the mighty Flentrop in concert presented by the organists of St. Columba s Episcopal Church

Transcription

1 the mighty Flentrop in concert presented by the organists of St. Columba s Episcopal Church February 8, 2015

2 the mighty Flentrop in concert presented by the organists of St. Columba s Episcopal Church Sunday, February 8, 2015 at two o clock W e lcome to St. Columba s! We re glad you could join us as we celebrate our Flentrop pipe organ and the organists who enrich our parish life with their music. Built in 1981 by the Flentrop Orgelbouw at Zaandam in the Netherlands, the organ has had a mighty influence on the worship and music of this parish church. It has supported congregational singing, helped train generations of boy and girl choristers and played a role in the development of numerous organists, many of whom began their studies as children. An initial gift from the estate of June Yeager and contributions from members of St. Columba s and others provided funds for the building of this tracker instrument. Early in the life of the organ, we celebrated its Dutch roots with a visit from Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and Senator J. William Fulbright, who was responsible for fellowships that allowed American organists to study in Europe. It is a mighty instrument, indeed. We are grateful to our parish organists and all those who have helped make this concert possible. St. Columba s Episcopal Church is a vibrant community filled with enthusiastic music makers and music lovers. Our music ensembles include volunteer choirs from ages six through adult, an orchestra, handbell choirs and a recorder ensemble. Please visit Columba.org to learn more about our music program, or contact John Hurd, director of music (jhurd@columba.org) if you would like to get involved. Cover illustration by Robert Haslach Concert graphic by Kathryn Burke

3 Program Praeludium in G minor (BuxWV 149) John Sides Dietrich Buxtehude ( ) Tiento de medio registro de tiple de quarto, de diez y seis Francisco Correa de Arauxo ( ) Batalla de sexto tono Kathleen Cooper José Jimenez (c ) Tu Devicto Mortis (You Conquered Death) Carolyn Hoff published by Pierre Attaingnant (c ) Sonatina for Worship Sophie Ewing Robert Jones (b. 1932) Pièce d orgue (BWV 572) Stephen Smith J. S. Bach ( ) Suite on the Fifth Mode Justus Parrotta Praeludium Scherzo Meditation Toccata (b. 1988) Diane Heath Carillon de Westminster (Op. 54, No. 6) John Hurd Louis Vierne ( )

4 Program notes Praeludium in G minor (Buxwv 149) Dietrich Buxtehude Before Bach, there was Buxtehude ( ). Many scholars consider that it was with Dietrich Buxtehude that the north German school of the middle Baroque flowered. Kerala J. Snyder, professor emerita of musicology at Eastman School of Music, states that his chorale based praeludia, written down improvisations on chorales, were the summit of his art. Buxtehude s preludia are unique and unusual for their time. In this great Praeludium in G minor, listen for the unusual free opening section that separates two fugues, and for the inclusion of a ciaccona, a Baroque dance form in variation. Tiento de medio registro de tiple de quarto, de diez y seis Francisco Correa de Arauxo Music on the Iberian Peninsula during the Baroque era was very different from that of the rest of Europe. This tiento is an example of organ music written for medio registro, a divided keyboard typical of organs in Spain and Portugal during El Siglo de oro Español, (The Golden Age). A colorful, soloistic rank of pipes, such as a reed or cornet, when engaged, would sound from only one half of the keyboard, thus allowing one hand to play highly ornamented improvisational lines against a contrasting accompaniment played by the other hand. Francisco Correa de Arauxo ( ), an organist from Seville, Spain, composed the Libro de tientos y discursos de musica practica, y theorica de organo: intitulado Facultad organica, sixty-nine works of assigned level of difficulty accompanied by detailed technical notes, as an instructional treatise. His work is true to the Spanish form and style of the day modal, florid contrapuntal music full of ornamental turns and passages of sixteenth notes with frequent changes of meter and generally restless affective character but it is very innovative for its time with strange chromaticism and dissonances, unusual rhythms and both somber and strident colors. Batalla de sexto tono (Escorial A, f.84 r) José Jimenez A batalla is a musical depiction of a battle using devices such as trumpet calls (llamadas), echoes, cannons, fanfares, cries and drum rolls. Although specific registration was rarely indicated, it exploits perfectly the more colorful and unique features of baroque Iberian organs such as horizontal ranks of trumpets, echo divisions, flutes and reeds resembling pifero and bagpipes. José Jiménez (or José Ximénez or Jusepe Ximénez (ca or 1678) was a Spanish organist and composer born in Zaragoza. He became the assistant of Sebastian Aguilera de 4

5 Heredia in 1620 and succeeded him as principal organist at La Seo. In 1654 he turned down an appointment to the royal chapel in Madrid, and seems to have spent the rest of his life in Zaragoza. Tu Devicto Mortis (You Conquered Death) published by Pierre Attaingnant Attaingnant lived in the first half of the 16th century in Paris and was probably the earliest printer in France to employ moveable type in music printing. The composer is unknown. This little piece is from Tabulature pour le jeu d orgues of The title indicates it my have been written for the Easter season or may have been part of a Te Deum. Sonatina for Worship Robert Jones Young piano students are often introduced to the organ through modest pieces that prepare churchgoers for worship. This Sonatina is just such a piece. Piece d orgue (BWV 572) Johann Sebastian Bach J. S. Bach was undoubtedly influenced by Buxtehude in his writing for organ, although in this composition, a Fantasia in G, he looks to the French style. British organist Peter Williams calls the opening of Fantasia in G major BWV 572 highly original. The fantasia has no close parallel elsewhere, despite the Buxtehude-like toccata. The work itself is a tour de force in harmonic manipulation. Listen for the three sections. Each, according to Williams, pushes its ideas beyond the bounds of its supposed tradition. Suite on the Fifth Mode Justus Parrotta The composer s notes on his interesting composition gives understanding to the term mighty for the Flentrop pipe organ, as Justus Parrota has explored the instrument since his first days as an organ student. The Suite on the Fifth Mode, commissioned for the organ at St. Columba s and premiered on New Year s Eve 2012, explores the various combinations and timbres of the Flentrop. The fifth church mode is named the Mixolydian mode. The Prelude is conceived as North German Praeludium and a French Plein Jeu form with jazzy mixed meter and chromaticism. Scherzo relies on sparkling gap registrations and ends with a humorous honk from the 16 reed stop in the pedal. Meditation introduces lush textures of 8 foundation stops with an occasional 4 flute. Toccata is a melding of the traditions of the North German toccata and the 19th century French toccata with jazzy mixed meters. It closes with a thick chorale section and a fiery conclusion. 5

6 Carillon de Westminster (Op. 54, No. 6) Louis Vierne We would certainly consider Louis Vierne a 20th century composer, although some consider him flamboyantly Romantic. Vierne was one of the famous French organists performing in Paris who studied at the Paris Conservatory under Franck and Widor. Although blind, he was appointed organist at Notre Dame in For his recital tour of America in 1927, he wrote the impressionistic, Pieces de fantaisie of which Carillon de Westminster is the best known. Do you recognize the melody? Program notes by Judy Dodge. Notes on the Spanish pieces are by Kathy Cooper. The Flentrop Organ Flentrop Orgelbouw, Zaandam, The Netherlands St. Columba s Flentrop organ has mechanical tracker action, two manuals and a pedal board. It was built in 1981 and expanded and revoiced in Hoofdwerk Borstwerk Pedal Bourdon 16 Holpyp 8 Subbas 16 Prestant 8 roerfluit 4 Bourdon 16 Bourdon 8 Nasard 3 Prestant 8 Octaaf 4 gemshoorn 2 Openfluit 8 Fluit 4 terts 1 3/5 Octaaf 4 Quint 3 Flageolet 1 Bariton 16 Octaaf 2 Kromhoorn 8 Trompet 8 Sesquialter II disc. tremulant Mixtuur IV Trompet 8 Couplers Hoofdwerk Borstwerk Manual C g Pedal Hoofdwerk Pedal C f Pedal Borstwerk 6

7 Biographies Kathleen Cooper completed her BA in Music at Connecticut College as a student of John Anthony and served as a substitute, interim and permanent organist in New London County, Connecticut, before throwing all caution to the wind and moving overseas with her husband Chris. While living in Madrid, she studied early Spanish organ music with Roberto Fresco, participated in the AGO European Chapter tour of Mallorca, which focused on historic instruments suitable to the early Spanish organ literature, and collected a boxful of this strange, wonderful music. Upon returning to the United States, she played in Matthew Provost s class, El Siglo de oro Español, at the McGill Summer Organ Academy. Here in the DC area, she has been subbing as an organist, doing sculptural welding, perusing and pursuing real estate, and running along the Potomac. She will happily jump on the bench given the least bit of encouragement. Judy Dodge is director of music emerita at St. Columba s. Active as a choral director and organist during a long career in music, she has held music and liturgical leadership positions in Michigan, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Washington, DC. She currently sings with the Choral Arts Society of Washington and delights in the quality of musical instruments at St. Columba s. Sophie Ewing is a freshman at Sidwell Friends School and has been taking piano lessons with Diane Heath for seven years. Her family consists of a mother, a father, an older sister, two cats, a poltergeist named Mr. Nobody and about fifty stuffed animals. In her free time, Sophie enjoys singing, drawing, reading, writing, dragon riding and participating in medieval duels to the death. So far, she has never lost. Robert Haslach arrived late at the drawing and painting party. He has been listening and watching the people he found there with great interest. The Flentrop Organ at St. Columba s has been the subject of a score of his drawings over the past five years. It is a greal model: complex, good lines, entertaining, patient, able to hold a pose and yet moving. More of Haslach s paintings and drawings can be seen at haslach-art.com. Diane Heath, assistant director of music and organist at St. Columba s, enjoys generating creative musical projects such as Britten s community opera Noye s Fludde, the annual New Year s Eve Concert and this afternoon s organ recital. Still to come this season are the Children s Choir Festival on March 14 and later in the spring, a student organ recital and a piano student fundraiser for a music school in Myanmar. Diane has been on the music staff at St. Columba s for 18 years and maintains an active studio of piano and organ students. 7

8 Carolyn Hoff is pleased to be playing her second piece of organ repertoire at this concert. She has studied piano and organ with Diane Heath since 2011 and sung in St. Columba s children and youth choirs since Highlights of her musical career include singing the part of Ham in Noye s Fludde, composing an anthem for Christmas, Rejoice! and attending the Royal School of Church Music summer course. Carolyn would like to thank Diane and John Hurd for their nurturing support of her and all youth musicians at St. Columba s. John Hurd has had a long presence in musical Washington, His early training was with John Spaulding, Richard W. Dirksen, Dr. Charles Callahan and Dr. George Baker. He served at St. John s Norwood, Church of the Epiphany, St. Patrick s Episcopal Church and St. Mary Magdalene before coming to St. Columba s in John has been director of music since A man of many talents, he is also a master of the devil s music and appears in jazz, rock and big band ensembles. John Sides began studying the organ at age 14. His organ teachers include John and Margaret Mueller (Winston-Salem, NC), Wylie Quinn (Chapel of the Cross, Chapel Hill, NC), George Emblom (St. Mark s, Berkeley, CA), Gerre Hancock (University of Texas at Austin), Scott Hanoian (National Cathedral) and Charles Miller (National City Christian Church). He currently studies with Diane Heath. In his spare time, he is a professor of political science at George Washington University. Stephen Smith traded the color-coded keys of his first piano for the drawbars of a Hammond organ at the age of nine. His true appreciation for the instrument began with the Aeolian-Skinner organ (1940, Opus 1009) at Cornell University where he sang in the Sage Chapel Choir and studied with Donald R.M. Paterson, William Cowdery and George Damp. He subsequently studied with Nicholas White at Washington National Cathedral. Steve has been a substitute organist in a number of churches in the DC area and served as interim director of music at St. Alban s Parish during Sonya Sutton s sabbatical in Steve s primary career is in education technology. He is co-founder of Naviance, which became part of Hobsons, the education division of the Daily Mail and General Trust plc, in He currently serves as president of advising and admissions solutions at Hobsons.