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Andriessen THE FOUR CHORALS AND OTHER ORGAN MUSIC
Benjamin Saunders
Louis Andriessen: Reflections on my father
Hendrik Andriessen
During World War II, the Germans occupied the Netherlands for five years. In that time my family lived in Utrecht, where my father was not only director of the Conservatory, but also organist and conductor of the large men’s and children’s choir of the Cathedral of the Archbishop, whose chair was in Utrecht. Certainly also due to his Catholic background, my father’s grand love for the French culture was of ultimate importance to his development as a composer. I remember him sitting at home in the evenings, reading 19th century French novelists. It comes as no surprise that he preferred French Romantic organs. In the early ‘30’s, he travelled to France to meet Marcel Dupré, Gabriel Pierné, Gaston Litaize, and others. He wrote a biography about César Franck, and I think he also had a special sympathy for Franck because of his Wallonian origin. Wallonia was somewhat closer in proximity to the Netherlands. My father criticised German Romanticism: “They composed in excitement or intoxication, throwing masses of tears around.” Or, as he said: “True profundity lies just beneath the surface.” “The Germans dig deep, but find nothing.” And so on. He could be sharp, but he was also very elegant and witty. He was a beloved man, as a father, as a teacher, and as an organist. His improvisations in the Cathedral after the High Mass were renowned. People were known to rush from their (Protestant) churches to the Cathedral to hear him play. One more story about World War II: the first thing my father did on Liberation Day was to take his youngest son to the Dom Tower to hear all of the church bells that had been hidden away during the war. This amazing noise of the bells remains one of the most impressive musical memories of my entire life. © Louis Andriessen, Amsterdam
Hendrik Franciscus Andriessen was born in the Dutch city of Haarlem in 1892 to the organist Nicolaas Hendrik Andriessen and the painter Gezina Vester. He died in the same city in 1981. Andriessen was the father of six children of which his youngest daughter, Caecilia, became a pianist and two of his sons, Jurriaan and Louis became composers, the latter widely considered the most important Dutch composer of the second half of the twentieth century. Before taking up a place at the Amsterdam Conservatoire, the young Andriessen received organ lessons from the city organist of Haarlem, Louis Robert, whilst also working as a journalist for the Catholic newspaper ‘De Nieuwe Haarlemsche Courant.’ He succeeded his father as organist of the Saint Josephkerk in Haarlem, presiding over the magnificent 1906 organ built by Adema of Amsterdam in the French romantic style. His developing career had a strong association with Utrecht, both as organist of the Catholic Cathedral and as a lecturer at the Institute for Catholic Church Music and the Conservatory. He became the Director of the latter institution in 1937. During World War II, Andriessen refused to become an associate of the NaziGerman ‘Kulturkammer’, resulting in a ban on public performances of his compositions. He was taken hostage for the second half of 1942 along with his brother Willem. During the war he wrote a book about the French organist and composer César Franck. After the war he was appointed to further prominent positions in Dutch cultural life including director of the Royal Conservatory in The Hague and Professor of Musicology at the Nijmegen Catholic University. A heart attack in 1955 slowed his work down dramatically, and following the death of his wife in 1975 he stopped composing completely.
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Throughout his life, Andriessen was particularly famed as an organ improviser and was especially interested in composing Catholic church music. However he also wrote music in many other genres including four operas, four orchestral symphonies, concerti, chamber music and works for choir and solo voice, including eight mass settings.
The Four Chorals and other organ music The Four Chorals are regarded by many as some of the pre-eminent compositions of twentieth century organ literature. Their shared name of ‘Choral’ is an acknowledgment of the significant stylistic inspiration of the three great organ chorals written by César Franck (1822-1890). Their influence is felt through a symphonic approach to organ writing and the construction of an epic musical statement, best conveyed by a large instrument situated in a generous acoustic. The first two Chorals in particular borrow much of the harmonic language and colour of the French romantic school and follow the manner of César Franck’s pieces in unleashing the choral type melody with the dramatic power of full organ at the end of each piece. Chorals Three and Four have a more symmetrical structure, in which the same opening and closing passages act as arresting musical bookends, between which Andriessen writes in an individual and lyrical musical voice, imbued with profound emotional and spiritual depth. To one unfamiliar with the Four Chorals, the first two sound as though they might almost have been lost compositions of Franck, whilst the latter two speak in a new language that belongs distinctively to Andriessen. The Sonata da Chiesa is a series of six variations on the opening theme which utilise a wide range of sonorities of the romantic organ. The final variation is in the form of a vigorous toccata and brings the whole work to a climax with a bold restatement of the opening theme on full organ. Andriessien’s Quiet Introduction is the composer’s final creative offering for the 4
organ. Published in America in 1970, the first and last sections are largely similar with the exception that the gentle opening choral-like theme in 4/4 time is subtly condensed, almost imperceptibly, into 3/4 time when it reappears at the end. Church organists often compose or improvise music to fulfil a serious liturgical role within the Mass. The Offertorium is marked by the composer to be played ‘molto serio.’ It is a piece of serious music which was written to be played during the offertory of the Mass whilst the altar is prepared for the Eucharist. Amongst Andriessen’s most well-known compositions, Theme and Variations is a striking and appealing work dedicated to the organist and musicologist Lady Susi Jeans. It was written on his visit to England in the summer of 1949 when he and his wife stayed at Cleveland Lodge as the guest of Susi Jeans. A light and playful middle section contrasts with a strong modal theme, using a harmonic language that evokes composers of a much earlier era. © Benjamin Saunders, Leeds
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Benjamin Saunders Benjamin Saunders was born in Warrington and educated at George Heriot’s School in Edinburgh. He received his first organ lessons at the age of sixteen at St Mary’s Metropolitan Cathedral, Edinburgh and two years later won an Organ Scholarship to Downing College, Cambridge, where he studied with Peter Hurford. Upon graduating, he held organist posts at the Cathedrals of St Giles’ Edinburgh, Blackburn, and Chester and continued organ studies with David Sanger, Ann Bond and Michel Bouvard. In 2002, Saunders was appointed Director of Music for the Diocese of Leeds, leading the department at Leeds Cathedral. Under his leadership the Cathedral has become the centre of England’s largest choral programme, made up of 2500 children meeting weekly. This comprises six boys choirs, six girls choirs, 45 school choirs, a choir school and a professional adult choir. During this time, he has been privileged to act as consultant and adviser to a number of the UK and Ireland’s other musically pre-eminent cathedrals. He has been a guest speaker at academic and professional conferences throughout the UK and the United States. As an organist, his repertoire includes classical, popular and jazz works, some familiar and others new or recently rediscovered. He has also transcribed many orchestral works for the organ and these arrangements often form a popular part of his concert programmes. Saunders has performed to HM the Queen, Princess Anne 6
and US President Carter and worked with conductor Carl Davis and jazz virtuoso Dick Hyman. Solo tours have led him to give organ recitals in Russia, France, Italy, Holland, Germany, Austria, Slovenia and the United States. Major international recitals have included Koenigsberg Cathedral in Kaliningrad (Russia), Cologne Cathedral, Perugia Cathedral, Berlin Cathedral, Stuttgart Abbey, the Basilica of St Lorenzo in Florence and the Church of the Incarnation in Dallas. He has also been a drummer in two rock bands and keyboardist in the Edinburgh International Jazz Festival. Benjamin Saunders can also be heard on three other recent Brilliant Classics releases as an accompanist for the complete works of Maurice Duruflé, organ soloist for the complete works of Georgi Mushel and conductor of choral works by Arvo Pärt.
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Leeds Cathedral Grand Organ The Grand Organ of Leeds Cathedral was completed early in 2010 and inaugurated on 16 May of that year by Benjamin Saunders. Musically, the Cathedral is the centre of the largest choral programme in the UK, involving some 2500 children in weekly singing tuition, and is one of only three English Catholic cathedrals to maintain daily sung services of Vespers and Mass. Its central situation and wonderful acoustic make the Cathedral a dramatic liturgical setting and an attractive concert venue within the city. The original organ was built specifically for the Cathedral in 1904 by Norman and Beard. Following a period of silence of around 30 years, Johannes Klais Orgelbau was chosen to reconstruct and enlarge the instrument to serve the requirements of the restored Cathedral and the new position of the choir at the East End. Rather than follow the well-trodden path of producing yet another eclectic organ, supposedly capable of playing any repertoire, it was decided that an instrument of great character in harmony with the spirit of an Edwardian Arts and Crafts building, and within the embrace of the richness of the Catholic liturgical tradition, should instead be pursued. The organ’s design and development were supervised by Benjamin Saunders and consultant David Sanger. In order to preserve the English Edwardian style of the Norman and Beard instrument, the historic 1904 pipework was carefully restored on its original chests. The organ now has seven divisions, controlled from a four-manual console that has 78 stops and which features a new, unique system of allocating manual departments to keyboards. Predominant architectural features of the Cathedral, such as the ubiquitous trapezium motif and the tooth edging design, are reflected in the console. The number of different materials used has intentionally been limited as far as possible, such that the metal surrounds of the Swell pedals are of the same material as the toe pistons and the Swell pedals of the same material as the stop jambs. The keys 8
are made of bone and ebony, and the inlay of the console oak is constructed out of ebony and Swiss pear. For further details about the choirs and organs of Leeds Cathedral, please visit www.dioceseofleedsmusic.org.uk I. Nave Great C-a3
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Organ Specification I. Nave Great C-a3 Double Open Diapason 16’ Open Diapason I 8’ Open Diapason II 8’ Hohl Flute 8’ Principal 4’ Harmonic Flute 4’ Fifteenth 2’ Mixture III Trumpet 8’ II. Choral Great C-a3 Open Diapason 8’ Bourdon 8’ Dulciana 8’ Principal 4’ Flute 4’ Gemshorn 2’ Cornettino III III. Choral Swell C-a3 Rohr Flute 8’ Salcional 8’ Viole Céleste 8’ Principal 4’ Flauto Traverso 4’ Mixture III Cornopean 8’ Oboe d’Amour 8’ Tremulant Sub Octave Super Octave Unison Off IV. Nave Swell C-a3 Bourdon 16’ Geigen Principal 8’
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Lieblich Gedeckt 8’ Gamba 8’ Voix Céleste 8’ Gemshorn 4’ Lieblich Flöte 4’ Mixture III Double Trumpet 16’ Horn 8’ Oboe 8’ Vox Humana 8’ Tremulant Sub Octave Super Octave Unison Off V. Solo C-a3 Tuba 8’ Octave Tuba 4’ Solo Flute 8’ Clarinet 8’ Choral Pedal C-f1 Sub Bass 16’ Nave Pedal C-f1 Harmonic Bass 32’ Open Diapason 16’ Violone 16’ Bourdon 16’ Quint Bass 10 2/3 Octave 8’ Bass Flute 8’ Trombone 16’ Couplers Choral Great to Nave Great Nave Great to Choral Great
Choral Swell to I Choral Swell to II Choral Swell to Nave Swell Nave Swell to I Nave Swell to II Solo to I Solo to II Solo to III Choral Great to Pedal Nave Great to Pedal Choral Swell to Pedal Nave Swell to Pedal Solo to Pedal Combination couplers and exchanges Nave Great & Pedal Pistons combined Choral Great & Pedal Pistons combined Generals on Swell Toes Swells on III Exchange Swells Exchange Greats Accessories Eight thumb pistons to each division Eight general thumb pistons Eight pedal toe pistons Eight swell/general toe pistons Reversible definable toe piston Full complement of reversible coupler thumb pistons Midi sequencing
Benjamin Saunders would like to acknowledge the assistance of Louis Andriessen, Mirjam Zegers and Thomas Leech in the preparation of this album and to thank Father Ian Smith for introducing him to this repertoire.
Recording: 18 May 2014, Leeds Cathedral, UK Recording Engineers: Craig Golding and Bhupinder Chaggar of Leeds College of Music and Hotdog Productions Publishers: Herman Zengerink, Holland (1,3,7,8); J R Van Rossum, Holland (2,5); World Library Publications, USA (4); Edizioni Carrara, Italy (6) Cover photo: Simon Vine - & C 2015 Brilliant Classics 11