Newsletter for the Toronto Centre of the Royal Canadian College of Organists May Maurice Clerc at St. Basil s Church Friday, April 22-7:30 pm

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1 Newsletter for the Toronto Centre of the Royal Canadian College of Organists May 2016 On Friday, April 22 nd at 7:30 pm, Maurice Clerc, organist of the cathedral in Dijon, France, will play a recital of French organ music at St. Basil s Church. His power-packed programme includes works by Franck, Vierne, Langlais, Cochereau, Tournemire, and others don t miss it! Maurice Clerc at St. Basil s Church Friday, April 22-7:30 pm MAURICE CLERC joins in the continuity of the big French tradition while drawing his energy from the dynamism of our time. He gave 1200 recitals in sometwenty countries among which 28 tours in North America (U.S.A and Canada). Traveling four continents for forty years, from Germany to New Zealand or South Africa, there is in places so prestigious as Notre-Dame de Paris, the cathedral Saint Patrick of New York, the Dom de Lübeck, the basilica Saint Marc de Venise, an Oratory Saint Joseph of Montreal, the cathedral Saint-Paul of Melbourne, the auditorium of the N.H.K. of Tokyo or Culturel Center of Hong- Kong. In I987, it is invited to give two of the concerts of inauguration of the big organ Flentrop of the new auditorium of Taipeï. In 1999, he goes to Seoul for the convention of the organists. In 2003, he was again in Hong-Kong, from China and in Mexico, then from South Africa. This international career leads him to occur in leading festivals such Bruges, Ravenna, Madrid, Morelia, Saint Eustache in Paris, Milstatt, Frankfurt, Budapest, Warsaw, Buenos-Aires and Montevideo. Born in Lyon in I946, Maurice Clerc is awarded a diploma at the Ecole Normale of Music in Paris where he receives the teaching of Suzanne Chaisemartin, then to the Higher National Conservatory for Music of Paris where he obtains, in I975, a First prize of organ in the class of Rolande Falcinelli. He pursues this course during several years with Gaston Litaize with whom he deepens the interpretation of the repertory of the 18th century in our days. Finally, from 1972, he is has the opportunity to frequent the courses of improvisation which gave Pierre Cochereau to the International Academy of Nice. He wins the Prize of Improvisation in the international competition of Lyon in I977. Maurice Clerc is Titular organist of the cathedral in Dijon for more than 40 years, because appointed officially to this post with Christmas I972. He was also a professor to the Conservatory of Dijon and lecturer at the University. Maurice Clerc recorded a dozen CD among which Bach and German baroque masters. But having built up itself a reputation in the romantic and modern repertory and considered one of the specialists of the French music, he became attached to the promotion of the major works of Franck, Vierne, Dupré, Fleury, Langlais. His most recent recordings led him to present Cochereau and French transcriptions. Maurice Clerc is Chevalier of the Legion of Honor. I m an RCCO Member! PRESENT THIS COUPON AT THE DOOR FOR FREE ADMISSION FOR ONE TO MAURICE CLERC RECITAL

2 The President s Voice April 2016 A Cameron Carpenter Concert -or- Don t Abandon your Pipe Organ Just Yet I heard Cameron Carpenter in concert at Koerner Hall on Friday evening and will share my impressions. There is no question this man has prodigious talent. He played the entire concert, including two encores, from memory. Carpenter s programme, notes, and opinions were announced from the stage. It included transcriptions for the overture to Wagner s Der Meistersinger, a movement from a Tchaikovsky Symphony and Schubert s Erlkönig along with Bach s B-minor Prelude and Fugue, the Passacaglia (with fugue) and several other pieces. He credits his pedal technique and it is impressive to the study of ballet in his youth. His keyboard technique was equally impressive with lightning speed and numerous thumb-downs on the five-manual instrument. He holds a master s degree from Juilliard and has studied with John Weaver, Gerre Hancock and Paul Jacobs. His goal is to make the organ more accessible to audiences, hence the digital instrument and the concert hall. In many ways he is following in the footsteps of an earlier maverick of the instrument, Virgil Fox and his touring instrument in the 1970s, so his goal is not so groundbreaking. Professor David Yearsley of Cornell writing in Counterpunch notes: With an unsettling mix of messianic fervor and chilling monomania, Carpenter describes the historic inevitability of his vision: there was never a decision to make a touring organ. There didn t have to be a decision. It was a conclusion. The performance was very well received by the enthusiastic audience. Everything was very fast and very loud. There was no subtlety here. The interpretations were interesting, but much of the beauty of the music was lost. Most of it sounded like Switched-on Bach, a popular recording from the 1970s with Walter Carlos using a Moog Synthesizer. The big disappointment for me was the sound of the instrument. It is a five-manual instrument with 48 channels driving what I counted were 40 speaker banks. The pedal board was extended by five notes in both directions. It seemed like a hybrid between a synthesizer and the theatre organ. And it had all the toys one associates with theatre organs. The result was mostly just muddy and loud. I have heard much better digital instruments. I certainly applaud Carpenter s vision to make the instrument more accessible. And he just might succeed. I do however take issue with his trashing of some of the world s greatest pipe organs in favor of very inferior digital substitutes. This was my second Carpenter concert. I think I have had quite enough for a while. -David Weind DON T FORGET! The 2016 RCCO Festival and Convention takes place in Kingston from July For information and to register online, visit 2 Page 2: The President s Voice Page 3 Happy Birthday Bach Walk In this issue: Page 4: Recitals and Concerts Page 5: John Schwandt Hymn Festival

3 HAPPY BIRTHDAY BACH WALK 2016 On Saturday March 19, a cold but sunny day, 110 people gathered at St. Paul s Anglican Church to celebrate J.S. Bach s 331st birthday with the Bach Walk. This event was organized by the Toronto Centre of the RCCO in conjunction with the Bach in the Subways Project which was initiated in New York City in Since then it has grown enormously to include thousands of musicians in 150 cities in 40 countries. At St. Paul s, organist Thomas Bell played three selections from the Orgelbuchlein (Little Organ Book) two pieces from the Eighteen Chorale Preludes, and one selection from the lost Geburtstag (Birthday) manuscript with great clarity. At St. Simon s Anglican Church, Johan van t Hof played Komm susser Tod (Come, Sweet Death) arranged by Virgil Fox. Before his performance, Johan told us that this selection was arranged by Virgil for Wanamaker Organ in Macy s Department Store in Philadelphia. This is the world s largest playable pipe organ with 6 manuals, 463 ranks and 28, 604 pipes. Johan also explained that Virgil played this selection very slowly in a very lush, romantic style with lots of strings and flutes. This performance was followed by Robin Davis s rendition of the Prelude and Fugue in D major in the typical clear Baroque registration often featured in the preludes and fugues of Bach. Johan and Robin demonstrated the many digital voices which were recently added to the Casavant pipe organ at St. Simon s. After a brisk walk to Rosedale Presbyterian Church, we were treated to duets from a few of Bach s early cantatas. These were sung by Rebecca Genge, soprano, and Sheila McCoy, alto, who at the last minute substituted for Nancy Olfert, who was ill. They were accompanied by Vicky Hathaway and Gillian Howard, oboe, Jill Vitols, cello, and Daniel Bickle at the organ. All their voices and instruments blended very well. After their performance host Mary Legge, former organist of Rosedale Presbyterian Church, introduced David Weind, President of the Toronto Centre of the RCCO and thanked him for facilitating the event. Mary then invited us to enjoy a very large cake and punch in the social hall. This occasion was a big success with more people joining the group at each venue. There were 117 appreciative folks at St. Simon s, and 130 at Rosedale Presbyterian. -Gerald Martindale 3

4 The Bulletin May 2016 Recitals & Concerts Thursday, April 14 12:15 pm Ellen McAteer, soprano Metropolitan United Church Tuesday, April 19 1:00 pm John Paul Farahat, organist St. James Cathedral Sunday, April 17 4:00 pm Ian Sadler, organist St. James Cathedral Thursday, April 21 12:15 pm Koichi Inoue, pianist Metropolitan United Church Sunday, April 17 4:30 pm Rachel Laurin, organist St. Thomas Anglican Church, Belleville 201 Church Street, Belleville ON Sunday, April 24 4:00 pm Ian Sadler, organist St. James Cathedral Tuesday, April 26 1:00 pm Joel Vanderzee, organist St. James Cathedral Thursday, April 28 12:15 pm Jessika Whitfield, soprano Metropolitan United Church Thursday, May 5 12:15 pm Julia Morson, soprano Metropolitan United Church The Space Between Notes, Matthew Whitfield s new solo recording featuring John Cage s As Slow As Possible (ASLSP2) and Ted Dawson s Six Preludes is now available! Recorded at Metropolitan United Church on Canada s largest pipe organ, these pieces harness the power of the pipe organ in a striking and modern way. The Space Between Notes is available on itunes, Google Play, and through Matthew s website: 4

5 The John White Memorial Composition Competition The Toronto Centre of the Royal Canadian College of Organists is pleased to announce a competition in organ composition by a Canadian composer in celebration of the 150 th anniversary of Canada s confederation. The winning composition will receive its premiere at a Toronto Centre recital in May of 2017 and will receive a cash prize of $2,500. The organ piece should be: A festive work in celebration of Canada s 150 th birthday By a Canadian composer familiar with the capabilities and limitations of the pipe organ A work of medium difficulty, suitable for a 3-manual instrument, with a maximum length of 10 minutes A work which will be a worthy contribution to organ recital repertoire An unpublished work which has not been previously performed The Toronto Centre will hold the right of first performance of this work. Submitted works should be sent to the National Office, Royal Canadian College of Organists by November 1, The submitted works will be judged with composers names removed by a committee of Toronto Centre members. Hymn Festival With John Schwandt The winner will be announced in January or February of Jointly hosted by the Toronto RCCO and Grace Church on-the- Hill, organist John Schwandt led an amazing hymn festival at Grace Church. People were in awe of his hymn playing and improvisations! Afterwards, people told me they found his playing so creative, impressive, and sensitive to the hymn texts. Others likened the hymn festival to a service of Lessons and Carols with a lot of audience participation, except in this instance we were singing about Lent and Easter rather than Christmas. The choirs of children and adults from Grace Church led the singing, and the congregation sang well too. This style of hymn festival, part concert, part worship, comes from the Lutheran musical tradition of Paul Manz and other organists in Minnesota and the mid-western US. It is characterized with lots of organ improvisation, hymn interludes, creative textures in the organ, and instructions for singing. All of these musical tools serve to greatly enhance the texts of the hymns. For example, there were hymn stanzas for everyone to sing, some for just men or just women (and one just for the organ to paint the Royal Canadian College of Organists National Office 204 St. George St. Suite 202 Toronto, ON M5R 2N5 info@rcco.ca text). Each of these different textures give people a chance to listen and hear the text and music in a new way. There were also improvised fuguettas and Orgelbuchlein-style chorale preludes on the tunes, and of course toccatas and descants as well. One of the most impressive things about John and his playing was to look at the organ rack and see that the only thing on it was the hymnal and the concert programme. Having completed my undergraduate organ studies with John at Indiana University, it was such a pleasure to see and hear him again, and now to welcome him to Toronto. Thanks to all the chapter members who came to the hymn festival, and bigger thanks to David Weind and his wife June who hosted John in their home while he was here. 5 -Stephen Frketic

6 Musical Mission! Summer Organist and Music Director Live in Muskoka for the summer On the shores of Lake Rosseau in 1894, cottagers celebrated Christ on the verandah of a cabin. In 1904 Christ Church Windermere was built in Windermere by the community and the core of those who participated in those services on the verandah. Christ Church still exists today with an energetic congregation that has roots in its Verandah days. We are offering an opportunity for an organist and their family to spend the Summer in Muskoka and embark on a Musical Mission on Lake Rosseau to assist with broadening the vision of our Music Program. The Music Program will be designed to complement our services, inspire youth and intergenerational outreach and bring together the greater Windermere community. Main Duties and Responsibilities Build a music program for CCW that includes leading playing the organ and supporting the music program of our weekly summer services and offering improvements and hosting a monthly performance at CCW or another venue. This is a new position and promises to bring an exciting change to Christ Church Windermere. Membership Matters Sharmini Sabaratnam has joined the RCCO as a Regular member of the Toronto Centre. Scott Weidler has joined the RCCO as a Regular member of the Toronto Centre. Remuneration A monthly Salary for June, July and August. The successful Candidate and their family will have free use of The Clergy Cottage for the summer. IF you have a minimum of 3 years professional experience playing an instrument such as a piano or organ and are enrolled in a musical college your resume to lawton.osler@oslerhr.ca. The new internet stream was launched only three months ago. This organ radio delivers 24/7 organ music. Every day of the week has its own theme, e.g. on Wednesday you can hear Dutch recordings, on Thursday it is only J.S.Bach, on Friday we broadcast worldwide recordings, etc. Every two weeks the content changes. Before the end of the year orgelradio.eu would like to have reached listeners with listening hours a day. We strive to become a worldwide player in promoting organ music and organists. 6

7 CALL FOR NOMINATIONS The RCCO Toronto Centre executive works with the president towards fulfilling the mission, goals and objectives of the RCCO. If you are a member in good standing and would like to nominate someone (also a member in good standing) to be considered for an executive position, please submit nominations to Elisa Mangina (elisa.mangina@gmail.com) or David Weind (dweind@hotmail.com). Bulletin Information The Editor of the Bulletin is Matthew Whitfield, Organist & Director of Music at St. John the Baptist, Norway Anglican Church. The submission deadline for the May issue of the Bulletin is: Friday, May 6th. To make a submission, please the editor at: mwhitfi3@gmail.com Or contact him through his website: For more information and to see upcoming events, please visit the RCCO Toronto website, Top Ten Reasons for Being an Alto 10) You get really good at singing E flat. 9) You get to sing the same note for 12 consecutive measures. 8) You don't really need to warm up to sing 12 consecutive bars of E flat. 7) If the choir really sucks, it's unlikely the Altos will be blamed. 6) You have lots of time to chat during Soprano solos. 5) You get to pretend that you are better than the Sopranos, because everybody knows that women only sing soprano so they don't have to learn to read music. 4) You can sometimes find part time work singing Tenor. 3) Altos get all the great intervals. 2) When the Sopranos are holding some outrageously high note at the end of an anthem, the Altos always get the last words. 1) When the Altos miss a note, nobody gets hurt. (Next month Top Ten Reasons for Being a Tenor! 7