AGO Houston recital, June 23, 2016

Greetings from hot, humid Houston, the city of my greatest period of growth as a musician, 1990-2004. I miss it here.

Currently (June 2016), I’m attending the national convention of the American Guild of Organists, during which I’m also playing a recital. Program book limitations prohibited lengthy program notes, but space here on my website is unlimited! The following program notes are provided for attendees' use during the recital and otherwise for the enjoyment of faithful jobybelldotorg readers:

*****************************************

Final, from Six Pièces

César Franck (1822-1890)

A description of Franck’s twelve works for organ solo might include phrases such as ‘harmonically rich,’ ‘serious,’ and ‘grand forms.’ The exception might be the Final, arguably the least complex and most ebullient of the twelve.

The Final makes a fairly traditional excursion through sonata-allegro form. The energetic main theme holds the entire work together with frequent appearances and fanfares:

The piece maintains its lively tempo in the background even while the lyrical second theme is holding forth with its longer note values:

There is a third motive melodically related to the main theme but more often used as a rhythmic undergirding or “glue:”

***********************************************************

Partita on “Comfort, comfort ye my people”

Georg Böhm (1661-1733)

Although usually included among the dramatic “third-generation” North Germans, Böhm exhibits substantial French and Italian influence in his writing, with heavy ornamentation and somewhat reserved changes of texture within a piece. As a result, despite their obvious church connections, his chorale partitas seem intended for – or at least better suited to – the harpsichord. The present partita of twelve variants on “Comfort, comfort ye my people” is full of rapid-fire ornaments and considerable filigree work. The twelfth and final variant is sometimes omitted in performance: it is the only one using pedal, and its relative placidness might appear a bit of an afterthought to the grandeur of the eleventh variant. For this performance we will hear all twelve partitas, framed at the beginning and end by J. S. Bach’s harmonization of the chorale. The melody:

 

**************************************************

The Moonpiper

Ivan Božičević (b. 1961)

Most recitals during an AGO convention include a world premiere. I have the honor of premiering The Moonpiper, the winner of the 2016 AGO/Marilyn Mason Award in Organ Composition, composed by Ivan Božičević of Croatia. The Moonpiper is inspired by the sound of bagpipes and of an irresistible invitation to dance, all within a general minimalistic style. The composer says:

“Bagpipe imitation has a long tradition in Western keyboard music ... [T]he [early] Pastorale was one of my starting points. Another of my interests is the bagpipe folk music of the Balkans, which features livelier dance rhythms than its Western counterparts: 9/8, 11/8, 13/8, or even more complicated uneven meters are common. Although I have used neither rhythmic nor melodic formulas that stem from actual folk music, I hope that the spirit of the country piper summoning everybody out to dance the night away is demonstrably present in my piece ... Listeners will hear the tradition of the 19th-century keyboard toccata with 16th-note perpetuum-mobile. Additionally, there is the contemporary reductionist/minimalist procedure: the whole piece unfolds itself using only one short motif (7/16) and its variation (7/16 + 5/16). The two motifs vary throughout the piece with subtle changes of harmony, mood, and color … The challenge is solid articulation and dance-like rhythmic suppleness of constant 16th-note motion in a fast tempo.”

Here are the rhythmic and melodic "germs" from which the entire piece is built:

***********************************************************

Prelude and Fugue in A-flat, Op. 36, No. 2

Marcel Dupré (1886-1971)

One might call the typical prelude and fugue ‘well written,’ ‘structured,’ ‘severe,’ or ‘clever.’ But how often do you get to call it ‘beautiful?’ Dupré’s music often bespeaks a certain dark quality of the high Gothic architecture of Parisian churches and instruments in which much of it was conceived. But in the A-flat Prelude and Fugue, after a fairly dark prelude we are treated to one of the loveliest fugue subjects this organist has ever heard, finished off by a rapturous conclusion. Dupré develops the same musical themes in both prelude and fugue.

Fugue subject 1:

Countersubject 1:

Fugue subject 2: 

Countersubject 2: 

 

The Prelude is surprisingly contrapuntal, though without relinquishing its status as a true prelude to what follows it. Treatment of the subjects in the Prelude include:

  //

 

  //

//

The masterful double fugue follows all the “rules” by working out the two subjects and their attending counter-subjects in turn, then combining all these in several heavy stretto sections. This extraordinary piece is clearly an artistic nod to the genius of Bach, while remaining genuinely beautiful music.

Big summer, once again

Why is it that even when a summer is jammed FULL of work, it's still more fun than the academic year?

May 19-21: ASU studio recital trip to Charleston, S.C. Studio performance Saturday at noon. Whoo hoo!!

June 19-23: AGO convention, Houston. Thursday afternoon performances by Joby Bell. Whoo hoo!!

June 26-July 2: OHS convention, Philadelphia. Saturday afternoon performance by ASU grad student Rodney Ward. Whoo hoo!!

July 6-30: Europe, here I come again. Recital in the cathedral at Magdeburg, July 11. Whoo hoo!!

August 4-12: ASU studio fun run to Washington, D.C. Organs, arts, Capitol Steps, food, and more. Whoo hoo!!

August 16: Classes. *Sigh*

Not a dry eye

Three organs on this earth have brought tears to my eyes on first hearing: Ste-Clotilde in Paris (the Cavaillé-Coll stops that Franck knew); St. Mary's Anglican Cathedral in Edinburgh (Father Willis), and First Baptist Church, Longview, Tex. (G. Donald Harrison signature Aeolian-Skinner, Op. 1174). Since first encountering the Longview instrument in about 2000, my ears have been opened to American Classic organ building; my eyes have been opened to the glory of Modern Gothic architecture (you have to visit the Longview church to believe it); and my mind has found its passion for the marvels of historical instruments and their importance to our heritage. Couple all this with the fact that the congregation of the First Baptist Church of Longview, Tex., has always recognized the treasure they have, and this organ remains tonally unaltered and well cared for. (I choose to ignore the conversion to Peterson ICS as an "alteration." We need those kinds of things these days, especially on an organ that big and that old.)

This organ is the product of the classiness that characterized many places in the 1940s/1950s. Take lots of oil money, add in a new church building (1951), add a contract with America's pre-eminent organ building firm, and mix generously with the design and tonal finishing of America's great voicer Roy Perry, and you have one of only a handful of epicenters that still bespeaks this perfect storm. The architecture never gets old. The organ never gets old. I have stepped into that space countless times since the first time, and it takes my breath away every time.

The genius of this organ is in the sum of its parts, the buildup of the ensemble. Plenty of foundation, and bright silvery mixtures in all the right places. The Pedal has plenty of its own stops for every registrational need (ANY pedal division that doesn't require coupling to fill it out is worth the price of the organ!). There are FIVE celestes. But the crowning glory, if you ask me, is in the 16-8-4 unit Pedal Ophicleide. Such power and tone, and yet such completion of the whole ensemble when it comes on. And you don't dare use it on just anything.

Why do I describe this organ so lovingly and so thoroughly now? Because I have just finished a two-day recording session on it. This recording will have its high spots, as any will. But the real high point is in sitting between those two massive chambers and bathing for three days in that sound that brought tears to my eyes all those years ago. I am fortunate indeed and will be the most rewarded listener of this recording. Even if the recording bombs, I will always have these moments at that instrument to remember.

I chose all-British repertoire. This organ was "fathered" by an Englishman, and it makes sense to use it in this way. We'll have the Alec Rowley Suite, a handful of chorales by Healey Willan and C.H.H. Parry, the Three Pieces of Frank Bridge, and first Sonata by Basil Harwood.

I arrived on Sunday, March 13, 2016, to begin registering. Long day, which finally ended about 9 pm. Producer Keith Weber arrived from Houston that night, and the "secret weapon" -- engineers Ryan Edwards and Shannon Smith of Houston -- arrived Monday lunch time. We recorded Monday from 1:00 until 8:00 pm and then Tuesday from 9:00 am until 4:15 pm. It was record time for such a long program (it will push the 80-minute limit of a standard CD).

Not only do I seek to showcase an organ with a recording, but I also try to use as much of its colors as possible. We'll hear lovely chorale solos on the Swell Nazard, the Choir Cromorne and English Horn, and on the 8-foot principals of the Swell and Great. A tremulant or two will make more than one cameo. And we'll hear plenty of that pedal reed when the time comes. The ultimate sheen provided by the second mixture on the Great will make its appearances judiciously but proudly. We'll hear from the Trompette on the Bombarde division, and we'll even hear a short, dramatic cameo from the Antiphonal.

As recording sessions go, this was just another one, with multiple takes of the hard stuff and surprisingly few takes of the easy stuff. This is the third collaboration between these guys and myself. But I believe that we attained new levels of mutual appreciation and professional respect. They appreciate my actually being ready to record (apparently, that's not the norm in this business, which is inexcusable), and I relaxed much more this time and let them tell me what to do. Once I have practiced and shown up, the rest is up to them!

Of course, I am grateful to the church and the music staff for their generous hospitality. For the most part, gratefulness to a church staff and congregation goes without saying, because without their support, you don't have a recording! But they deserve our endless thanks and praise not only for welcoming little old me, but more importantly for recognizing and preserving the treasure of that organ.

Keith and I are of one mind on this organ. At one point, he stood at the console rather than stay in the hallway with the engineers. In that location, you are literally flooded with the sound of the organ. At the end of one particular piece where the Ophicleide comes on to ice the cake, he had tears in HIS eyes.

What a week

A full time musician who was actually trained in music can't help but count his blessings. I have been a full-time musician since graduating college in 1990, but every year I feel more full-time than ever. Take this past week, for instance: I finished up chairing a search committee at school, played two recitals, rehearsed Avenue Q, and am now practicing furiously for a recording project in two weeks. And I celebrated my birthday.

And yet on top of all this was a nasty head cold that threatened to lay me out for several days. But as is any workaholic's mantra, "I'm too busy to get sick." And so busy I stayed. It might be a mistake in the future to carry on so hard, but I'm happy to report that I'm back and working away. My dean has encouraged me on multiple occasions to take some time for myself. I wonder what he's trying to say. I can't imagine what the problem might be ...

Still memorizing

I was taught, not merely commanded, to memorize. (I have discussed that difference before.) But even though it is a painstaking process to get there, that feeling of euphoria that comes after finishing memorizing a piece is unbeatable. The piece on my mind today is the Dupré A-flat Prelude and Fugue, a masterpiece of counterpoint, yet an intense sojourn of beauty. Truly one of the most magnificent organ pieces ever written. It has been on my bucket list for years, and it's finally here. I'll be "premiering" it at Appalachian State on March 1 at 8pm Eastern. Also on that program will be BWV 651, the Böhm Partita on Freu' dich sehr, and Rachel Laurin's romping transcription of the Brahms/Handel Variations.

My memorizing life has changed with the addition of a black cat to the household. He paws me for food, meows in my ear, and walks across the other manual. So long as I don't try to incorporate those sounds in my memory, I think I'll be okay. Otherwise, I may crash and burn in performance if I don't hear meowing at the right time...