson

Dr. Gordon Atkinson is a Past President of the Royal Canadian College of Organists. His latest composition, Soliloquy No. 2, was premiered by Dr. Barrie Cabena at St. James’ Cathedral, Toronto, on September 24, 2004, with other pieces from an album written in memory of Gerald Bales, a former organist and director of music at St. Mark’s Cathedral, Minneapolis.

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The University of Michigan School of Music held its 44th Conference on Organ Music October 3-6, 2004, under the direction of Dr. Marilyn Mason, Chairman of the Organ Department. This year’s conference featured the organ music of France, focusing primarily on the later 19th to mid-20th centuries, and offered the 12 major organ works of Franck and all ten organ symphonies of Widor. Hill Auditorium was the perfect venue, having recently undergone a total refurbishing throughout, with considerable work being done on the organ, on which this music can be faithfully realized with fidelity to the composers’ intentions.

Sunday

Dr. James Kibbie, organ professor at Michigan, opened the conference on Sunday afternoon performing Trois Pièces by César Franck and Symphonie VI en sol mineur, Op. 32/2, by Charles-Marie Widor. In his usual manner, Kibbie performed flawlessly without score and with ultimate grace and ease, fulfilling the demands of this repertoire. He knows the Hill Auditorium organ intimately so that Widor’s intentions were faithfully realized.

Sunday evening’s recital featured the Widor Symphonie VIII en si majeur, Op. 42, no. 4. This six-movement work was shared by organ students of Michigan Professor Robert Glasgow: Susan De Kam performing the first three movements and Elizabeth Claar the last three. Both performers acquitted themselves admirably.

Monday

Monday’s events began with Seth Nelson, a doctoral student of Dr. Mason, performing the Widor Symphonie I, en ut mineur, Op. 13. Mr. Nelson was able to realize all the intricacies of this composition with a solid technique and full utilization of the organ’s considerable resources. It was refreshing for performers to have at their disposal an instrument that could realize everything indicated by the composer without compromise.

Dr. John Near, Professor of Music and College Organist at Principia College, is perhaps the leading authority on Widor, as is reflected in his 1984 doctoral dissertation, “The Life and Work of Charles-Marie Widor,” and his many publications, including a ten-volume annotated edition of the Widor organ symphonies. His presentation was replete with all manner of interesting and fascinating details about metronomic and tempo markings, touches and rubato. This kind of detail gave valuable insights into 19th-century French organ music in general and Widor in particular.

We were feted in the early afternoon by Dr. Marilyn Mason and two of her students, Shin-Ae Chun and James Wagner, performing Trois Chorals by Franck. These well-known compositions received scrupulous attention to every detail in terms of phrasing, registration and style. There was not a hint of the sameness one might expect from Professor Mason and her young charges. Instead, each placed her/his own stamp of individuality on each chorale in a convincing way.

Later in the afternoon Dr. Carolyn Shuster Fournier performed a recital of well-known works, which included Berceuse and Final (Symphony I) by Vierne; Prélude, Fugue et Variation by Franck, and Guilmant’s Grand Choeur in re majeur, among others. Dr. Fournier performs with a decidedly tasteful flair, élan, and elegance that demand her listeners’ attention. Her intimate knowledge and understanding of the music was immediately transmitted to the audience as her playing ranged from a barely audible whisper to thunderous outbursts. Hers was a thoroughly enjoyable recital and musical experience.

Due to time constraints, Mr. James Wagner, doctoral candidate in church music/organ performance, gave an abbreviated, but very fine lecture on “A foretaste of things to come,” which focused on César Franck’s Grande Pièce Symphonique, Op. 17. He had compiled a thoroughly detailed handout that included a quite useful bibliography. We even had the opportunity to sing a number of the nine themes to which Mr. Wagner had creatively assigned appropriately descriptive and colorful names.

To close the day, Jean-Pierre Lecaudey, an organist of international repute who performs at major festivals in Europe and North America, performed with absolute aplomb the Widor Symphonie Gothique, Op. 70; Prélude and Fugue on the Name of Alain, Op. 7, by Maurice Duruflé; and the Grand Pièce Symphonique, Op. 17, by César Franck. One very impressed conferee described his playing as “effortless, elegant, with great ease, with fidelity to the music, and with wonderful style.” Fine praise, indeed.

All performers are to be highly praised and roundly applauded for consistently fine performances despite severely restricted practice time. Organ technicians stood at the ready at all times to touch-up here and there, and a marvelous spirit of cooperation, tolerance and understanding was the order of the day among all concerned. The end result was a conference absolutely second to none!

--Herman D. Taylor

Professor Emeritus of Music

Eastern Illinois University,

Charleston, Illinois

Director of Music and Organist

Church of the Immaculate Conception,

 Mattoon, Illinois

Tuesday

On Tuesday, October 5, students of Marilyn Mason played Widor’s Symphony VII. Luke Davis, Abigail Woods, Christine Chun, Kirsten Hellman and David Saunders all demonstrated  knowledge of the required style in the movements played.

In his lecture, “Franck’s Grand Pièce Symphonique,” Jean-Pierre Lecaudey, St. Rémy Cathedral, France, provided in fine detail his examination of the structure. The excellent handout showed the four movements of the work with its classic and traditional harmonic form, illustrating Franck’s genius in his use of themes in this creation of a real symphony.

John Near’s lecture, “Charles-Marie Widor: his relation to the French Symphonic organ and Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, ‘the poet-architect of sounds’,” showed the strong relationship between Widor and Cavaillé-Coll that began when Widor’s father was organist at St. François de Salle in Lyon, with its fine Cavaillé-Coll instrument. In his memoirs Widor wrote, “I was born in an organ pipe.” He proceeded to study with Lemmens and Fétis. Cavaillé-Coll sponsored the 25 year-old Widor’s candidacy as organist at St. Sulpice, which resulted in Widor’s 60-year tenure. The symphonic organ, a veritable orchestra with its divided chests, different wind pressures, mechanical action with Barker levers and vast dynamic range was a stimulus to Widor’s writing.

Carolyn Shuster Fournier, organist of the choir organ at La Trinité Church, Paris, in her lecture on Cavaillé-Coll’s secular organs, drew attention to instruments installed in royal palaces, residences, theaters, and concert halls. Cavaillé-Coll wrote letters about organs in order to promote better, high quality music. Among his largest non-church instruments were those at Albert Hall, Sheffield, England with three enclosed divisions, destroyed by fire, and the Trocadero in Paris, to which was added, at a later date, a 10-stop non-expressive solo division. Alexandre Guilmant was titulaire at the Trocadero; 15 concerts were played at the opening celebrations. (James Kibbie replicated one of these programs at the Sunday afternoon recital.) Large choral societies were formed to sing in these halls, and major works were performed, including Bach’s Magnificat, Handel’s Messiah and Israel in Egypt.

Michele Johns performed Widor’s Symphony V, the Allegro Vivace’s heroic opening statement and succeeding variations well-defined. Contrast of color and mood was achieved between the Adagio and the well-known Toccata.

The evening concert was held at the skillfully restored Blessed Sacrament Cathedral in Detroit with its fine acoustics. Olivier Latry of Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, played Vierne’s Symphony III on the 1925 Casavant in the rear choir loft. In his considered and telling performance, the architecture of the symphony was clearly shown, the last three movements--Intermezzo, Adagio and Final--exquisitely drawn. Norah  Duncan IV directed the  Archdiocesan Chorus and Wayne State University Concert Choir in Vierne’s Messe Solennelle for chorus and two organs, with Olivier Latry playing the rear instrument, and Shari Flore playing the 2003 Austin at the front of the cathedral. From the rear organ’s arresting opening chords of the Kyrie eleison, the choirs’  dramatic dynamics and fine shading throughout, and the choir organist’s significant part contributed to a performance of great beauty. M. Latry playing the Austin displayed his enormous improvisational skills in his treatment of Veni, Creator Spiritus.

Wednesday

On Wednesday, October 6, back in Ann Arbor, Widor’s Symphony III was played by James Kibbie’s students. Alan Knight, David Schout, Matthew Bogart, Isaac Brunson and Thomas Kean all showed familiarity with the movements chosen.

In John Near’s authentically stylish playing of Widor’s Symphony X (Romane), the last movement is perhaps the most colorful harmonically in all of Widor’s music. In Near’s lecture he stated that Widor was a constant reviser of his writing, going back to refine and show further thought in many compositions.

At the 2003 conference Joseph Daniel played movements from Widor’s Symphony IV. This year he played the complete work in which the Fugue’s flowing lines and the Scherzo’s delicate rhythmic pulse were well maintained.

Dr. Mason introduced the university’s organ technician Jerry Adams and his associate Gordon Mendenhall and thanked them for returning the Hill Auditorium organ to playing condition after three years’ silence during the renovation of the auditorium.

Prior to a seminar in which Marilyn Mason, Robert Glasgow, James Kibbie, Michele Johns and John Near took part, Dr. Mason asked the audience to stand, remembering Searle Wright (in whose memory the conference was dedicated), Margaret White, a regular conferee, and  Bill Jones. From the discussion, many points were brought forward: Widor played in recital independent movements of the symphonies; the spiritual and serene quality of the Romane was emphasized; the composer’s favorites were Symphony V and the Gothique; and he thought Symphony VIII would be his last in order that he might concentrate on writing theater and ballet music. He arranged the first and last movements of Symphony VI for orchestra and organ, and the first movement of Symphony II went through many revisions.

At a late afternoon reception held at the home of Marilyn Mason and her husband William Steinhoff, players, lecturers and conferees enjoyed fine weather and fine food.

In the evening Franck’s Fantaisie in C, Op. 16, Pastorale, Op. 19, Prière, Op. 20 and Final, Op. 21 were played by Charles Kennedy, David Saunders, Joseph Daniel, and Susan DeKam. Jason Alden played Widor’s Symphony II with great style and assurance bringing this conference to a fine conclusion.

To hear all ten Widor symphonies  and Franck’s twelve pieces in four days is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and thanks must be given to the Organ Department at the University of Michigan, Dr. Marilyn Mason, chair, Dr. Robert Glasgow, Dr. James Kibbie, Dr. Michele Johns, the lecturers, performers and  students of the department. Famed for its acoustics, the refurbished Hill Auditorium, now in glorious blues, greens, red and gilt, added to this unique event; “ . . . like being inside a Fabergé egg,” said one enthusiast.

--Gordon Atkinson

LP in LA: The 47th National Convention of the American Guild of Organists July 4-9, 2004--PART ONE OF TWO

Larry Palmer and Joyce Johnson Robinson

Larry Palmer is harpsichord editor of THE DIAPASON. Joyce Johnson Robinson is associate editor of THE DIAPASON.i

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LP in LA: The 47th National Convention of the American Guild of Organists July 4-9, 2004

More than 2000 organ enthusiasts spent an exhilarating week in the City of the Angels, enjoying a well-paced, well-organized schedule of high-quality musical events. Los Angeles weather, cool and sunny, was a joy after a month of unusually abundant rain in Texas.

In a sense, each person experienced a unique convention, since many of the morning programs were given two or three times in order to accommodate the number of attendees, and afternoon activities had been pre-selected from the more than 60 workshops and competition rounds offered. Evening events usually accommodated the entire convention, the exception being Tuesday's three concurrent services of worship. Perception and reception of particular events, thus, were influenced by the particular sequence in which they were experienced. For instance, Monday morning's "green group" progression of three recitals provided a satisfying order, while Wednesday's schedule did not. 

Rather than a chronological, day by day report, here are some high points from "my" convention choices.

The Walt Disney Concert Hall and the first public performances on its Glatter-Götz/Rosales organ

Architect Frank Gehry's landmark building, new home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, is a striking and beautiful creation, immediately taking its place among America's most exciting concert halls. This 274 million dollar project pays apt tribute to American film maker Walt Disney with its decidedly whimsical and non-traditional architecture, and Gehry's organ case satisfies Lillian Disney's request that the organ not suggest a church. The controlled chaos of the pipe façade is the visual focus of the concert room; it is, however, well integrated into the hall, largely due to the use of the same wood, Douglas fir, for pipes, wall, and ceiling.

The 109-rank, four-manual organ is equipped with two consoles. In traditional case placement, the mechanical-action one was utilized for Joseph Adam's solo performances of Reger's Fantasia on BACH, Vierne's Naïades (played fleetly with impressionistic bravura), and Danse and Finale from Naji Hakim's Hommage à Igor Stravinsky. A movable, electric-action console, placed in front of the orchestra to the left of conductor Alexander Mickelthwate, allowed proper soloists' positions for organists Cherry Rhodes, in the program-opening premiere of James Hopkins' Concierto de Los Angeles, and Robert Parris, for the rarely-heard Concerto I in C Major of Leo Sowerby.

Architect Gehry was in attendance; so was the acoustician Yasuhisa Toyota, and the organ builders. A pre-concert stroll through Melinda Taylor's stunning gardens allowed an opportunity to view Gehry's rose-shaped fountain created from 8,000 hand-broken pieces of blue and white Delft china--his "Rose for Lilly," in honor of Mrs. Disney.

Solo Organ Performances

Mary Preston at the Glatter-Götz organ opus 2 (1998) in Claremont United Church of Christ

Dallas Symphony resident organist Mary Preston played a perfectly constructed program on a splendid mechanical-action organ in a church with sympathetic acoustical environment. At her third performance of the morning Ms. Preston elicited spontaneous (and forbidden) applause with a compelling opening work, Jean Guillou's dazzling, difficult, and complex Toccata; left us spellbound with the magical gossamer conclusion of Duruflé's Scherzo; showed both charm and considerable comedic ability in George Akerley's A Sweet for Mother Goose (six movements for organ and narrator based on familiar nursery rhymes); and displayed an absolutely magisterial rhythmic control in Jongen's Sonata eroïca. Program notes by Laurie Shulman pointed out a musical connection between Jongen and Messiaen, an analogy strengthened by the happily chirping birds heard through open windows on the right side of the church.  Human auditors were equally ecstatic at this stellar performance.

Martin Jean at the Dobson organ in the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels

Yale University's Martin Jean gave a riveting performance of the complete Dupré Passion Symphony as conclusion to the second half of the first concert attended by the entire convention crowd. Spanish architect Rafael Moneo's massive cathedral, dedicated in 2002, seats 3,000 people in a spacious contemporary edifice of restrained elegance. The four-manual, 105-rank Dobson organ fills this space with noble and powerful sounds, as expected from its impressive 32-foot façade principals and dominating horizontal reeds. The organ performance was all the more appreciated coming as it did after a choral performance of works by Byron Adams, Morten Lauridsen, and C. Hubert H. Parry horribly amplified through the Cathedral's public address system. (Seated in the last row, we heard the choral sounds through crackling speakers positioned in the downward pointing, trumpet-shaped central posts of the chandeliers; any hope of a balance with the accompanying organ was thereby destroyed.)

Samuel Soria at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels

Cathedral organist Samuel Soria played a prelude-recital before the Friday morning business meeting of the American Guild of Organists. Wanting to hear the Dobson organ from the best possible vantage point, we eschewed bus transport, walked the few blocks from the convention hotel to the cathedral, got there before the crowd, and chose an optimal seat in the left transept, diagonally across from the organ case. There the organ had splendid presence, character, and all the fullness one could want, qualities well illustrated in the playing of this talented young man. An appreciated tie-in to AGO history, his opening piece, Fanfare by past-president Alec Wyton, displayed the organ's horizontal reeds to fine advantage.  Atmospheric impressionism was equally well served in Herbert Howells' Psalm Prelude, set 2, number 1 ("De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine") with its steady crescendo from the softest stop to a mighty full organ climax, and the corollary retreat to near silence. But it was in Sowerby's fiendishly difficult middle movement from his Symphony in G ("Fast and Sinister"--listed in the program as "Faster") that Soria best displayed his formidable technique and sense of the work's architecture, giving a sensitive, secure reading of this quintuple-meter tour de force.

Christopher Lane at the NYACOP Finals in St. James Episcopal Church

One of three finalists to compete in the National Young Artists Competition in Organ Performance, Lane, a student at the Eastman School of Music, gave the only playing of the required Roger-Ducasse Pastorale to realize both its delicacy and forward sweep. With no lack of virtuosity in the culminating mid-section "storm" music, Lane also limned the delicate contrapuntal writing in this unique organ work from the French composer.  Judges Craig Cramer, Bruce Neswick, and Kathryn Pardee, deliberating at length, chose Yoon-Mi Lim (Bloomington) as first place winner. Dong-ill Shin (Boston) was the third contestant.  Additional required repertoire played by all three contestants included Deux Danses (Le miroir de Meduse and Le Cercle des Bacchantes) by California composer James Hopkins, and Bach's Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C, BWV 654, the only organ work by the master included in the published convention program book. (This final competition round was heard by approximately one-tenth of the convention registrants.) One additional Bach piece, a chorale prelude from the Orgelbüchlein, Herr Christ, der ein'ge Gottes Sohn, BWV 601, was played simply and stylistically by Namhee Han, a guest organist who gave the pre-concert recital before ensemble amarcord's program at Wilshire United Methodist Church. Ms. Han holds the Ph.D. in applied linguistics and is currently studying for her MM in organ at UCLA.

Paul Jacobs at Westwood United Methodist Church

Young Mr. Jacobs, playing from memory, had no technical or musical limitations during his noontime playing of the monumental Reger Chorale-Fantasy on Hallelujah, Gott zu loben. It was refreshing to hear Handel's G-minor Organ Concerto (opus 4, no. 1) as a representative (albeit in transcription) of the conspicuously absent baroque organ repertoire. Jacobs' attractive program also included John Weaver's Toccata and the premiere of Margaret Vardell Sandresky's The Mystery of Faith. With four manuals and 153 pipe ranks, the Schantz organ could have recused the added 85 digital voices to the advantage of the whole.

Lynne Davis at First Congregational Church

American organist Lynne Davis has spent much of her distinguished career in France. For her pre-service recital before Evensong she played three works from the French organ repertoire: Vierne's Toccata in B-flat minor, opus 53/6, Marchand's Grand Dialogue in C, and Franck's mighty Choral in E Major on the immense composite organs of First Congregational Church, comprising five manuals, 339 ranks, and seven digital voices for a truly "surround sound" experience. It was playing of intensity with a distinctly personal approach; especially in the Franck, Ms. Davis presented a nuanced, individual, and ultimately satisfying reading of this Romantic masterwork. In the Marchand, the organ certainly provided commanding reeds for a classic French Grand Jeu, but seemed to be lacking a Cromhorne of sufficiently aggressive character to assure a proper balance for the accompanying voices.

Choral Performances

ensemble amarcord at Wilshire United Methodist Church

The five-man vocal ensemble, all former members of the St. Thomas Choir of Leipzig, filled several unique categories at this convention: they were the only Europeans engaged for the program, and they gave the only ensemble presentation of a work by J. S. Bach, a two-stanza chorale from the Kreuzstab Cantata, BWV 56, "Du, o schönes Weltgebäude." It received an especially eloquent performance, with words perfectly articulated, and the almost-painfully beautiful suspensions viscerally calibrated for maximum tension and release of the piquant harmonies. The particularly welcome program alternated early music (stark and athletic organum, supple Byrd motets, the familiar Tallis anthem If Ye Love Me, elegant in its noble simplicity) with 20th (and 21st) century choral works.  The concluding Gloria (2001) by Sidney Marquez Boquiren was performed with the singers in a circle.  Long-held dissonant chords built around an ostinato pitch, were sustained throughout with nearly-unbelievable breath control. Repeated text phrases swirled like incense to create an unforgettable shimmer of sound. From start to finish this was virtuoso music making, with not a microphone or speaker to mar the sound.

Dale Adelmann's setting of the Spiritual "Steal Away to Jesus"

Heard as the Introit for the Service of Evensong at First Congregational Church, this, and the equally exquisite singing of Herbert Howells' St. Paul's Service by the choirs of All Saints' and St. James' Episcopal Churches, conducted by Adelmann and James Buonemani, proved to be the full ensemble choral highlights of the convention for this listener. Of course, choirs need to be superb at these services to compare with the hymn singing of a thousand, or more, organists, most of them paying attention to punctuation, pitch, and proper vocal production. It makes for participatory experiences that remain in the memory.

New Music

David Conte: Prelude and Fugue (In Memoriam Nadia Boulanger) for Organ Solo. E. C. Schirmer No. 6216.

What a way to begin the first solo organ recital of a convention! A single pedal B-flat sang out gently. Then a theme, beginning with the opening intervals of Raison's (and J. S. Bach's) Passacaglia was spun into a 14-measure cantilena, after which the solemn five-minute Prelude built slowly, always above the continuing pedal point. The ensuing Fugue, its memorable subject carefully shaped by Ken Cowan at the recent Fisk organ in Bridges Hall of Music at Pomona College, fulfilled the promise of the Prelude, moving inexorably from duple to triple accompanimental figurations, and building to a full climax with pedal flourishes. A work worthy of Maurice Duruflé or Gabriel Fauré, and a fitting tribute, as well, to Boulanger, the great French teacher with whom Conte studied for three years early in his career.

George Akerley: A Sweet for Mother Goose for Organ and Narrator. Hinshaw Music, Inc. HPO3009

Winner of the 2004 Holtkamp-AGO award in organ composition, this charmer of a suite weds appropriately pictorial music with rhythmically notated texts for the narrator in a pleasure giving work that should find its way into many organ recital programs. (It is music for young persons of all ages.) "Little Bo-Peep" allows the organist to take off on an extended pedal cadenza, to be halted only by the irritated shout of the narrator. The head of a school instructs her charges on good behavior in "The Clock." There's Irish musical color aplenty in "The Cats of Kilkenny," and, after a recitation of the poetry, the organist plays a solo tone poem to illustrate the "Tale of Miss Muffet." Mathematical note groupings provide comment for "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe;" while the concluding movement ("The Fiddlers") provides chuckles of recognition with its ritornello based on the famous Widor Toccata. That it was so well presented by Mary Preston, with the ebullient Kathy Freeman as narrator, made for a memorable premiere indeed.

Denis Bédard: Duet Suite for Organ and Piano (Details: www.majoya.com)

Duo Majoya (Marnie Giesbrecht, organ; Joachim Segger, piano) gave a most unusual recital at Bel-Air Presbyterian Church. Two Canadian composers provided commissioned works for the Duo; each had some interesting musical ideas to communicate. The more accessible work was this Suite, comprising an Introduction, Fughetta, Menuetto, Romance, and Final, full of wit, good humor, and memorable melodies, many reminiscent of Poulenc's catchy and romantic voice. Three movements from Jeffrey McCune's Crossing to Byzantium, and his arrangement of Stravinsky's Danse infernale de roi Katschei from The Firebird, plus Joe Utterback's brief Images: A Jazz Set completed the program, which would have benefited from more textural variety, perhaps provided by a solo offering from each of these fine players. The Bel-Air organ, reconstituted from a Casavant instrument heavily damaged in the 1994 Northridge earthquake, now consists of 60 pipe ranks plus 91 digital voices, including both Cherubim and Seraphim hanging speakers: not a particularly happy marriage of sounds for this hilltop-sited church.

Other newly-commissioned and prize-winning works heard at convention events I attended included anthems by Byron Adams and Michael Bedford, works for instruments with organ by Mary Beth Bennett, Ian Krouse, and Erica Muhl, plus the Hopkins and Sandresky works mentioned previously, as well as an anthem by Williametta Spencer, premiered in the Ecumenical Protestant service, not on my schedule. 

Workshops

Organ Recordings from the Past, David McVey's self-effacing session on gems from the audio history of organ playing, was a model of effective, well thought-out presentation. All the requisite citations were listed in a spacious 8-page handout. The motto "Res ipsa locutor [The thing speaks for itself]" was borne out as McVey kept comment to a minimum in order to allow complete performances of works recorded by Widor (Andante sostenuto from his Gothic Symphony, committed to disc in 1932), Tournemire (Chorale-Improvisation on "Victimae paschali," 1930), Thalben-Ball (Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries, 1931), Sowerby (his Carillon, 1946), Schreiner (Vierne's Naïades, 1959), Biggs (Daquin's Noël grand jeu et duo at the 1936 Aeolian-Skinner organ of the Germanic Museum at Harvard), Fox (Bach's Passacaglia at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, 1963), and Crozier (Dupré's Prelude and Fugue in G minor, opus 7/3, 1959).

Panel Discussion on the Disney Hall Organ, ably moderated by Jonathan Ambrosino, with organ builders Caspar von Glatter-Götz and Manuel Rosales, architect Craig Webb from Gehry Partners, and organ consultant Michael Barone.

An overflow crowd of 500 assembled to hear the whys and wherefores behind the inspiration and evolution of Gehry's unusual organ design for the new hall, and the challenges posed during the installation of the instrument. 

Extra-musical happenings

Television personality and actor David Hyde Pierce (of Frasier fame) brought along the necessary props: his organ shoes, a book of registrations copied down at some early lessons (numbers only, no stop names), a tattered copy of the Gleason Method. Pierce, who really did study organ with several noted teachers, took his audience through a quick course on ornamentation ("I don't care"), temperament, and various other organ-specific arcana. The huge crowd responded with almost-constant hilarity.

The Very Rev. Canon Mary June Nestler's sermon at Evensong moved with quiet humor from her own experiences as a voice student through some of the shared vicissitudes of the organist's profession (especially vis-à-vis relationships with the clergy) to a sound theological conclusion, and a prayer for peace.

Class Acts

Frederick Swann: organist and AGO president extraordinaire

Both for a very fine recital at the Crystal Cathedral, his "home base" during the years 1982-1998, and for his deft, unpretentious handling of the American Guild of Organists presidency, Swann deserves high accolades. Always in command of the music he played, never pompous or overbearing in his official actions, Fred serves as an exemplary leader for the national organization, and he represents the profession well with his high musical and personal standards.  Who would not love him for his one-sentence disposal of the listed "Presidential Remarks" at the national meeting? Kudos, as well, for his service as performances chair of the convention. The artists selected for the program were consistently top-notch.

The Convention Committee

To Dr. Robert Tall and his legions of hardy workers for the stellar planning and smooth organization of a first-rate convention, especially noted in the efficient and on time management of the necessary bus transportation. Mailing the convention program book (itself a work of art) more than a month before the actual event allowed attendees the opportunity for advance preparation and orientation. Bravi tutti!

Additional Observations

It was my first experience to see two hotel elevators (in the headquarters hotel, the Westin Bonaventure) marked with historic plaques, noting their use by actor (now Governor) Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1993 movie The Terminator.

Crystal Cathedral organist Christopher Pardini's fine performances of The Joy of the Redeemed, composed by AGO founding member Clarence Dickinson, not only showcased the Aeolian-Skinner organ in the Cathedral's Arboretum, but served as an effective aural connection to an important figure in the Guild's history.

What a savvy idea to present this year's AGO President's Award to Craig Whitney, an assistant managing editor at The New York Times and author of the best selling book All the Stops. His enthusiastic and engaging writing about the world of organ music and its personalities has provided  some much needed popular awareness for the profession.

Peter Krasinski's masterful organ improvisation at the AGO annual meeting was based on the song "Chicago, Chicago," a theme selected and presented to him by improvisation committee chair Ann Labounsky. This served as a not-so-subliminal aural advertisement for the next national convention, to be held July 2-6, 2006.

 

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