Faculty Recital AN INTERNATIONAL ORGAN TOUR Anita Greenlee, organ
Friday, September 14, 2018 Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre Performing Arts Center 7:30 PM
PROGRAM SPAIN Allegro Maestoso ................................................................................................. Luís Urteaga (1882-1960) Joseph Cumellas Ribó (1875-1940) ITALY Prelude in A minor on a Chorale by Bach .............................................. Ottorino Respighi Ich hab mein Sach Gott heimgestellt (I have placed my cares in God) (1879-1936)
FRANCE Pièce Solennelle .................................................................................................... Jacques Ibert (1890-1962)
GERMANY O Lamm Gottes BWV 656................................................................ Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
AUSTRIA Andante K 616 ........................................................................... Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Für eine Walze in eine kleine Orgel (1756-1791)
BELGIUM Trumpet Tune in D Major ................................................................................... Flor Peeters (1903-1986)
RUSSIA Prelude in Ab Major ..................................................................................................César Cui (1835-1918)
USA Spiritual Set .........................................................................................................Noel da Costa I. Invocation (1929-2002) II. Affirmation III. Spiritual IV. Praise
ENGLAND Four Extemporizations ................................................................................... Percy Whitlock IV. Fanfare (1903-1946)
Please Turn Off All Electronic Devices
PROGRAM NOTES The development of the organ in the western world was dependent upon geographical area, politics, religion, cultural matters, and the desires of particular civic and religious leaders. In Catholic countries organs were smaller; in Protestant lands they were bigger. In times of war organs were dismantled for battle use, in times of peace organs grew in beauty and stature. Spain favored monumental cases, but put few pipes within; Italy liked smaller organs with soft, delicate sounds; France was noted for a more robust organ to fill their enormous churches. None of these three used much, if any, pedal. Germany developed a larger, more powerful organ with a full pedal division; England favored a small, softer organ to accompany choral music. These national characteristics gradually gave way to an eclectic instrument, just as national dress and cuisine sought a universality. Most organ music after 1800 explored eclecticism, but with residual nationalistic elements. Today’s organist is tasked with deciding which timbres to use based, in part, on this rich heritage, as well as on his/her own preferences for color and contrast.
SPAIN Basque composer Luis Urteaga enjoyed a long, celebrated career as composer, organist and teacher. Allegro Maestoso, a prelude and fugue, is from his large catalog of works for organ, and reflects his recognized mastery of harmony and counterpoint, which he taught at several universities. Catalan composer Joseph Ribó, who contributed to the fugue, was celebrated as composer and conductor of choral and instrumental works, professor of harmony and counterpoint, and music director for Radio Barcelona. He served as Director of Music at several Barcelona churches.
ITALY Respighi’s Prelude based on a Chorale of Bach, one of only three pieces he wrote for organ, asks of the organist the same vivid colorings that he is best known for in his orchestral works. This piece begins with the chorale melody played on chimes, explores the varying timbres of different organ flutes and in the final presentation of the chorale melody uses the charming Zimbelstern - a rotating bell mechanism.
FRANCE Ibert is noted for wanting to be free of any particular style, and for exploring all the effects possible for a given solo instrument. His “Piece Solennelle” explores the potential for the organist to change timbres abruptly, and to alternate, even whimsically, between traditional harmonic and wildly chromatic textures. If the music makes sense, then any means is acceptable, including brilliance and fantasy.
GERMANY O Lamm Gottes is one of the “Great Eighteen” Chorale preludes which Bach, during his Leipzig years (1744-47), enlarged from earlier chorale preludes. The text is an adaptation of the Agnus Dei, with 3 verses, repetitive except for small variants. “O Lamb of God, in innocence…..teach us to love Thee more and more and lead us to Thy victory…..have mercy on us.” “Victory” exults in nearly full organ; “have mercy on us” is delicate.
AUSTRIA Mozart is known to have had little regard for musical clocks, yet near the end of his life he accepted a commission to write three pieces for such a mechanism, which used pinned cylinders to access small organ pipes. The Andante does not reflect any disdain for the instrument, is well constructed, delightfully charming, and is typically Mozartian.
BELGIUM Flor Peeters, celebrated Belgian organ composer and teacher, lived in Brussels, the dividing line between Reformation-oriented Flanders to the north and the Catholic oriented south. He wrote many collections of organ works based on the hymnody of diverse traditions as well as free compositions for organ, piano, voice and chorus. He also wrote one of the most respected organ pedagogical methods, and served on the faculties of several universities and conservatories in both Belgium and Holland. His Trumpet Tune is one of his most popular organ pieces.
RUSSIA César Cui was born in Latvia of French and Latvian parentage. His education in St. Petersburg prepared him for a Russian military career, and his music training led him to join the non-conformist group, Kuchka, known as The Five, whose aim was to promote nationalistic music. Russia had no organs, since the Orthodox Church forbade musical instruments, only allowing a cappella singing. A friendship between Peter Tchaikowsky and French organist/composer Charles-Marie Widor, led to the installation in the Moscow Conservatory in the 1850’s of a large Cavaille-Coll organ, the most prestigious 19th century French organ builder. That installation led, in turn, to an organ being installed in the St. Petersburg Conservatory. Abbé Joseph Joubert (1878-1963), French priest, organist and composer, published many collections of organ music, and was intent on collecting and publishing lesser known 19th century organ works from many countries. He wanted to include Russia, which had no organ music, so he extended a commission to the St. Petersburg Conservatory. César Cui was one of several composers to accept this commission. Cui was best known for his many piano miniatures and writing “pretty” melodies; this organ miniature has several such melodies in a rich contrapuntal texture.
USA Nigerian-born Noel da Costa dedicated “Spiritual Set” to his sister, Lorna, who served on the faculty at Cheyney University in the 1970’s. On a sabbatical in Nigeria, Lorna researched tribal drum rhythms, and this heavily influenced her brother, Noel’s “Spiritual Set”: 4 colorful pieces derived from Nigerian tribal Rhythms. Many passages are intended to be improvised on a given group of notes, with no indication of how they are to be played. Thus, each performance is a new experience!
ENGLAND Percy Whitlock’s Fanfare is a handsome tribute to the lush harmonic texture and registrations of mid-20th century English organ music. English organs had had a difficult time emerging from the chaos of several centuries of constantly changing religious allegiances, and when finally freed from these restrictions, the English organ blossomed into an unbelievably rich, sonorous, masterful instrument. So the rich, sonorous, masterful organ music of Whitlock stepped right in, producing a great deal of oh, so English, lush organ music. Enjoy!
UPCOMING SCHOOL OF MUSIC EVENTS For full event details visit www.wcupa.edu/music or call (610) 436-2739 Sunday, September 16, 2018, 3:00 PM SOM Quartet in Residence: Dali Quartet Carlos Rubio, director Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre Performing Arts Center Monday, September 17, 2018, 7:30 PM Faculty Recital: Carl Cranmer, piano Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre Performing Arts Center Monday, September 24, 2018, 7:30 PM Faculty Recital: Jonathan Fowler, tuba Jonathan Fowler, director Philips Autograph Library Philips Memorial Building Thursday, September 27, 2018, 8:15 PM Wind Ensemble & Wind Symphony Emilie K. Asplundh Concert Hall Philips Memorial Building
*Tickets required for this event.
Steinway & Sons Piano Technical, Tuning and Concert Preparations by Gerald P. Cousins, RPT A majority of performances are available to watch via live stream at Facebook.com/ArtsAtWCUPA and LiveStream.com/wcupa. Events at the School of Music are often supported by individual sponsors and organizations. Contributions to the School of Music may be made out to: West Chester University Foundation West Chester University, PO Box 541, West Chester, PA 19381.
For further information, please call (610) 436-2868 or contact Dean Christopher Hanning. The School of Music | West Chester University of Pennsylvania For ticket purchases please call the WCU SSI Ticket Office at 610-436-2266