BRIAN WENTZEL FIRST. music. Organ Recital Peace Community Church, Oberlin, Ohio February 19, :00pm

Transcription

1 FIRST music BRIAN WENTZEL Organ Recital Peace Community Church, Oberlin, Ohio February 19, :00pm Toccata in C Major Johann Pachelbel ( ) Concerto in C Major Antonio Vivaldi ( ) 1. Allegro arranged by Johann Sebastian Bach ( ) 2. Largo 3. Allegro Partita on Christus, der ist mein Leben Ciacona in F Minor Toccata in G Minor Concerto in G Minor 1. Allegro 2. Largo 3. Giga Pastorella 1. [Pastorale] 2. [Allemande] 3. [Aria] 4. [Gigue] Toccata in D Minor [Prelude] Thema Adagio Allegro Pachelbel Pachelbel Pachelbel Vivaldi, arranged by Bach Bach Bach

2 Page 2 BOZEMAN-GIBSON PIPE ORGAN The Bozeman-Gibson organ at Peace Church, Oberlin, was built in 1984 but already has a long and interesting history. It was originally built for the State University of New York at Stony Brook (you can still see the SUNY insignia at the top of the case). It was built as an evocation of the 1741 Gottfried Silbermann organ in Grosshartmannsdorf, Saxony. In 1993 the organ was damaged by flood after a water main break. The damaged instrument was sold to the Organ Clearing House and subsequently acquired by Ronald Gibson (an Oberlin alumnus and regular at Peace Church, but not the Gibson who helped build this organ). The organ was restored from and loaned to the Eastman School of Music and placed in Asbury First United Methodist Church in Rochester, NY. The original Krummhorn 8 in the Hinterwerk division was replaced by a new Vox Humana 8 donated by Paul Fritts & Company in 2005; the new Posaunenbass 16 in the Pedal was donated by Flentrop Orgelbouw in The organ remained in Rochester until 2010, when the church decided it no longer had room for the instrument. At that point Oberlin College, with the underwriting of two anonymous donors, purchased the organ and installed it in Peace Church. It was dedicated and named for David and Sigrid Boe during the dedication concert on May 11, David was longtime Professor of Organ at Oberlin and also Director of Music at First Lutheran in Lorain. Sigrid was a pillar of the Oberlin community and also sang in the choir at First Lutheran for many years. Information from Organs of Oberlin, by Stephen Schnurr Manual (I) Principal 8 Rohr-flöthe 8 Quintadena 8 Octava 4 Spitz-flöthe 4 Quinta 3 Octava 2 Mixture IV Cornett III Hauptwerk to Pedal Coupler Hinterwerk to Hauptwerk Coupler Tremulant Specification Hinterwerk (II) Gedackt 8 Rohr-flöthe 4 Nasat 3 Octava 2 Gemshorn 2 Tertia 1 3/5 Quinta 1 1/2 Sufflet 1 Cimbeln II Vox Humana 8 Pedal Sub-Bass 16 Principalbass 8 Octavbass 4 Posaunenbass 16

3 Page 3 THE MUSIC There are 22 surviving concerto arrangements made by Bach. Organists are familiar with the five pedaliter arrangements but may not have encountered the manualiter arrangements, including the Concerto in C Major, BWV 976. Robert Marshall, in his article Organ or Klavier (in J. S. Bach as Organist, ed. George Stauffer and Ernest May), suggests that all 22 concerto arrangements may have originally been intended for the organ. Marshall backs up his assertion with arguments related to Bach s situation at the time, manuscript evidence, and keyboard range. Whatever Bach s original intention may have been, I hope you will agree that these arrangements make wonderful organ music. The C Major arrangement is based on a concerto by Vivaldi: Op. 3, No. 12, in E Major, for violin and strings. The first movement is characterized by echoes in the original between solo violin and orchestra, here between the two manuals of the organ. In the second movement the solo elaborates a rising and falling theme. The last movement contrasts simple chords and arpeggios in the tutti with more virtuosic patterns in the solo. The concerto is preceded today without interruption by Pachelbel s Toccata in C Major. Toccata: I: P8, O4, O2 Ped: S16, I coupled Allegro: I: P8, O4, Mix II: G8, R4, O2, S1 Largo: I: R8 II: G8, N3 Ped: I coupled Allegro: I: P8, O4, O2, Mix II: G8, R4, O2, Cimbeln Pachelbel s Partita on Christus, der ist mein Leben is a delightful set of 12 variations on this straighforward chorale tune. Of special note are the chromatic variation (#7) and the three final variations where Pachelbel switches to compound meter. Chorale: I: P8 Partita 1: II: G8, R4 Partita 2: II: G8, G2 Partita 3: I: Q8 Partita 4: II: R4 Partita 5: II: G8, S1 Partita 6: I: S4 Partita 7: II: VH Partita 8: II: G8 octave higher Partita 9: I: R8 Partita 10: I: R8, S4 Partita 11: I: R8, S4 II: G8, N3, Tertia Partita 12: I: R8, O4

4 Page 4 Pachelbel s Ciacona in F Minor follows the typical chaconne form, in which a bass line or harmonic progression (in this case a step-wise descending fourth) is continually repeated with changing figuration in the upper voices. In Pachelbel s ciacona there are 25 eight -bar statements of the theme (in most cases four bars played twice) after which the manuscript breaks off. The initial statement of the theme will then be played again to round off the piece. Statements 1-5: I: P8 6-10: I: P8 II: G8, R4, G2, N : II: G8, R4, O2, Quinta 14: I: R8, S4 II: G8, R4, O2, Quinta 15-19: I: R8, S : II: G8 22: I: R8, O : I: R8, O4 II: G8, R4 25: I: R8 II: G8 1: I: P8 The second Vivaldi/Bach Concerto (BWV 975) on today s program is based on Vivaldi s concerto for violin and strings in G Minor, RV 316. In the first movement a strong theme is shared by the tutti and the solo. Bach completely transforms Vivaldi s slow movement, adding abundant and exquisite ornaments to the original theme, and adding three ritornellos that divide the movement into unequal parts. The third movement, as far as I can tell, has nothing to do with Vivaldi s last movement, and instead is a keyboard gigue freshly composed by Bach. Its two halves are each played twice, the first time with chords in the left hand, and the second time with running eighth notes. This concerto is also immediately preceded by a Pachelbel Toccata, in G Minor. Toccata: I: P8, O4 Ped: S16, I coupled Allegro: I: P8, O4, Q3, O2 II: G8, R4, N3, G2 Largo: I: R8 II: VH, R4 Giga: I: P8, O4, Q3

5 Page 5 Bach s Pastorella (BWV 590) is unique among his organ works. It consists of four short, untitled movements loosely tied together. The titles given here are from Peter Williams (The Organ Music of J. S. Bach). The first movement is a true pastorale, with compound time music over a drone conjuring shepherds out in their fields. The second movement is a delightful binary piece in which each half is repeated. The third movement is very similar to the concerto slow movements heard earlier in the program, with an ornamented solo line meandering over repeated chords. The last movement is a cheery gigue, again with each of the two halves repeated, and with the typical inversion of the theme to start the second half. [Pastorale]: I: P8, Q8 Ped: S16, I coupled [Allemande]: I: R8 II: G8 [Aria]: I: Q8 II: G8 [Gigue]: II: G8, R4 G8, R4, G2 G8, R4, G2, S1 Bach wrote two famous Toccatas in D Minor for organ pedaliter, but the one closing today s program (BWV 913) is one of seven Bach toccatas written for manuals only. Robert Marshall, even more than for the concertos as noted above, is quite sure that these manualiter toccatas must have been intended by Bach for the organ. The D Minor Toccata is similar in form to a Buxtehude Prealudium or Toccata, in which free material alternates with contrapuntal passages. The first of the four large sections is very much in the stylus fantasticus that Bach might have learned from Buxtehude. It is itself in three parts; full organ passages sandwiching a quieter section filled with suspensions and sequences. The second section is contrapuntal and energetic. It dissolves at the end and leads into the third section, with even more suspensions and sequences. Bach goes as far afield as E-flat minor before settling on the dominant, A Major. The fourth and last section is reminiscent of the second, with its contrapuntal theme a combination of the subject and countersubject of the earlier section. [Prelude]: I: P8, O4, Q3, O2, Mix II: G8, VH Thema: II: G8, R4, O2, Cimbeln Adagio: I: P8, R8 Allegro: I: P8, O4, Q3, O2, Mix II: G8, R4, O2, Cimbeln

6 Page 6 FINAL FIRST music EVENT OF THE SEASON May 7, 3:00pm: Birth from the Burning, Nativity Catholic, Lorain Join us for a hymn festival! We ll sing hymns and songs of creation and new life. Brian Wentzel leads, with the First Choir. Find more information at JOIN US FOR WORSHIP! 9:30am at Johnnie Wilson Middle School Liturgical, musical service with communion Brian Wentzel, MSM, FAGO, is Director of Music at First Evangelical Lutheran Church, Lorain, Ohio, where he has served since At First Lutheran Brian has developed the FIRST music concert series, and was instrumental in procuring a Historic Organ Citation from the Organ Historical Society for the church s Brombaugh organ (destroyed by fire in 2014), all while remaining focused on the core mission of leading congregational singing. Brian is an active performer in the Cleveland area, singing professionally (with Apollo s Singers and Quire Cleveland) and regularly playing organ recitals and hymn festivals. He is currently in the midst of a six-concert, threeyear presentation of Bach s complete Well-Tempered Clavier on the historic Beckerath organ at Trinity Lutheran Church, Cleveland. Brian s musical compositions are published by Augsburg Fortress and Hope, and his writings have appeared in The Canterbury Dictionary of Hymnology, Word and World, and the curriculum of Leadership Program for Musicians. Brian is currently Dean of the Lorain County Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and also serves on the Executive Committee of the Cleveland Chapter of the AGO. He chairs the worship committee of the Northeastern Ohio Synod of the ELCA. Brian s degrees are from Northwestern University, (BMus, BA, 2003) and Luther Seminary (Master of Sacred Music, 2006). He earned the Fellowship certificate from the American Guild of Organists in His first organ teacher was his father, Steven Wentzel. Subsequent teachers have included Paul Westermeyer, John Ferguson, Anton Armstrong, John Sherer, Douglas Cleveland, and Margaret Kemper, among others.

7 Thank you to our supporters! Patrons David and Sigrid Boe Woody and Peggy Chamberlain First Lutheran Church Endowment Fund Barry and Sandy Jensen Allan and Christa Just Jeff and Jan Meyers Michael and Doris Mowrey David and Beverly Muska Brian and Carey Wentzel Herman and Ruth Wentzel Steve and Vicki Wentzel Bruce and Sandy Whitman Aline Wilson Sustainers Dennis and DiAnne Schmidt Anonymous Friends Linda Beam Brad Hoffman Larry and Gundula Houff Virginia Kaada Sandra Neiding Dorothy Robbins You, too, can help to support FIRST music! FIRST music events are free to the public and it is an important part of our mission that they remain that way. However, it does cost money to hire musicians, print programs, and advertise. We appreciate your donation to keep these events free and to help ensure that there will be more such events in the future. Please fill out the form below and return it with your check to the church. Your name will be listed in future programs. Thank you! Yes! I want to help support FIRST music! Name: Address: FIRST music Patron ($100 or more) Friend ($20) Sustainer ($50) Other Include me on the FIRST music mailing and/or list. Please return this form and your check made out to First Lutheran Church (write FIRST music on the subject line) to: First Lutheran Church 603 Washington Ave. Lorain, OH 44052

8 FIRST music Birth from the Burning May 7, 3:00pm Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 418 W. 15th St., Lorain First Lutheran is nearing the end of our long journey from a fire to a new church home. Join us for a hymn festival full of songs of creation and new life. Brian Wentzel leads, with the First Choir. Free and open to the public. First Lutheran Church Rev. Jimmy W. Madsen, Pastor Brian Wentzel, FAGO, Director of Music 603 Washington Ave., Lorain