Performers were David Ball, Michael servatory, de Wolff followed his teacher Hey, Colin MacKnight, Griffi n McMa- to the Dutch capital, later continuing hon, Raymond Nagem, Benjamin Sheen, his studies with Anthon van der Horst. Janet Yieh, and Gregory Zelek. All of Van der Horst—whose students had also them are organ students of Paul Jacobs, included Piet Kee, Albert de Klerk, and chair of Juilliard’s Organ Department. Bernard Bartelink—was perhaps the most infl uential Dutch organist of the twentieth century and also an impor- tant composer and conductor, especially known for his annual performances of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with the Dutch Bach Society. After completing his studies in Amsterdam in 1954 with the Prix d’Excellence (the highest distinction possible), de Wolff continued his stud- ies, on van der Horst’s suggestion, with Jeanne Demessieux in Paris. From her, de Wolff learned to ‘only accept one’s very best’, as he said in an interview in 2008. Demessieux inspired de Wolff Arlyn F. Fuerst Carol Williams to go hear Olivier Messiaen at the Ste- Trinité on Sundays. Along with Bach, the in church music and organ from the Uni- Carol Williams has released the fi rst music of Messiaen became a constant in versity of Michigan in 1964. In 1971 he video about the Disney Hall organ in de Wolff’s career. In 1965, he won the received a Lutheran World Federation Los Angeles: TourBus goes to Disney Dutch Gaudeamus competition for con- scholarship and was granted a leave of Hall, the seventh DVD in the TourBus temporary music with a performance of absence from his position at Trinity Lu- Margaret Phillips series. The DVD tells the story of the or- Messiaen’s Livre d’orgue. theran Church for further studies at the gan, and features interviews with Frank That same year van der Horst died, Musikhochschule in Lübeck, Germany Margaret Phillips is featured on a Gehry, the architect of the hall and or- leaving ‘his’ Bach Society in the hands of and the University of Iowa. His teach- new recording, Volume VI in her series gan, and Fred Swann, who played the in- de Wolff, who had already gained signifi - ers included Warren Schmidt, Robert of Bach organ works on the Regent la- augural concert of the organ. In addition, cant experience as a conductor following Glasgow, Uwe Röhl, Kurt Thomas, and bel (REGCD307). Recorded on the Manuel Rosales leads a crawl into the or- studies with Franco Ferrara and Albert Gerhard Krapf. 1738 Christian Müller organ at St. Bavo, gan and shows the mechanical advances Wolf. A year later, de Wolff was ap- Fuerst was minister of music at Trinity Haarlem, and the 2004 Bernard Auber- of the instrument. Phil Smith, the organ pointed music director of the Noordelijk Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Madison, tin organ at St. Louis-en-l’Île, Paris, the conservator, demonstrates the instru- Filharmonisch Orkest, based in the Wisconsin, from 1964 to 2006. He or- two-CD set includes preludes and fugues ment, and Carol Williams performs on city of Groningen in the north of the ganized and directed an annual Renais- in E minor (BWV 548), B minor (544), both consoles music by Bach, Rimsky- Netherlands. De Wolff would stay with sance Festival for Advent and Christmas G major (550), concertos in C major Korsakov, Marchand, Kleive, and two the orchestra for a quarter century. In on the First Sunday of Advent for 25 (595) and D minor (596), trio sonatas in of her own compositions. Aerial scenes Groningen, he also led the choral society years from 1977–2001. The Trinity Choir G major (530) and E-fl at major (525), of the exterior of the building are also Toonkunstkoor Bekker (1961–1989). toured Europe under his leadership in fugues in C minor (574) and G major included. More details can be found at A difference of opinion about artis- 1979, 1986, and 1996. He represented (577), the Fantasia and Fugue in G Mi- . tic matters between the Bach Society the city of Madison together with musi- nor (542), Toccata in E Major (566), and and its conductor in 1983 led to de cians from Trinity at the Madison Fair in many chorale settings. For information: Wolff’s leaving and the vast majority of Freiburg, Germany in 1994. He taught . the semi-professional choir following as a presenter from 1974–88 for the Nunc Dimittis him. De Wolff and his choir contin- University of Wisconsin Music Exten- ued their annual St. Matthew Passion sion Series, and from 1979 to 1988 as a performances—as well as their regular presenter for the UW Series on Church performances of Bach’s other major cho- Music on the Statewide Communication ral works—elsewhere as ‘Holland Bach Network. Arlyn F. Fuerst is survived by Choir’, while the Bach Society started a his wife, Carolyn Fuerst née Wulff, three new, smaller choir and an orchestra with sons, nine grandchildren, and a brother period instruments. De Wolff stayed and a sister. with ‘his’ Bach Choir until 1998, return- ing briefl y a few years later. As an organist, de Wolff was strongly associated with the Schnitger organ (1721) at Zwolle. One of the fi rst of the large Dutch city organs to be restored with historic awareness (Flentrop 1954), the organ was regarded very highly by organists at home and abroad, especially in the 1950s and ’60s. The instrument Charles de Wolff was very dear to de Wolff, not only for the music of Bach, but also for Reger, Thomas Trotter Dutch organist and conductor Charles Messiaen, and other contemporary or- de Wolff died on November 23, 2011 in gan music, much of which he premiered Thomas Trotter is featured on a new Zwolle, the Netherlands, following com- in Zwolle. A minor stroke forced him to DVD recording, The Town Hall Tradi- plications from a fall in his home in Vier- give up organ playing in 2005. tion—Virtuoso Organ Showpieces from houten. He was born on June 19, 1932 Although a thoroughly passionate and Town Hall, Birmingham, on the Regent in Onstwedde near Stadskanaal in the in many ways single-minded musician— label (REGDVD001). The package in- Dutch province Groningen, where his who could easily practice for eight hours cludes a video of the program and an au- father was a minister of the Dutch Re- a day and study orchestral scores in the dio CD, and features works by Hollins, formed church. evening—he was also a down-to-earth Thalben-Ball, Ketèlbey, Coates, Ander- De Wolff studied piano, organ, and person, who enjoyed playing bridge son, Wagner, Tchaikovsky, Lemare, and music theory at the Utrecht Conserva- with friends, driving large classic cars, Trotter. For information: tory. When his organ teacher George and was never able to give up smoking. . Stam ‘moved’ to the Amsterdam Con- Seemingly secular on the outside, he always kept a connection with the Re- formed Church and in later years played for weekly services, assisted by his son Gerre Edward Hancock Franco, a geriatrist. February 21, 1934–January 21, 2012 After a simple ceremony, de Wolff was buried in Enschede on November Gerre Hancock, one of America’s 28, 2011. most highly acclaimed concert organ- —Dr. Jan-Piet Knijff, FAGO ists and choral directors, passed away peacefully on January 21, surrounded Arlyn F. Fuerst died December 26, by his family, in Austin, Texas. The 2011 in Fitchburg, Wisconsin at age 69 cause was coronary artery disease. A from CLL (chronic lymphocytic leuke- gifted artist, teacher, and composer, mia), with which he lived since 2001. he was considered by many to be a gi- Born on May 25, 1942 in Holdrege, Ne- ant fi gure in twentieth to twenty-fi rst braska, he received a Bachelor of Music century American sacred music. He degree in church music at Wartburg Col- was known not only for his artistry, but lege in 1963 and Master of Music degree also for his energy, optimism, and love

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8 THE DIAPASON of the people he taught and for whom throughout the United States, Europe, organ works; one of her best-known ar- practice. He founded the Leonhardt he performed. South Africa, Japan, and Great Britain. rangements, “America the Beautiful,” Consort in 1955, for performance of At the time of his death, Dr. Hancock He also performed on occasion with his was sung many times by the Iowa All- Baroque repertoire, fi rst concentrat- was Professor of Organ and Sacred Music wife, Judith, including a recital at West- state Chorus. Sherrill Milnes of Metro- ing on then little-known composers like at the University of Texas at Austin, where minster Abbey. politan Opera fame, and Jon Spong, his Biber and Scheidt, and later including he taught along with his wife of fi fty years, Compositions for organ and chorus by accompanist, chose her “Take Joy Home,” works by Rameau, Lully, Campra, and Dr. Judith Hancock. Prior to this appoint- Dr. Hancock are published by Oxford as a closing work on many of their world- other Baroque composers. The group ment in 2004, he held the position of University Press, as is his textbook Im- wide concerts, including a White House collaborated with Harnoncourt’s Con- Organist and Master of the Choristers at provising: How to Master the Art, which concert. Over 40 of her works had been centus Musicus Wien to record, begin- St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue in New is used by musicians throughout the commissioned by churches, universi- ning in 1971, all of Bach’s church can- York City, where for over thirty years country. He recorded for Decca/Argo, ties, and other organizations across the tatas for the Telefunken (later Teldec) he set a new standard for church music Gothic Records, Koch International, United States. Das Alte Werk series. The recordings in America. Previous to his time at St. Priory Records and Pro Organo, both as Alice Jordan served on the boards of took nearly two decades to complete, Thomas, he held positions as organist and conductor of the St. Thomas Choir and as the Des Moines Symphony Association, and were released in boxed sets that choirmaster of Christ Church Cathedral a soloist. In addition, the American Guild the Des Moines Women’s Club, and included full scores of the cantatas. Le- in Cincinnati, where he also served on the of Organists produced a DVD about him, the Drake Alumnae Association, and onhardt also recorded Bach’s keyboard artist faculty of the College-Conservatory volume IV of The Master Series. was president of the Des Moines Civic music, sometimes revisiting works—he of Music, University of Cincinnati, and Gerre Hancock is survived by his Music Association when it had 4,200 recorded the Goldberg Variations in as assistant organist at St. Bartholomew’s wife, Dr. Judith Hancock of Austin, Tex- members. Memberships also included 1952, 1965, and 1979. Church, New York City. as, his daughters Deborah Hancock of ASCAP, Kappa Alpha Theta, PEO, and Leonhardt taught harpsichord at con- A native of Lubbock, Texas, Gerre Brooklyn, New York and Lisa Hancock Mu Phi Epsilon, which honored her servatories in Vienna and Amsterdam, Hancock began to hone his legendary of New York City, as well as his brother, with the Orah Ashley Lamke Distin- and also taught at Harvard in 1969 and skills as a child, taking piano and organ the Reverend James Hancock, of Sa- guished Alumni Award at its triennial 1970. His students included Richard lessons in Lubbock and playing in a lo- vannah, Texas. A memorial service took national convention. For many years she Egarr, Philippe Herreweghe, Christo- cal church. He went on to study at the place February 4 at St. Thomas Church, was a member of the Des Moines Club. pher Hogwood, Ton Koopman, Bob van University of Texas at Austin, where he New York City. The family requests that A long-time member of First United Asperen, Alan Curtis, Pierre Hantaï, received his Bachelor of Music degree, in lieu of fl owers, donations may be sent Methodist Church, she was also an elder Francesco Cera, Andreas Staier, and and from there to Union Theological to the University of Texas at Austin Or- in the Presbyterian Church. Skip Sempé. He was also the founding Seminary in New York for his Master gan Department with an emphasis on Alice Jordan was preceded in death music director of the New York Colle- of Sacred Music degree, from which Sacred Music. by her parents, her brother Lawrence, gium. In Amsterdam, Gustav Leonhardt he received the Unitas Distinguished —Karen McFarlane and her husband, Dr. Frank B. Jordan, was appointed organist of the Waasle Alumnus Award. A recipient of a Rotary an accomplished organist and a longtime Kerk and later the Nieuwe Kerk (New Foundation Fellowship, he continued Professor of Music and Dean of Drake Church), both of which have historic his study in Paris, during which time he University’s College of Fine Arts. instruments. He continued to teach, was a fi nalist at the Munich International —Robert Speed and he edited the Fantasies and Tocca- Music Competitions. His organ study tas of Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck for the was with E. William Doty, Robert Bak- complete edition of Sweelinck’s works, er, Jean Langlais, Nadia Boulanger, and published in 1968. That year he also por- Marie-Claire Alain. trayed Bach in Jean-Marie Straub’s fi lm A Fellow of the American Guild of Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach, a Organists, Dr. Hancock was a member non-speaking role that required him to of its national council, and was a founder perform, in period costume and wig, in and past president of the Association of locations where Bach worked. He gave Anglican Musicians. As a noted teacher, his last public performance on Decem- he served on the faculties of the Juilliard ber 12, 2011 at the Théâtre des Bouffes School, the Institute of Sacred Music of du Nord in Paris. Yale University, and the Eastman School Gustav Leonhardt is survived by his of Music. wife, Marie Leonhardt, a noted Baroque Dr. Hancock was appointed a Fellow violinist and concertmaster of the Leon- of the Royal School of Church Music hardt Consort, three daughters, and a sis- in 1981 and of the Royal College of Or- ter, the fortepianist Trudelies Leonhardt. ganists in 1995. He received honorary Doctor of Music degrees from Nasho- Gustav Leonhardt (Photo courtesy of Janos Kay Arthur McAbee died January tah House Seminary, the University of Sebestyen) 8, after a month-long illness. He was the South at Sewanee, Tennessee, and Alice Yost Jordan born in Joliet, Illinois on November 17, from Westminster Choir College in Dutch harpsichordist, organist, and 1930, and had been a resident of Albu- Princeton New Jersey. In 2004 he was Alice Yost Jordan died January 15 conductor Gustav Leonhardt, a pio- querque since 1986. He started his pro- awarded the Doctor of Divinity degree at the age of 95 at the Bright Kavanagh neer in period instrument performance fessional career as staff organist for the (Honoris causa) from the General Theo- House. Born in Davenport, Iowa, De- and Baroque performance research, W. W. Kimball Company in 1952. After logical Seminary in New York, and was cember 31, 1916, she moved with her died January 16 at his home in Am- completing his musical education at the presented with the Medal of the Cross family to Des Moines, where she attend- sterdam. He was 83. Born in the Neth- Chicago Musical College and the Amer- of St. Augustine by the Archbishop of ed Hubbell, Callanan, and Roosevelt erlands on May 30, 1928, Leonhardt ican Conservatory of Music in Chicago, Canterbury in a ceremony at Lambeth public schools, and graduated from began studying piano at age 6, and the he went on to become a featured solo- Palace, London. He is listed in Who’s Drake University. She pursued graduate cello when he was 10. His parents and ist in at least fi ve national conventions Who in America. His biography appears studies at Drake, Columbia University, his brother and sister were avid cham- for the American Theatre Organ Soci- in The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Union Theological Seminary. Drake ber music players, and when he was a ety (ATOS), and was inducted into their and Musicians, second edition, and the honored her during their centennial year teenager his parents bought a harpsi- Hall of Fame in 1985. He was a pioneer New York City Chapter of the American as “One in a Hundred.” chord for Baroque music performances; in the theatre organ world and well re- Guild of Organists named him Interna- In 1986, Grand View University con- he made it his specialty. In 1949 he en- membered for the series of concerts he tional Performer of the Year in 2010. ferred the honorary degree, Doctor of rolled at the Schola Cantorum, in Basel, performed at the Rialto Theater in Jo- Gerre Hancock’s consummate skill Letters, upon her, and in 2006 Drake Switzerland, to study organ and harpsi- liet, Illinois and the Aurora Paramount was clearly apparent in his concert ap- bestowed the honorary degree Doctor chord with Eduard Müller, moving the in Aurora, Illinois, and more recently at pearances. Possessing a masterly inter- of Fine Arts. Mrs. Jordan was listed in following year to Vienna to study con- the Phil Maloof Roxy Organ at the Albu- pretive style, he was an artist of taste, the fi rst edition of Who’s Who in Ameri- ducting and musicology, where he made querque Ramada Classic, Fred Hermes warmth, perception, and style—and a can Women, and in Women in American his debut as a harpsichordist in 1950, residence organ in Racine, Wisconsin, master of virtuosity in his improvisa- Music. She was inducted into the Iowa performing Bach’s Art of the Fugue. He and concert series for the St. Louis The- tions. Considered for decades to be the Women’s Hall of Fame in 2002. also met Nikolaus Harnoncourt and be- ater Organ Society. fi nest organ improviser in America, he As a composer, she was best known gan playing with his group. McAbee taught up to fi fty students was heard in recital in countless cities for more than 250 published choral and Among his fi rst recordings were per week in Joliet for years at the World collaborations with the countertenor of Music. He was member of the Amer- Alfred Deller on music by Bach, Pur- ican Guild of Organists for 50 years, cell, Matthew Locke, John Jenkins and choirmaster and organist at St. Peter’s Elizabethans. As a keyboard soloist and United Church of Christ in Frankfort, founder and director of the Leonhardt Illinois for 23 years, and most recently Consort, Leonhardt made hundreds of organist for Covenant United Method- recordings in the 1950s and ’60s that ist Church. helped establish historical performance —Larry Chace

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10 THE DIAPASON