ORGALT.COM ORGAN ALTERNATIVES

Summer 2003 · Issue 37 Glenn Gould meets J.S. Bach: Two Musics in Mind The complete script from the second production, 24-28 July 2003 during the Organ Concerts and Academy at Stratford Summer Music

Alphorn, Organ & Bengt Hambræus-16 Bach & Gould-2/3/4 Böhme, Buxtehude & Teeuwsen-8 Calgary & Cantos- 3/13/14 Concerts-10/11/12/13 Crumb & d’Agostino-14 Czech & Pokorná-14 Edmonton & Winspear-9 England, Haydn & Wolff-15 OrgaNews-16 OrgAlt: Next Issue-16 OrgAlt: What’s New-13 Nathaniel-2 Pipings on the Record-8 Organ & Saxophone-3 Stratford Organ Concerts and Academy-3

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ORGAN ALTERNATIVES www.OrgAlt.com [email protected] SOLITUDE & SERENDIPITY - Christopher Daw es Organ Alternatives/OrgAlt.com 103 King Street Georgetown, Ontario, Canada L7G 2G8, Welcome back, Organ Alternatives! An extraordinary year has given Marcia and I a beauti- tel: (416) 356-3138; faxes received by appointment only ful baby boy, Nathaniel, and given me the wisdom and courage to end my tw elve years at Organ Alternatives is a production and communi- Toronto’s St. James’ Cathedral in favour both of more time with my family, and more cations company dedicated to the future of the creative and professional freedom in these important years of all three of our lives. King of Instruments, and to its ongoing develop- ment in artistic and interdisciplinary creation. Despite the extraordinary demands St. James’ has OrgAlt.com, Canada’s Internet journal of culture placed upon me and my family, both I and Organ and creativity, is published three times annually in Alternatives ow e an immense debt of gratitude to the Adobe PDF to the website of the same name Cathedral w hich has provided me first and foremost (where it may be downloaded free of charge), and w ith perhaps our country’s finest organ to play, and mailed to subscribers around the world. perhaps equally a blank acoustical, promotional and The charge for a paper subscription by regular spiritual canvas upon which to begin to write a new mail is $20. Organ Alternatives also operates the story about the King of Instruments in Canada. I OrgAlt e-mail/discussion list powered by Yahoo! have grow n and changed as a church musician under Groups; free membership in the list provides pub- its patronage; I supported one of Canada’s great lication-day notices with a download link to the church musicians in his ministry, and subsequently new newsletter. w as privileged to serve fully both St. James’ needs Listings of concerts and broadcasts within Canada and my own vision for its short-term adjustment to a and in U.S. border communities are provided free new time, and incredibly, see my every objective of charge, recordings and other items for review achieved in the time my family and I had made avail- are always welcome. Advertising is available. able for my part in the task. You will see that the OrgAlt Newsletter and Website are redesigned, seeking perhaps to OrgAlt Internet E-mail List by Yahoo! Groups www.groups.yahoo.com/group/OrgAlt put into media form some of the elbow room that now re-enters my life and work. In “Two Musics in Mind”, the play attributed to me despite the indispensable contribu- ISSN 1203-7370, Volume 11, Number 1 tions of my collaborators Peter Tiefenbach and John Van Burek, Bach presents a 38-year Cover: Christopher Dawes and Peter Tiefenbach old Glenn Gould obsessed with the notion of solitude with the revelation that “the organ in “Two Musics in Mind”, St. Andrew’s loft is the place of ultimate solitude”. This notion preoccupied me with trepidation in Presbyterian Church, Toronto (9/1999). 1999 while I was writing the play and facing my new Directorship of the Cathedral’s Photographs by Tom Sandler courtesy of the Glenn Gould Foundation. Continued on p.3

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LOOKING BACK: WHO ‘DID’ CALGARY IN 2002? ORGAN CONCERTS AND The Royal Bank Calgary International Competition’s trademark mixed jury, composed of organists and non-classical and even non-organ emphasis of the Royal Bank Calgary ACADEMY AT STRATFORD International Organ Festival has continued to give the Calgary phenomenon its unique profile – and occasionally its share of crit icism – on the international organ festi- SUMMER MUSIC val/composition circuit. OrgAlt’s third annual w eek facilitating the organ programming and International Acad- emy at Stratford Summer Music w as a great COMPETITION FINALISTS COMPETITION JURORS Iveta Apkalna (Latvia) John Allison (journalist, South Africa/UK) success, even in SARS-depressed Southern Eva Bublová (Czech Republic) William Bolcom (composer/pianist USA) Ontario. The 2004 Concerts and Academy Clive Driskill-Smith (United Kingdom) Richard Bradshaw (opera conductor, Canada) w ill feature John Longhurst, Senior Taberna- Vincent Dubois (France) Gerre Hancock (organist, USA) cle Organist, Salt Lake City Tabernacle (or- László Fassang (Hungary) Henriette Schellenberg (voice, Canada) ganist to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir). For Hyun Jung Kim (Korea) Luigi Tagliavini (organist, Italy/Switzerland) full information and many pdf dow nloads Siu-Wai Ng (Hong Kong) Gillian Weir (organist, UK) from 2001-2004, visit www.OrgAlt.com. Jonathan Oldengarm (Canada) Simon Preston (organist, UK) Tomaž Sevšek (Slovenia) The Organ Concerts and Academy, 2003 Chris Schmitt(Germany) July 24, 26 Gould/Bach “Two Musics in Mind” July 25 Christopher Dawes, organ: BACH: The Art of Fugue FESTIVAL PERFORMERS (EXCLUDING JURORS) July 27 Academy Student Concert: Ling-Kong Chan David Goode (classical organ, UK) Doug Riley (jazz organ, Canada) (Toronto), Shin-Ae Chun (Michigan), Brent Gib Monks (jazz saxophone, Canada) Russell Broom (jazz guitar, Canada) Fifield (Hamilton), Christopher Ku (Toronto), Chris Mitchell (jazz saxophone, Canada) Jack Semple (jazz guitar, Canada) Gregg Redner (London) July 28 Ullrich Böhme (Thomaskirche, Leipzig): Jim Head (jazz, Canada) Campbell Ryga (jazz saxophone, Canada) Bach Memorial concert Jake Langley (jazz guitar, Canada) Ian McDougal (jazz trombone, Canada) P.J. Perry (jazz saxophone, USA) Dennis James (theatre organ, USA) Neil Cockburn (classical organ, Canada) Bolcom & Morris(popular piano/voice USA) ORGAN & SAXOPHONE: Quartetto Gelato (light classic, Canada) Quartette (crossover vocal, Canada) THE DANCE OF THE Rawlins Cross (celtic popular, Canada) NEXUS (percussion ensemble, Canada) Stefan Engals (classical organ, USA) BLESSED SPIRITS The 2003-2004 season COMPETITION WINNERS saw the launch in Can- Recital Gold: Vincent Dubois (France) Encore: Jonathan Oldengarm (Canada) ada of an international Concerto Gold: Clive Driskill-Smith (UK) RCCO: Jonathan Oldengarm (Canada) rarity: a recording for Improvisation Gold:László Fassang (Hungary) Duruflé: Clive Driskill-Smith (UK) saxophone and organ, Bach: Iveta Apkalna (Latvia) featuring Daniel Rub- For a short review of a CD issued in promotion of the three Gold Med alists… see p .14 inoff and Christopher Dawes and containing Jonathan Oldengarm: Canada’s first Finalist and Prizewinner in Calgary transcriptions and original repertoire for this Winning the Faculty of Music Gold Medal, Jonathan Oldengarm graduated from Wilfrid Laurier unusual combination including Sonata #1 by University as a student of Barrie Cabena and Colin Tilney. He earned the Fellowship diploma of Denis Bédard, and The Blues of a Chagall Win- the RCCO in 1996, winning the Peaker and Porter prizes. Awarded a Max Stern Fellowship by dow by John Burge, w ritten for the duo. McGill University, he completed graduate studies in organ and harpsichord with John Grew, Hank Knox and Luc Beauséjour. Jonathan attended the International Summer Academy for Or- Daw es and Rubinoff w ill appear next on Sat- ganists in Haarlem, the Netherlands, in 1996 and 1998 and was recently awarded fellowships by urday September 27th in the inaugural Colours the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Sir Ernest MacMillan of Music Festival in Barrie, Ontario. For the Memorial Foundation. He has won prizes at several prestigious competitions, including the Dub- lin International, Royal Canadian College of Organists’ National, and Début Young Artists’ Series. CD’s complete play list, biographies and other Jonathan has performed extensively in Canada, Japan and Europe. Jonathan Oldengarm is cur- information, visit www.OrgAlt.com. DBS is rently pursuing doctoral studies at McGill under the guidance of John Grew. He is organist of St. available in stores, the Gift Shop at St. James’ Cathedral, Toronto, or at www.joyofsax.com. Matthias’ Church, Westmount in Montréal, and maintains an active performing schedule. SOLITUDE & SERENDIPITY (from p.2) Music, and once again in reflection in the piece’s second production in Stratford as I have been in the throes of giving up that Directorship. It is one of life’s great poetic coincidences that this piece’s productions, rich in this concept and imagery has bracketed these important points in my career. Serendipity is that aptitude we all have to some degree to make desirable discoveries by accident. My greatest discovery of recent years has been the marvellous effect of opening time and space around myself, my family, my music and my mind. If in this new chapter in the history of Organ Alternatives you perceive slightly larger print, a bit more w hite space, a bit more depth and a bit more thought, perhaps the new open space is having an effect already. -CD

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GOULD MEETS BACH ”TWO MUSICS IN MIND” -A short play by Christopher Dawes [Bach is at th e organ ( rea r loft) playing O Mensc h bew ein d ein Sünde Gross BWV622 . Gould enters at the north end of the church, carrying a porta ble tap e reco rde r and looking around. He adopts a po sition at the foot of the c hanc el step s, contemplati ng the organ. He continues looking around and, at the start of the music's "B" section, begins speaking into his mic rophone.]

GG: (quote from “Toronto”): In my youth, Toronto was called th e “City of Churches” and, indeed, the most vivid of my childhood memories in connection with Toronto have to do with churches. They have to do with Sunday evening services, with evening light filtered through stained-glass windows, and with ministers wh o [organ restarts, loudest yet… exasperated, Gould sup- which placed him predominantl y here, in the concluded th eir benediction with th e phrase: presses an outb urst. Gould regains composure, and church. He resisted th e allure of Austro- “Lord, give us the peace th at th e world cann ot shortly begins recordi ng his thought s along anoth er di rec- Germanic high society and courtly life, as he give.” Monday mornings, you see, meant that tion] probably would have its mod ern descend ant, the one had to go back to school and encounter all concert hall. sorts of terrifying situations out there in the ci ty. The chancel of St. Andrew’s is a model of re- Well, I don’t go to church much th ese days, I formed simplicity, Romanesque openness, and [The noises bei ng made by Bach are by now again imped- must confess, but I do repeat that phrase very of- upper-class Toronto. It features a narrow choir in ing Gould’s efforts] ten to m yself — the on e about the peace that the dark rosewood, a high communion table, a large world cannot give — and find it a great comfort. yet understa ted cross suspended above the table. Excuse me, sir. I am researching a radio docu- What I’ve done, I think, while living here, is to mentary for the CBC. In Luther’s reformation, and the subsequent concoct some sort of metaphoric stained-glass [rec eives little response] As a boy, I often attended window, which allows m e to survive what appear Protestant movem ents, art, music, and decora- tion were systema tically and in som e cas es vio- services with my family [again, little response] I was to me to b e the perils of the city — much as I raised a Presbyterian. survived Monday mornings in the schoolroom. lently removed from the church, only gradually (end quote) to creep their way b ack in over the sev eral hun- JSB: My condolences. dred years which hav e followed. One of the first [as p revious line end s, Gould leaves t he nave floor for the such profane artistic incursions to regain pride of GG: [taken aback]… Y es, well, you see I hav e alwa ys rear balcony, adopting a po sition down stage left] place in the Protes tant Church was… [glari ng] for held fond associations of peace and comfort with better or for worse… the organ. the church. I rememb er the b eautiful quiet, the [indicat es organ] Were it no t for the music of solitude of this place. On radio, I’m trying to Sebastian Bach, churches might represen t to m e [organ finish es O Mens ch bewein] convey some of th e sense of san ctuary it repre- what they do to many… a point of comfort and [to self] Ahh! Thank you… Thank-you very sents for me by recording my thoughts against nostalgia, rather than of engagemen t and stimula- the backdrop of its pristine sonic canvas. tion. But the great Ba ch’s music, which tou ches much! and intrigues us to this day, also leaves us with a [Bach leaves t he orga n to begin clea ning in the choir st alls. JSB: Sonic canvas? sense of longing for that state of inordinate ec- While Gould continues, Bach e ngages in a nnoying and oc- GG: Yes. As it were, the effect o n the taped voice of stasy, which we will perhaps nev er again know, casionally noisy activities, using a mop and pail to clean but which he took for granted. emptiness and sp ace, th e exclusion of noise from up the area aro und t he front o rgan console, the choir stalls, the outside world, the sense of history hanging [goes back down to centre nave, t urns to windows at back] etc. He pays occasional attention to Gould’s monologue.] stilly in the resonant acoustics… In this, I’m speaking of serving an institution I cast my mind in nos talgia to the churches JSB: Resonant acoustics? which was the spiritual and artistic focus of daily which inspired and sustained the great Sebastian life. Even in his own time, Bach was to see that Bach. Mind you, that nostalgia is not for the GG: [getting to the point] Yes. The smallest sound — focus shift from in here (in the church) to the crowds which once sat in these p ews, for the attractive or una ttractive — echo es and grows theatre, th e con cert hall — in oth er words, out church has alwa ys worked its greates t magic on very much larger, destroying the atmosph ere I’m there. [organ stops a s Bach revises] me while emp ty, while no t uniting me with le- trying to create. Its reson ant properties tend to gions of my fellow man, but rather separating me demand of all within a quiet peace and reveren ce Ah yes! The stained glass… Do thes e noble, from them. But what is it a bout th ese places for the profundity of silence! static and solemn portraits in light, wrapped which draws such response from us today? Is it translucent around th e faithful, instead of for- that church es are th e only buildings born solely JSB: Profundity of silence? tress-like walls, which filtered the out th ere from of ideology and higher purpose? That exist as GG: [irritat ed by the non-a nsw ers ] Is there an echo in their lives and minds… wholesale endorsements of something rather im- here!? plausible which the builders could never see or [organ restarts briefly, somewhat louder, Gould gives up prove, and yet went to grea t effort and expense JSB: [stops wo rking] I think you just said there was, but on ‘take’, glares at the organ] to monumen t in this wa y? The church is perhaps it was a little h ard to tell what you were sa ying, Do these nobl e, static and solemn portraits in the ultimate place, and its power and poignancy with all the words. [res ume s] light, wrapped translucent around the faithful, in- lie not in what o ne sees there, but in what on e does not. GG: [having seen his joke t urned o n him] Well, yes... the stead of fortress-like walls, which filtered … echo (I should perhaps have said ‘reverberation’) [once again the organ restarts, even louder still. Gould How the great B ach must h ave loved the is part of the acoustical surroundings that will waits expectantly, then restart s again.] churches which provided th e motiva tion for his help me convey on radio the place I’m in and the genius! Of course the impulse for his work, may impression that I’m there alone. I didn’t mean a Do these nobl e, static and solemn portraits in well have been sheer love of music, but Bach really great echo, of course, as th ere would be in light wrapped translucent around the … needed th e right context in which to create — as a larger church than this. do many of us — and for his life he chose a path ORGAN ALTERNATIVES…ORGALT.COM - 4

JSB: You mean, like in Bach’s churches? I heard you in these beautiful surroundings, and alone. You JSB: My Anna, yes. She is a good woman, and very talking about them. seem well-spoken and… well, clean. Have you indulgent of my work. [takes mic rophone and sta rts ever thought you’d like to be on the CBC? 'interviewing' Gould] Does your wife look after GG: [finally feeling he’s getting somewhere] Precisely! I’ve your kids? been to som e of them, and b een mov ed by th e JSB: What is the “CBC”? silence they tend to dem and of all who en ter. I GG: I have neither, and would hav e no time for them don't suppose you know the Thomaskirche in GG: What is the CBC?!?! It’s Canada’s national anywa y. I’m a musician and a writer. Leipzig? The Statskirche at Weimar? broadcast service! You know, “Radio to call their own…” JSB: You write music? JSB: Oh, yes I do know th em. What’s your point? JSB: Me, on the radio? They would n ever want an old GG: Not really. Mostly I play music, and I write GG: [dismissi ng this unlik ely revelation for sa rca sm] Oh. man like me. about it. [resum es role of interview er] But you said Well, look here, I don’t mean to inconv enience cleaning was a ch ange from your other work: your work, but could I possibly ask you, kindly, GG: I’m from the CBC, I’m inviting you, and I assure what else do you do? to accomplish it a bit more quietly so I could at you it has plenty of old men. JSB: I’m a musician, and a writer. least hear my voice on th e tap e, let alon e convey JSB: I’m not unionised. a restful, solitary experience? GG: [in his surprise, leaves microp hone pointing at Bach] Do GG: That’s all right. JSB: [stops wo rking] Sir, I am cleaning this church. If you write music? you were in fact raised a Presbyterian, don’t you JSB: I’m not accusto med to fam e and fortune. JSB: Some. But here, I mostly play the organ. also hold the, how did you say it, ‘fond associa- tion’ of cleanliness with Godliness? GG: Well there! You’re perfect to be on the CBC! GG: [lowers mik e] Of course! You were playing Bach Please, this will only take a few minutes. when I entered a few minu tes ago? GG: Well, yes, but… JSB: Well, all right. JSB: Yes, I was enjoying the peace of playing to an JSB: Thank you and good day. [resumes his work] GG: [After turni ng on and t esting the mic rophone, Gould empty church — just as you were saying — until GG: [walks away from Bach and the chancel, and tries to directs it b ack a nd forth between him self and his subject] you walked in waxing poetic in to your ma chine. continue ] Today this beautiful and distinguished How many years have you been custodian here? GG: [emba rra sse d] I’m very sorry, uh… Mr… church holds little more th an history… na mes on memorial tablets unfamiliar even to those who JSB: I’ve never been custodian here. JSB: Call me John. care to look, pews of linseed-oiled dark wood GG: But you clean this church? and cushions which succeed in comfort on the GG: John. I’m Glenn Gould. I will leave now and same level as sermons do in entertainment. And JSB: Not the whole church: just this part. bother you no more. then of course, there is th e organ. GG: Why just this part? [leaves, gets as far as two-thirds down the nave, and then [turns focus towards it] Bach calls after him] JSB: Because the custodian refuses to clean i t. That this place holds and treasures a musical in- JSB: I know who you are, Mr. Gould… but you don’t strument so inherentl y unmusical is in keeping GG: [off microphone, in disbelief] R efuses to clean the have to leave. I’ve wan ted to meet you for a long with its tend ency towards a cts of inspiration tha t chancel? The ‘Holies t of Holies’, the visual and time. [moves into the nav e towards Gould] architectural focus? are on the whole, uninspiring. And yet to gaze GG: I don’t get around very much th ese days. I tend upon the silent pipes, the intricacy of the case, JSB: No, not the whole ch ancel. Just the choir stalls. to prefer my own co mpany to tha t of others. the position of prominence afforded otherwise only to the infallible words of pulpit & pastor — GG: And why won’t th e custodian clean the choir JSB: Yes, you seem very interested in… how did you one is struck by the immense profundity of si- stalls? call it… solitude. lence of so glorious a sight, and of implied sound. The organ is church, incarnate in sound: JSB: Choirboys. Filthy creatures. GG: I’ve already made two docum entaries abou t people living in isolated parts of Canada, and am both evoke th e presence of something remark- GG: Yes. Well, [re- deploys the mic rophone] how long able through its own conspicuous absence. still very intrigued by the notion, to say nothing have you been cleaning th e choir stalls, then? of greatly preferential towards living that wa y Like the darkness of unlit stained glass, the emp- JSB: It seems like cen turies. Actually, I don’t mind it: myself. tiness of a church presuming to be filled with the it’s a change from the rest of my work here, and JSB: Is that why you gave up performing? Spirit, or the stillness of a fountain pond before it gets me away from my children. the wa ter flows, this… silence is the v ery essence GG: Peripherally, yes. I also have a moral objection of solitude, the suspended human condition GG: So, you find solitude here? to the concert life’s ‘circus’ environment and the awaiting the intervention of the ind escribable. JSB: Well, until you walked in, Ja! inconsistent exp erience afforded to listen ers in [At this moment Bach starts the vacuum. Furious, but poised to the imperfection of live performance and hall the end, Gould gathers himself together, and t urns calmly GG: [taken aback] Err… Right. Well, what is it inher- acoustics. But fundamentally — and I’ve said to the chancel, and approaches Bach agai n. He has an ent to this place that provides you wi th solitude? and written this many times — I’ve only rarely idea to make a blessi ng out of adversity.] [Bach trie s to ans wer, b ut Gould continue s] Is it the performed in public lately because I find that sense of history? [trie s again uns ucce ssfully] The way only in the san ctity of th e recording studio can I GG: Excuse me - Sir, I’m sorry to interrupt your work the church continues, stabl e and unchanging truly be myself as an artist. again, but could I ask a moment of your tim e? through times of societal upheaval and uncer- tainty? [same happ ens] Is it th e sense of reverence JSB: You seem to s ay and write most things many JSB: [without t urni ng from his work ] Certainly. [continues that it evokes by its solemnity and acoustical pu- times, Mr. Gould — but frankly I don’t buy that. vacuuming] rity? GG: Don’t buy it? GG: Err… could I possibly ask a moment of your JSB: [waits to see if Gould will interrupt again, then co ntinues, time NOW? JSB: You are a strong enough artist to transcend your satirising his i nterview er] Well, the undeniably environment, and evidentl y quite able to ignore JSB: Certainly. [conti nue s vacuuming] poignant features of this place you so astutely the presence and n eeds of others. [referring to his identify in connection with that primordial hu- interruption of his ‘solitude’.] GG: [struggling to remain patient, nonch alantly unplugs the man hunger for peace and quiet d o tend in on e vacuum with his foot] Oh… I am sorry abou t that, way or anoth er to con tribute to wards a certain GG: I am sorry about tha t. I grant you I am cap able but while you’re stopp ed a mom ent, I wondered experience and h eightened appreciation thereof of being oblivious to persons and things around if I could interview you about your work here? — and even a tantalisingly still greater appetite me: but all the sa me I cann ot escape the feeling therefore… but I on the whole… on that con cert-goers are watching me rather than JSB: Interview me abou t my work here? BALANCE… I would still have to say it’s be- listening to the co mposer. And wh at abou t the GG: Yes! cause it gets me away from my kids. hundreds who will receive a poor musical experi- ence simply b y virtue of where th ey cho ose — or JSB: Why? GG: [not particularly am used by the caricat ure, and already can afford — to sit. Recordings solve both regretting having tri ed the interview ploy] I suppose problems while eliminating the res trictions and GG: Well, I’m researching the notion of solitude, and your wife looks after your children? shortcomings of live performance. In fact, I you clearly labour away faithfully, hour by hour ORGAN ALTERNATIVES…ORGALT.COM - 5

think you may plan o n the Co ncert H all as we ence… even when I pla y the piano I think the JSB: With the organ there is no pure musical sense: know it having ceased to exist by 1999. bass with my feet. there is no secular organ music. Rather, its musi- cal sense is pure only in its divinity. Every no te it JSB: [with palpable sarcasm] Really? Mr. Gould, do you JSB: Why? speaks, every glimpse it reveals to th e listener and think other… should I say “less colourful”… the viewer is an offering to God. performers, people less likely to be the focus of GG: Because th e organ was so importan t to m y early atten tion achiev e greater honour for composers views on music, and has in fact greatl y shaped GG: May I play? by not distracting the listener’s sensibilities? my current tas tes. In my two docum entaries about solitude I do precisely the sa me thing. JSB: Please. [leaves the bench; Gould is seated and plays the GG: [hesitat es, surp rised at the i nsight show n by this person, Courant e from French Suit e #6] and at being so charged, but recovers and respo nds in JSB: I don't know th em. You play o n thes e documen- usual Gouldia n style] No, b ecause I think the con- taries? GG: That piece of music was never written to b e cert-going public wants — or is seduced into played on the organ. In that performance, was GG: No, although I suppose one could say that I play either Bach or th e organ offering praise to God? wanting — to experien ce peopl e, not music. them, as if a radio documen tary were an organ. They yearn for the elusive performer who re- In them, the characters I interview speak indi- JSB: Was the performer? treats behind the music, and sp end their tim e vidually as usual, but also in counterpoint, simul- seeking him and ignoring his art. Recordings taneously, challenging the listener eith er to follow GG: Do you think it ma tters? force them to experience actual music, rath er the path of one voice, or apprecia te th e whole, as than hang on th e every gesture, word, and idio- JSB: If he wasn't, then he was imposing himself on in the fugues of my youthful lessons. And the composer's will, and at the composer's ex- syncrasy of artists as though th ey were ‘trained throughout, I use a thema tic effect like your 16 monkeys’. pense. Your "concert-going public" would ap- foot pedal — in “The Idea of North”, the sound prove, receiving the mind of the performer in- JSB: Hmm… Then, I think the time has come for you of train wheels winding their way up to Churchill; stead of the composer! to see th e organ. in “The Latecomers”, the breaking of the surf on the Newfoundland shore. These function just GG: Oh no – let me clarify: I have always refused to GG: [surpris ed by th e ‘non-s equitur’] The organ? Why? like the sixteen foot stop in your pedal, under- make a clear distinction between the creative pinning, and reminding throughout of the process of composing and the re-crea tive process [Bach doesn’t respond, but motions Gould to follow him broader experience, be it on one hand courting of performing. I have no objection to the mind up to the organ. Gould continues to talk as they walk. solitude in remote parts of Canada, and on the of the performer showing through: otherwise Bach continues to walk silently, making no comment o n other experiencing the organ, which uniquel y why have multiple performers or renditions? I Gould's remarks.] among all instruments provides this bass. merely take issue with the performer, and espe- I played the organ a lo t when I was younger. My cially his persona, displacing the musical ideas at JSB: Interesting: but while limiting the organ in this the piece's core. professional recital debut was o n the organ a t the way might remind listen ers that it is, in fact, an age of 12, and my farewell recital on th e same in- organ they are listening to, it would also cause JSB: What about the non-musical ideas at the piece's strument at 15, yet it has had a profound influ- the organ to rely on this single feature for its core? ence on who I am tod ay. But wh at, precisely uniqueness when in fact i t has many more ex- does it have to contribute to a discussion of con- traordinary "uniquenesses". GG: Non-musical ideas? I dislike composers who use cert culture? Surely all instruments and musi- music to paint infantile pi ctures of things. I pre- cians are subject to th e relentless hum anity that GG: Such as? fer the more pure, system atic, Apollonian efforts inevitably subsumes th e 'divinity’ of art — even such as those of th e great Bach. this so-called King of the Instruments, and his JSB: Such as being both a voice of God and of man, a rather tedious courtiers, the organists. dual role played on earth only by it, and by our JSB: Suppose Bach wasn't "painting infantile pic- Lord Jesus Christ. tures": suppose he was praising God? Mind you, perhaps no other instrument draws so much attention to itself. It quickly captures th e fascination of critics and real listeners alike, over- shadowing both performer and music. [Bach app roaches the console, a nd sit s down o n the b enc h. Gould pauses upon reachi ng the loft, and gazes on the fa - çade] But what endlessly draws us to the fruits of Bach's genius is surely their ability to hang from any tree, and to be consumed in an y culinary guise — even served up on the leas t musical of man's musical inventions, their paradoxical sov- ereign, the organ. [Bach performs the Adagio from BWV 564, displaying musicality, ingenious and poetic ornamentation and phras- ing. Gould listens. As Bach plays, Gould ap proac hes from behind and dra ws the sixteen-foot stop in the ped al. Bach briefly looks Gould's way, finishes t he phrase he was playing, and stops.] JSB: Mr. Gould, why did you feel it was necessary to add the Sub bass to the p edal? GG: Personal preference, I suppose. The organists with whom I studied and the organs on which I played dem anded th at fullness. I find the organ's sound incomplete without that founda tion run- ning through. JSB: Incomplete? N onsense — you listen with closed ears and you speak wi th a co mfortably closed GG: [intrigue d] An interesting notion: it inspires by GG: But if as you say the organ is Bach's instrument mind, Mr. Gould. sight and sound the Vox Populi and embodies in of praise and he didn't conceive that work for the the same way the Vox Dei. But I was speaking in organ, how can you assume he was praising God GG: I beg to differ: I am a pianist, so I'm quite accus- a pure musical sense, of the organ as instrument, in writing it, and thus condemn all future per- tomed to music without that h armonic under- not symbol. Surely this conversation provides no formers of it to do the same? pinning. It is not a requirement of music, but in particular role for God? my mind, of the organ, to support its sonic pal- JSB: [ambiguously] Mr. Gould: I don't assume. ette. Besides, as I said it is a p ersonal prefer- ORGAN ALTERNATIVES…ORGALT.COM - 6

GG: [Gould briefly wonders what he means, but dismisses the answer while you go to a counter-subject, and JSB: And do you? respo nse, a nd begins drawing more stops] Oh. Well, I we'll go from there. You know the drill. will grant you that the organ has other "unique- GG: [pauses, p erhaps do ubting this for t he first time] What nesses" than my beloved sixteen foot ped al tone. [they play a short comic fughetta o n the song, then turn do you think? around on the organ bench to sit facing the church] All of these voices, gentle to jarring, give it at JSB: [pauses, then co ntinues wa rmly] Mr. Gould, I have least a great deal of variety. Listen to this. JSB: Well you'd never hear that at the Thomaskirche always regarded your talent and resolve wi th ad- [the two go thro ugh a series of am using sounds and light- in Leipzig! miration. But while defending that which you heart ed reactions. ] add to Bach 's music, mind wha t you might be GG: Though not for lack of talent in its most famous taking away. Do not refrain from doing so: only I must say, despite my nostalgia and fondness for Kappelmeister. Speaking of that, you distinguish first, ask yourself the question, what would he it, I find the organ musically limiting — even yourself in improvisation! have presumed to excise from the art of his fore- more so than th e piano. It's fine for typ ewriter JSB: An organist must improvise: you spoke a while bears. music, but it defies all nuance, and besides, some- ago, Mr. Gould, of creation and re-creation as GG: You speak with rare insight, John. But could we thing's usually out of tune or not working. Even being similar. That is only really true when the the terrible dep ths to whi ch the pi anos of the not at leas t agree on history's view of Bach's gen- performer is improvising. Only in improvising ius? Surely there can be no denying that! world routinely sink have nothing on those can the real subtlety of any mom ent in tim e be reached by the world's organs. expressed in musical terms. JSB: History will view things as it will, and it usually does. I am not so bold. Now if you will excuse JSB: Certainly, but remem ber the organ's greater GG: What do you m ean, a mom ent in tim e? capabilities: surely you might expect more diffi- me, I thank you for an interesting conversa tion, culty maintaining your car than you would your JSB: A day in our life as a people; a moment in our but I have work to do. [turns to leave] roller skates. common struggles and aspirations; an instant in- GG: Not to be ungrateful, but I still don't understand formed by all we know and believe and have GG: [straight ] Actually, I don’t have roller skates. why my thoughts on solitude and the co ncert h all heard up to that point. prompted you to sh ow me the organ. [still seated at the o rgan, Gould then spo ntaneously plays GG: [catchi ng on] Such as a church service? the opening bars from the fugue of BWV 564, in a JSB: [pauses, then speak s] Herr Gould, the organ loft is trademark Gouldian lighting tempo] JSB: Or a concert — bu t not a recording. A re- the place of ultimate musical solitude. Up here I cording is mere history masquerading as per- have rejoiced and anguished alon e, serving the JSB: Why do you play that fugue so quickly? formance and ch eating the listener of the mo- Church I love even as it attacked and depleted me. GG: Personal choice, I suppose. mentary m agic that onl y live audition can bring. A performance is an episod e in the lives of both Up here I disappear from the world: people see JSB: I hear music in every note you play, Mr. Gould, the performer and a listen er; a recording belongs and hear only the voice of God, not his humble even with such a minor composition, but you're only to the performer, an echo of a time long servant coping with both his own imperfections not listening to the organ, or at least not i ts larg- gone — or in your case, a scattered, confused ag- and those of the ins trument. est part. glomeration of different times cobbled decep- tively together. Up here I know that the organ's co mplexity and GG: And what part would th at be? austerity defy p eople's efforts to understand it GG: I have no interest in pursuing this line of debate. JSB: I think you called it a " pristine sonic canvas " a and its music, freeing them to hear and respond On this subject I have sp oken and written to an to its voice, and to the loving words of its great little while ago. There's no microphone here; this unhearing and unheeding world to the point of is no sterile studio. This church is as much a part ventriloquist. It is precisely that separation from exhaustion. Recording technology will eventually the world — in elevation, in mystery, in unfamili- of the organ as its pipes or its case. To ignore allow the artist to presen t music exactly as he this is to cut off the music's breath: to transcribe arity — which mak es this place a musical san ctu- perceives it. History will make my case: in 30 ary to surpass all earthly refuge. it for an 'instrument' that do esn't even exist. years the concert hall will be finished, and every GG: [impatiently] The role of acoustics is not lost on recording made will be audio-engineered, spliced, Up here I face — no, I embrace o nly my instru- me. But recall tha t even the driest of acousti cs and packaged. ment and the music God and it allow m e to make. known to Bach were much more reverberant JSB: And what will become of the composers that will than this, and so we deal wi th a 'transcription' the be reverbed, compressed, sliced, diced and reas- Here, I sing through an instrument whose very moment we choos e to play it here. sembled, re-interpreted and even de-interpreted voice embodies th e one who gives me voice, and JSB: Ja, I suppose… in the process? if others use it in this holy place to play my mu- sic, I know both I and my Father's voice will be [after a slightly awkward pause Bach m akes a surp rising GG: They will enter into a new relationship with their heard. invitation (in the form of a Gould title quote] listener. Herr Gould, you came to this church looking for So… you want to write a fugue? JSB: [losing patience] Tha t of the sighted jailed b y the solitude: but church is community defined — blind! The mother whose b aby is forcibly taken composed of, and filled with souls alive and GG: Pardon me? and raised as anoth er's child! dead, present in one case in their person, or in JSB: Do you wan t to write a fugue? GG: [feeling suddenly more hurt than indignant] Please, the other in their legacy. You will find peace, don't misunderstand. If the greatest music in- perhaps, but not solitude, for you can never be GG: Write a fugue? Here? Now? spires artists to re-interpret it, a far more fitting alone down th ere. [indic ating the nave] JSB: Well, we don't h ave to write it. [sits down next to tribute is paid than could be by a mere custodi an. But up here… Well, do stay as long as you like, Gould, draws pl enum stops] We can improvise it. Re-creative freedom is driven not by disrespect, Mr. Gould. I must go. [Leaves.] You choose a subject. Anything you like. but by filial devotion to a great creative mind. How might the great B ach have p erformed the [Gould watches Bach disapp ear, sit s at the organ, looks GG: Any subject? works of his predecessors? Gibbons, or Gesu- through the stack of Bach’s m usic, finds and perform s the aldo, or Monteverdi? Surely Bach, the greatest "Fiddle" Fugue, BWV 539. Bach reappears in full Ba- JSB: Anything you like. Knock yourself out! musical genius the world has ever known would chian regalia, and enters the nave just as Gould had at GG: [plays the op ening p hra se of Petula Cla rk's Downto wn] have followed his own musical imagination — the outset. By the end of the f ugue he is frozen, looking and would expect us to do th e same! up to the organ in the same way Gould was at the o utset.] JSB: [in disb elief] What kind of subject is that? JSB: [pauses t houghtfully] Hmm. Bach might have been a TWO MUSICS IN MIND was written in 1999 for GG: It’s a song I know. genius: I don't know this; but I know he was a an International Glenn Goul d Gathering i n man of discipline and great faith. You might best Toronto with the support of Stanley Witkin i n JSB: Oh: that's… u mm… how do you call it, pay tribute to him not merely by being a genius hono ur of the birthday o f hi s wife, Rosalyn. It "Stadtmitte" b y… Petunia Clark. yourself, but by following his lead in these other was first performed Friday September 24th of GG: PETULA Clark. ways as well. that year by Christopher Dawes and Peter Tiefenbach, and broadcast nationally on CBC JSB: Ah yes, Petula Clark: she is one heiße Bi ene! GG: Again, I sit at Bach's feet, not at his side. I hope Radio 2 shortly thereafter. 2003 marked its 2nd Well, we'll try it. You pla y the entry, I'll play the to honour Bach's music by what I add to it. production, a nd its Stratford debut.

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One small issue raised itself in the sleeve notes, which were ap- PIPINGS ON THE RECORD parently “based on” notes by the performer. While Böhm was w orking in Lüneberg, J.S. Bach was at school in nearby Ohrdruf Christiaan Teeuwsen performs from 1700–1702 and may have visited. However the notes refer Bach, Buxtehude and Böhm on to the fact that “it is possible that the tw elve-year old Johann Sebastian Bach…may have visited [Böhm].” Go figure out the Reil organs in The Netherlands dates – although I guess he might have visited before he at- Georg Böhm – Works for Organ, tended the Ohrdruf school (the German sleeve notes are definite Volume 1 (Naxos 8.555857) that he did visit, but the French notes still leave it as only “pos- sible”.) Bach Meets Buxtehude The second album, Bach meets Buxtehude, is somewhat of a (SelaMas: 45202-2) different concept. Here Teeuw sen presents Buxtehude’s Preludium in C (BuxVW 138), three Chorale Preludes – on Ach -Andrew Mackriell Gott und Herr, Ach Herr mich armen Sünder and Lobt Gott, ihr Chris- ten allzugleich – the Preludium in g minor (BuxVW 148), Passa- Christiaan Teeuw sen comes with a great reputation as recitalist caglia in d minor (BuxVW 161) and the Magnificat Primi Toni and teacher, w ho having studied in the Netherlands and Ger- (BuxVW 203). many, clearly demonstrates on these tw o recordings a particular interest in baroque performance practices as they relate to the With this come J.S. Bach’s Piece d’Orgue (BWV 572), four composers for the organs of northern Europe in the late seven- Neumeister chorales – Wir Christenleut, Herr Gott, nun schleuss den teenth and early eighteenth centuries. Himmel auf, O Lamm Gottes unschuldig and Jesu, meine Freude – and the Praeambulum in C (BWV 566). Böhm (1661–1733), possibly a teacher of J.S. Bach (according to a later reference from C.P.E.), was organist for some thirty-five This collection is based around a visit Bach made from Arnstadt years at the Joanniskirche in Lüneberg and his compositions as to Lübeck – some 270 miles on foot – to visit Buxtehude and demonstrated on this album are clearly after the mode of Buxte- hear him play at the Marienkirche. The sleeve notes contain hude and the north-German style developed by the earlier some fascinating extracts from Mattheson’s Der vollkommene Sw eelinck, Scheidt, Scheidemann and Weckmann. Capellmeister on the Stylus Fantasticus – the large-scale sectional w orks called praeludium or praeambulum used by both Buxte- This album presents four Chorale Partitas – an innovation which hude and Bach – and an account from Bach’s obituary of his is perhaps Böhm’s most significant contribution to the composi- visit to Lübeck. The notes then go on to surmise the answ er to tional repertoire of the period – on Ach wie nichtig, ach wie flüchtig, the question “What did Bach hear in Lübeck?” The answ er of Herr jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend, Wer nun den lieben Gott lässt walten course is the music contained on the album. and Freu dich sehr, o meine Seele together with the Preludes and Fugues in C major and d minor, the Prelude in F, the Prelude, It is however interesting to read that Bach was reproved by his Fugue and Postlude in g minor and three Chorale Preludes on employers for imitating Buxtehude’s chorale prelude style – he Christ lag in Todesbanden, Vom Himmel hoch and Vater unser im had apparently overstayed his leave and “made strange variations Himmelreich. All are performed on the twenty-nine stop Reil or- in the chorale…so that the Congregation [w as] confused by it.” gan built in 1999 for the church at Bovenkerk in the Nether- Plus ça change! lands, the specification of w hich is included in the notes. One delight in the notes is that not only is the organ specifica- The first tw o chorale preludes are clearly Buxtehude-esque in tion given in detail, but also included is a measure by measure concept and the third more akin to J.S. Bach and for me were note of the registration used for the recording. the high points of the selection on this album although this is not to detract from some glorious playing in the Partitas. I do This album is recorded on the thirty-eight stop Bader organ at Zutphen, originally built in 1643 but restored in 1996 by Reil. find, how ever, that the rather sectional nature of much of the organ music of this period leaves me craving for something a After hearing these tw o recordings, one is left in no doubt about little more expansive and mellifluous which is clearly presented the quality of Teeuwsen’s playing – the articulation w ith which in the three chorale preludes. he performs these contrapuntal w orks in the two huge acoustics, Zutphen in particular, is quite staggering and not a single note is One particular point of enjoyment for you to w atch out for is the gloriously unexpected chord in the final cadence sequence of lost in the building or on the recording. A note of appreciation Freu dich sehr. should also go to the recording engineer of both albums, John Van Hoek, for an exceptional production. Both albums are beautifully recorded on the most stunning of instruments played in wonderful acoustics and as well as adding to te reputation of Teeuw sen as a performer, w ill undoubtedly do no harm at all to the reputation of the Dutch firm of Orgel- makerij Gebr. Reil b.v. Andrew Mackriell resides in Ireland, where he is Cathedral Organist at St. Brigid’s, Kildaire, Director of the Dublin Boy Singers, Director of the St. Patrick’s Cathedral Chamber Choir, and a Lay Vicar in St. Patrick’s Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys. 2003 marks his 10th summer of pro- viding deputy organ assistance at St. James’ Cathedral in Toronto. More Pipings on the Record… p.14

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An opening gala concert took place on Saturday, September 14th A DREAM COME TRUE 2002 featuring organists Jeremy Spurgeon and Marnie Giesbrecht, choirs, and brass. The program included a variety of FOR EDMONTON, ALBERTA ensemble repertoire including the “Organ” Symphony by - From submissions by Marnie Giesbrecht, Camille Saint-Saëns, a request of Dr. Davis. A special part of Tammy-Jo Mortensen, and John Wetherill the evening w as the world premiere of Fanfare for Brass and Organ by Edmonton composer Jacobus Kloppers. On Sunday, Sep- tember 15th 2002, the Sundays at 3 Organ Recital Series pre- sented its first concert of the 2002-2003 season featureing British organist Christopher Herrick, demonstrating the w ide variety of colours available on the organ through the music of J. S. Bach, Jeremiah Clarke, and a realization by Mr. Herrick of Bela Bartók’s Six Roumanian Folk Dances. He also performed reper- toire of Maurice Duruflé, William Mathias and Henri Mulet. The follow ing w eekend, September 20 and 21, featured the Ed- monton Symphony Orchestra and Montréal organist Rachel Laurin in a world premiere of a commissioned piece by Jacques Hétu for organ and orchestra. A year later Sundays at Three is presenting its entire 2003-2004 season “Around the World” on the magnificent Davis organ at the Winspear Centre. The season opens with a performance by Diane Bish on Sunday September 7th, and then continues with performances by Latvian organist Iveta Apkalna on November 16th, English organist Clive Driskill-Smith on February 15th , and French organist Veronique Le Guen on April 18th . Marnie Giebrecht, Dean of Graduate Studies at the Faculty of Music, University of Alberta is currently serving as national President of the Royal Canadian College of Organists. John Wetherill is Organist of St. Joseph’s Basilica in Edmonton. Tammy-Jo Mortensen is Executive Director of the McGill Summer Organ Academy and Director of Music at St. Thomas’ Anglican Church in Edmonton.

Finally – after years of hoping and planning – the dream came true for music lovers in Edmonton and Alberta. The four man- ual, 96 stop, 122 rank, 6,551 pipe Davis Organ built by Orgues Létourneau Ltée for the Francis Winspear Centre for Music was completed and inaugurated in September 2002, and now hosts the 2003-2004 season of Sundays at 3: an organ recital series project of the Edmonton Centre of the Royal Canadian College th of Organists, now in its incredible 24 season. When it was installed, the organ w as the largest all-new instru- ment in Canada since the 1930 installation at Toronto’s Metro- politan United Church. Létourneau’s Opus 50 was under con- struction for tw o years and took over 30,500 hours to build. It has a Solid State Logic combination system with 300 levels of memory, an independent registration sequencer, and is prepared for MIDI. The organ has electric-slider key action playable from tw o consoles: one attached to the main case and an identical console on a moveable platform at stage level. The majority of the money for this instrument was donated by Dr. Stuart Davis, Professor Emeritus in Chemistry at the Uni- versity of Alberta. The donation was made in memory of his late w ife, Winona. Together, they shared a love of music, at- tending many musical events in Edmonton and around the w orld. The impressive façade of the organ was unveiled on the th fateful September 11 , 2001.

ORGAN ALTERNATIVES…ORGALT.COM - 9 THE KING IN CONCERT (PLEASE SEE GENERAL, SUMMER SERIES AND FALL SERIES LISTINGS, PP .10-14

AUGUST 2003 SEPTEMBER 2003 OCTOBER 2003 Thu Aug 7, 2:30 pm Sun Sep 7, 3:00pm Fri Oct 3, 8pm VINCENT DUBOIS, organ Sundays at 3 Pro Organo Ottawa Bach, Liszt, Franck, Dupré, Langlais, Duruflé. DIANE BISH, organ RACHEL LAURIN, organ Holy Rosary Cathedral Winspear Centre, 4 Sir Winston Église Sainte-Anne 646 Richards Street, Vancouver, BC Churchill Square, Edmonton, AB 528 Old St. Patrick, Ottawa, ON Info: (604) 682-6774 Admission: $30 Bach, Widor, Guilmant, Daveluy, improv. www.hrc.rcav.org Tickets: (780) 428-1414, (800) 563-5081 Admission: $18, $14, $10, subscription avail. [email protected] Info (613) 728-8041, (613) 682-8606 Sat Aug 9, 7:30pm Info: (780) 429-1655, www.capitalnet.com/~rjewell/ottawa.html RCCO Grey-Bruce www.rcco.edmonton.ab.ca JOHN VANDERTUIN, organ Sun Oct 5, 2:00 & 4:00pm “Pipes, Pedals and Majestic Music” Fri Sep 12, 7:30pm. (repeat of concert on Sep.21) Southampton United Church FELIX HELL, organ St Mark's Cathedral, Seattle, WA 18 Victoria Street S, Southampton, ON First Presbyterian Church Admission: $10 1717 Bellevue Way NE Bellevue, WA Mon Oct 6, 8:00pm Info: (519) 797-3803 Info: (425) 454-3082 Wurlitzer Pops/TTOS www.fpcbellevue.org JELANI EDDINGTON, organ Sun Aug 10, 5:00pm. Casa Loma, Toronto, ON DAVID KRIEWALL, organ Sun Sep 14, 4:30 p.m. Admission: $15 “Variations on a Cantus Firmus” SIGURDUR FLOSASON, saxophone Info: (416) 421-0918 Church of the Ascension GUNNAR GUNNARSON, organ www.theatreorgans.com/toronto 2330 Viewmont Way West, Seattle, WA. “Improvisations on Islandic Church Music” Christ Church Deer Park Sun Oct 5, 3:00pm Tue Aug 12, 2:30pm 1570 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON SUSAN FERRÉ, organ VINCENT BOUCHER, organ Admission: Free Grace Lutheran Church Holy Rosary Cathedral Info: (416)762-8627 6202 South Tyler, Tacoma, WA 646 Richards Street, Vancouver, BC Info: (253) 472 7105 Jullien, De Grigny, Couperin, Franck, Dupré. Sun Sep 14, 3:00pm Info: (604) 682-6774 Richard D, Moe Organ Series Tue Oct 7, 7:00pm www.hrc.rcav.org FELIX HELL, organ DENNIS JAMES, organ Lagerquist Hall at Pacific Lutheran “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” Fri Aug 15, 12:10pm. University, Tacoma WA. Everett Theatre, Everett, WA OWEN CANNON, organ Admission: $15, $10, $5 Info: Randy Mather (425) 258-6766 Christ Church, Episcopal, Tacoma, WA Info: (253) 535-7787 www.pstos.org

Sun Aug 24, 7:00pm Sun Sep 21, 4:00pm Sun Oct 12, 3:00pm JONATHAN YOUNG, organ CHORAL EVENSONG Richard D, Moe Organ Series Trinity Lutheran Church, Life and Music of Healey Willan, directed and KRAIG HURST, organ 6215-196th Street SW Lynnwood, WA accompanied by John Ju ll Lagerquist Hall at Pacific Lutheran Info: (425) 778-2159 St. Olave’s Church University, Tacoma WA. www.trinitylutheranchurch.com 360 Windermere Avenue, Toronto, ON Admission: $15, $10, $5 Admission: Collection Info: (253) 535-7787 Info: (416) 769-5686 Mon Oct 13, 7:00pm lecture, 7:30 show Sun Sep 21, 2:00 & 4:00pm DENNIS JAMES, organ (silent film) MELVIN BUTLER & ROGER SHERMAN Paul Leni: “The Cat and the Canary” Dedication of the Paul Fritts Chapel organ Paramount Theatre, Seattle, WA St Mark's Cathedral, 1245 Terith Info: (206) 467-5510 Avenue East, Seattle, WA www.theparamount.com Admission: suggested donation $10 Info: (206) 323-0300 Tue Oct 14 www.saintmarks.org DENNIS JAMES, organ (silent film) Paul Leni: “The Cat and the Canary” Sun Sep 27, 2:00pm Everett Theatre, Everett, WA Colours of Music Festival Info: Randy Mather (425) 258-6766 DANCE OF THE BLESSED SPIRITS www.pstos.org Daniel Rubinoff, saxophone Christopher Dawes, organ Sun Oct 19, 3:00pm Burton Avenue United Church, Barrie, ON J. MELVIN BUTLER, organ Admission: $15, $10, Festival Passport: $15-45 St Joseph Church, 732 - 18th Ave East, Seattle, WA Info: (705) 726-4980 or (705) 792-1580 Concert by the Canon Organist and Choirmas- www.coloursofmusic.ca ter of St. Mark Cathedral benefits restoration of the 1885 Willis organ. Info: (206) 324 2522

ORGAN ALTERNATIVES…ORGALT.COM - 10 THE KING IN CONCERT (PLEASE SEE GENERAL, SUMMER SERIES AND FALL SERIES LISTINGS, PP .10-14

Mon Oct 20, 7pm lecture, 7:30 show: Tue Oct 28, 8:00 pm Sun Nov 16, 3:00pm DENNIS JAMES, organ (silent film) SOPHIE-VERONIQUE CHOPLIN Richard D, Moe Organ Series “Pandora’s Box” Holy Rosary Cathedral MARGARET IRWIN-BRANDON, organ Paramount Theatre, Seattle, WA 646 Richards Street, Vancouver, BC Lagerquist Hall at Pacific Lutheran Info: (206) 467-5510 Info: (604) 682-6774 University, Tacoma WA. www.theparamount.com www.hrc.rcav.org Admission: $15, $10, $5 Info: (253) 535-7787 Tue Oct 21 DENNIS JAMES, organ (silent film) “Pandora’s Box” NOVEMBER 2003 Everett Theatre, Everett, WA Sun Nov 2, 3:00pm DECEMBER 2003 Info: Randy Mather (425) 258-6766 PAUL TEGELS, organ Mon Dec 1, 8:00pm www.pstos.org JUDSON SCOTT, trumpet Wurlitzer Pops/TTOS “Visions of Heaven and Hell” DAVE WICKERHAM, organ Fri Oct 24, 8:00pm Lagerquist Hall at Pacific Lutheran Casa Loma, Toronto, ON BENGT HAMBRAEUS: University, Tacoma, WA. Admission: $15 LE COR MAGIQUE (world premiere) Admission: $15, $10, $5 Info: (416) 421-0918 Christopher Dawes, organ Info: (253) 535-7787 www.theatreorgans.com/toronto Michael Redner Cumberland, alphorn St. Peter’s Anglican Church Mon Nov 3, 8:00pm Sat Dec 13, 7:00pm 240 College Street, Cobourg, ON Wurlitzer Pops/TTOS DAVID DAHL, organ Admission: $12, $5 kids under 12 ANDREW ROGERS, organ Grace Lutheran Church, Info: (905) 372-3442 Casa Loma, Toronto, ON 6202 South Tyler, Tacoma, WA Admission: $15 Info: (253) 472 7105 Fri Oct 24, 8:00pm Info: (416) 421-0918 RCCO Kingston www.theatreorgans.com/toronto MAXINE THÉVENOT, organ St. George’s Cathedral Tue Nov 4, 7:00pm JANUARY 2004 King/Johnson Streets, Kingston, ON DENNIS JAMES, organ Sun Jan 25, 2:00pm Info: (613) 548-4617 “Sherlock, Jr.” and “Do Detectives” FLUTE AND ORGAN, Everett Theatre, Everett, WA St Mark's Cathedral, 1245 Terith Fri Oct 24, 8:00pm Info: Randy Mather (425) 258-6766 Avenue East, Seattle, WA Fridays at Eight Concert Series www.pstos.org Admission: suggested donation $10 RACHEL LAURIN, organ Info: (206) 323-0300 Lawrence Park Community Church Sun Nov 9, 2:00pm www.saintmarks.org 2180 Bayview Ave, Toronto, ON MUSIC FOR TWO ORGANS, Bach, Daveluy, Widor and LAURIN: St Mark's Cathedral, 1245 Terith Symphonic Suite op.36 (2003) Avenue East, Seattle, WA FEBRUARY 2004 Info: (416) 489-1551 x28 Admission: suggested donation $10 Fri Feb 13, 7:30pm Info: (206) 323-0300 ANN LABOUNSKY, organ Fri Oct 24 7:30pm www.saintmarks.org ROGER SHERMAN, organ St Mark's Cathedral, 1245 Terith Church of the Ascension, Seattle, WA. Fri Nov 14, 8pm Avenue East, Seattle, WA Pro Organo Ottawa and Franck, Langlais Admission: $20, $15 Sun Oct 26, 8:00pm Les Amis de la Cathédrale present Info: (206) 323-0300 Westminster Concert Organ Series VINCENT DUBOIS, organ www.saintmarks.org DAVID BRIGGS, organ Basilque-Cathérale Notre-Dame

Westminster United Church Sussex/St-Patrick Streets, Ottawa, ON Sun Feb 15, 3:00pm 759 Wall Street, Winnipeg, MB Bach, Liszt, Franck, Vierne, Dupré, Duruflé Admission: $17 advance, $22 door, $12 student Admission: $18, $14, $10, subscription avail. Sundays at 3 Info: (204) 786-4882 Info (613) 728-8041, (613) 682-8606 CLIVE DRISKILL-SMITH, organ www.westminsterchurchwinnipeg.ca/westmins www.capitalnet.com/~rjewell/ottawa.html Winspear Centre 4 Sir Winston Churchill ter_concert_organ_series.htm Square, Edmonton, AB Sun Nov 16, 3:00pm Admission: $20 Sun Oct 26, Sundays at 3 Tickets: (780) 428-1414, (800) 563-5081 DENNIS JAMES, organ (silent film) IVETA APKALNA, organ [email protected] “The Phantom of the Opera” Winspear Centre, 4 Sir Winston Everett Theatre, Everett, WA Churchill Square, Edmonton, AB Info: (780) 429-1655, Info: Randy Mather (425) 258-6766 Admission: $20 www.rcco.edmonton.ab.ca www.pstos.org Tickets: (780) 428-1414, (800) 563-5081 [email protected] CONCERT LISTINGS AND Sun Oct 27, 7pm, lecture, 7:30 show Info: (780) 429-1655, UPDATES FOR THE WINTER DENNIS JAMES, organ (silent film) www.rcco.edmonton.ab.ca 2003/2004 OrgAlt are due November “The Phantom of the Opera” 15th 2003 – to submit see p.2 Paramount Theatre, Seattle, WA Info: (206) 467-5510 www.theparamount.com

ORGAN ALTERNATIVES…ORGALT.COM - 11 THE KING IN CONCERT (PLEASE SEE GENERAL, SUMMER SERIES AND FALL SERIES LISTINGS, PP .10-14

Sun Feb 22, 2:30pm Westminster Concert Organ Series APRIL 2004 Fri Apr 30, 7:30pm ERIK SUTER, organ Mon Apr 5, 8:00pm RCCO Toronto Westminster United Church Wurlitzer Pops/TTOS STEFAN ENGELS, organ 759 Wall Street, Winnipeg, MB DAVID LOBBAN, organ Metropolitan United Church Admission: $17 advance, $22 door, $12 student Casa Loma, Toronto, ON Queen/Church Streets, Toronto, ON Info: (204) 786-4882 Admission: $15 Info: (416) 363-0331 www.westminsterchurchwinnipeg.ca/westmins Info: (416) 421-0918 ter_concert_organ_series.htm www.theatreorgans.com/toronto MAY 2004 Sun Feb 22, 2:00pm Sat Apr 17, 8:00pm Fri May 3, 8:00pm PLAINCHANT & ORGAN, SUSAN FERRE, organ Pro Organo Ottawa featuring Peregrine Medieval Men's Ensemble St. Martin's Abbey, ERIK REINART, organ St Mark's Cathedral, 1245 Terith 5300 Pacific Ave., SE, Lacey, WA St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church Avenue East, Seattle, WA Wellington/Kent Streets, Ottawa, ON Admission: suggested donation $10 Sun Apr 18, 3:00pm Bach Böhm, Buxtehude, Cabezon… Messiaen Info: (206) 323-0300 Sundays at 3 Admission: $18, $14, $10, subscription avail. VERONIQUE LE GUEN, organ Info (613) 728-8041, (613) 682-8606 Sat Feb 28 Winspear Centre, 4 Sir Winston www.capitalnet.com/~rjewell/ottawa.html RCCO Toronto Churchill Square, Edmonton, AB ORGAN COMPETITION Admission: $20 Fri May 21, 7:30pm Lawrence Park Community Church Tickets: (780) 428-1414, (800) 563-5081 J. MELVIN BUTLER, 2180 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON [email protected] ROGER SHERMAN, organists Info: William Wright, (416) 962-3381 Info: (780) 429-1655, BACH: Klavierübung III www.rcco.edmonton.ab.ca St Mark's Cathedral, 1245 Terith Avenue East, Seattle, WA MARCH 2004 Sun Apr 25, 2:30pm Admission: $20, $15 Mon Mar 1, 8:00pm Westminster Concert Organ Series Info: (206) 323-0300 Wurlitzer Pops/TTOS PATRICIA WRIGHT, organ www.saintmarks.org CLARK WILSON, organ (silent film) Westminster United Church Casa Loma, Toronto, ON 759 Wall Street, Winnipeg, MB Admission: $15 Admission: $17 advance, $22 door, $12 student Info: (416) 421-0918 Info: (204) 786-4882 ALL EEKLY www.theatreorgans.com/toronto www.westminsterchurchwinnipeg.ca/westmin- F W ster_concert_organ_series.htm Fri Mar 12, 730pm CONCERT SERIES STEPHEN THARPE, organ Sun April 25, 2:00pm “Dupré's Stations of the Cross” J. MELVIN BUTLER, organ St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church St Mark's Cathedral, 1245 Terith M. PATRICK KANE, oboe Wellington & Kent Streets, Ottawa, ON Avenue East, Seattle, WA St Mark's Cathedral, 1245 Terith Wednesdays at (613) Admission: $20, $15 Avenue East, Seattle, WA Info: (206) 323-0300 Admission: suggested donation $10 St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church www.saintmarks.org Info: (206) 323-0300 54 Queen Street North, Kitchener, ON www.saintmarks.org Wednesdays, (519) 578-4430 Fri Mar 26, 8:00pm www.standrewskw.com Pro Organo Ottawa Mon Apr 27, 8:00pm TIM PYPER, organ Wurlitzer Pops/TTOS St. Paul’s Cathedral, Chapelle du Couvent Bruyère, SIMON GLEDHILL, organ 472 Richmond Street, London, ON 9 rue Bruyère, Ottawa, ON Casa Loma, Toronto, ON Tuesdays at 12:10pm (519) 434-3992 Widor, Reubke, Howells Admission: $15 www.stpaulscathedral.on.ca Admission: $18, $14, $10, subscription avail. Info: (416) 421-0918 Info (613) 728-8041, (613) 682-8606 www.theatreorgans.com/toronto St. James’ Cathedral, www.capitalnet.com/~rjewell/ottawa.html King & Church Streets, Toronto, ON Tuesdays at 1:00pm www.stjamescathedral.on.ca (416) 364-7865

Yorkminster Park Baptist Church 1585 Yonge Street at Heath, Toronto, ON Wednesdays at 12:30pm www.yorkminsterpark.com (416) 925-7312

St. Paul’s Church 227 Bloor Street East @ Church, Toronto, ON Thursdays at 12:10pm www.stpaulsbloor.org (416) 961-8116

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SUMMER CONCERT SERIES FROM WEST TO EAST Organ à la Carte, Calgary Basilique Notre-Dame, Montréal Jack Singer Hall, Calgary, 14th Season, Sundays at 7:00pm; Admission free; Information (450) 652-2441 Tuesdays in July and August, 12:10pm, Admission Free Aug 3 Lucie Beauchemin Aug 5 Micheal Hope & Jamie Syer on the Carthy Organ Aug 10 Régis Rousseau Aug 12 Vallerie Hall, organist; Miles New man, trumpet Aug 17 Philippe Bélanger Aug 19 Ron Casat, Hammond B-3; Tim Williams on guitar; Aug 24 Yves Préfontaine John Campbell, pipes & whistle Aug 31 Pierre Grandmaison Aug 26 Neil Cockburn, Janet Youngdahl & Victor Coelho. Chalmers Wesley United Church, Québec Summer Sundays@SJC, Toronto 78, Sainte-Ursule in old Québec St. James’ Cathedral, Toronto, King at Church Streets Admission Free; Information (418) 692-0431 Sundays at 4:00pm, Admission free; Choral Evensong follow s Aug 3 All Roads lead to Bach w ith Geoff Ward Information: (416) 364-7865, www.stjamescathedral.on.ca Aug 10 Danny Bélisle, organ w ith Robert Huard, bass Aug 3 Andrew Kotylo, organ (Graduate Student, Indiana U.) Aug 17 Hommage à Yvon Larrivée, Nathalie Gagnon (Austria) Aug 10 Stephen Mallinger, organ (Sault Ste-Marie) Aug 24 Clauge Goulet, Laurent Martin, Robert Gosselin Aug 17 Matthew Larkin, organ (Ottawa) Aug 31 Jaquelin Rochette Aug 24 Frances Macdonnell, organ (Ottaw a) Aug 31 Christopher Daw es, organ (Toronto) ORGALT: WHAT’S NEW? Les Concerts Spirituels, Montréal LOG ONTO www.OrgAlt.com to see the site’s recent total L’Oratoire St-Joseph, Chemin Queen Mary, Montréal redesign and major expansion. Among new attractions are Wednesdays at 8pm, Admission $12 ($8 stu) online new sletter back issues, advertising resources, complete Aug 13 Luc Beauséjour with Paul Merkelo, trumpet information on the past present and future seasons of the Aug 20 Great Improvisers with Dominique Joubert (France) Organ Concerts and Academy at Stratford Summer Music, Aug 27 English Music with Euphonia Chamber Choir and expanded links and media, and an overall cleaner look and conductor/organist Matthew Larkin (Ottawa) feel. Web statistics continue to show a very high hit count Sep 3 Th e Spontaneous Organ with Julian Wachner strongly centred on the Stratford Concerts and Academy, Sep 10 Philippe Bélanger and the dow nloading of the OrgAlt newsletter. St. James’ United Church, Montréal CONTINUOUS CONCERT CALENDAR – follow ing the 463 rue Ste-Catherine West, Montréal example of (and in grateful homage to) Herb Huestis of Tuesdays at 12:30pm; Info: (514) 288-9245 Ladner, BC, w ho provides OrgAlt and many others with a Aug 12 Marc-André Doran w ell-maintained continuous e-mail calendar of organ per- Aug 19 Vincent Boucher formances in the Vancouver, Victoria and Seattle areas, Aug 26 Erik Reinart OrgAlt now devotes four full pages in order to maintain a Sep 2 Kurt-Ludw ig Forg (Germany) year-long calendar, using provincial crests to make Canadian performances easy to spot. Listings will be necessarily briefer Notre Dame-du-Cap, Cap de la Madeleine than in the past, but more web links to further information Basilique Notre-Dame-du-Cap, Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Québec are supplied to help with this situation. Sundays at 2pm; Admission free. PIPING SHORTS – OrgAlt has never been able to accept Aug 3 Catherine Todorovski more than about half of the CDs submitted to it for review: Aug 17 Martin Brossard these new short reviews should help us to acknowledge the Aug 24 Mélanie Barney many wonderful recordings w hich have gone unpromoted. Aug 31 Gilles Rioux

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…PIPINGS ON THE RECORD … (PIPING SHORTS) Jiřina Pokorná performs three cen- • Introducing the Gold Medal Winners of the 2002 Royal turies of Czech music on the organ Bank Calgary International Organ Festival and Competition of the concert Hall Klara in Cheb, This CD w as issued this year by Cantos, the lat est in the ar- Czech Republic. ray of names applied to the excellent international event, the charitable foundation organising it and the building housing Czech Organ Music it. The 2002 Gold medalists, Vincent Dubois, Clive Driskill- (Music Vars LC4649) Smith and László Fassang, are featured in CBC Radio 2 competition footage from August 10th and 14th of that year. -Christopher Dawes Dubois plays the Final from Dupré’s Évocation, op.37 and the Name a Czech composer… Adagio et Choral varié sur le theme du Veni Creator by Duruflé; Driskill-Smith plays the Mozart Fantasia K.608, the Duruflé Chances are even a few minutes of head-scrat ching w ill have Scherzo op.2, and the Scherzo from Widor’s Symphonie No.2; returned only Atonín Dvořák, and Bedřich Smetana from the and Fassang, Improvisation Gold Medalist, contributes an symphonic and choral w orld, and if you’re really in the loop, excerpt from Liszt’s Fantasia und Fuge über Ad nos, as salutarem perhaps Leoš Janáček, Jan Dismas Zelenka and Bohuslav Mar- undam, and an improvised Suite on the Gregorian theme tinů – and chances are you might not have gotten all of the let- Splendor coelestis in classical French style. Performances are ter-accents right. As in many aspects of Czech culture, music excellent and for the most part, stylish. This is a limited-run and in particular the organ’s music are sheltered from the West promotional disc not for general sale, but presenters inter- beyond a veil of mystery. For the traveling performer, as I ested in the services of any of these three performers may be discovered recently, playing organs in the Czech Republic able to request a copy from the Cantos Foundation. requires some experimental w ork to uncover the nature of stops like Flétna dřevěná (Holzflöte) and Roh křivŷ (Krummhorn), • Complete Crumb Edition’s Volume VI including Pastoral and draw ing a stop provides little help in pronouncing its name! Drone, performed by Gregory d’Agostino at the organ of As is the case with Canadian music, Czech organ music is cham- Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, NYC (Bridge 9127) pioned almost exclusively by its country-people, and w hile the George Crumb is one of America’s foremost composers. art form has attained a high level of quality in both nations, His only organ w ork, included on this disc with four other Canadian music has perhaps travelled a bit further, lacking both orchestral and chamber w orks, was commissioned in 1982 by the formidable language barrier and perhaps more importantly the American Guild of Organists for its dedicatee, the late centuries of occupation and suppression by various powers. David Craighead, to perform at their convention in Los An- geles. D’Agostino thankfully takes Crumb’s marking of fortis- Jiřina Pokorná is one of the Czech Republic’s foremost organ- simo throughout reasonably keeps an overall full sound ists. She attracted international attention during her student days, around its hypnotically shifting open fifth drone, and tailors and has concertised regularly since the 1960s not only in the the ebbing and flow ing dissonances with tasteful colours and Czech Republic but in Germany, Austria, Belgium, Italy, and textures. The album is an interesting item for the music Japan. She has complemented her solo activities by collaborating lover interested in 20th century music, and a rare encounter w ith top Czech instrumentalists, and has made many recordings betw een one of its greats, and the King of Instruments. for Supraphon, Panton, Nippon Columbia and other labels. Spanning the 18th to the 20th centuries the disc contains works of • Jean-Pierre Leguay: Œuvres et Improvisation pour Orgue both historical and artistic merit of Bohemian Bach contempo- performed by Pascale Rouet and Jean-Pierre Leguay at rary Matěj Černohorskŷ, Beethoven contemporaries Jan Zach, Saint-François à Lausanne (Edition Lade CD 033) and František Xaver Brixi, Brahms contemporary Jan Křtitel The magnificent Sw iss organ (Kuhn, IV/75) and the brilliant Kuchař, and the late Romantics Janáček, and Josef Klička to a technique of Leguay and his pupil Pascale Rouet heard on fragment by the greatest Czech composer of the 20th century, this recording shine past the rather severe and elusive nature Martinů. The music is on the whole conservative, displaying a of Leguay’s compositions. The surprise to me: having met certain separation of the organ genre from others know n and worked with Leguay in 2002, the little voice in my head throughout the world. But again, like most Czech art, it is fasci- that always casts suspicion on just how “improvised” im- nating to hear so unique and hidden a musical voice, rendered provisation recordings are remained silent –it took place un- sensitively on a fine (and unattributed) organ. planned at the end of the Rouet’s last formal session.

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AN ORGAN PLAYED BY HAYDN …IN CANADA? undertake small urgent repairs. Over a period of three w eeks, In 1811 Sir William spent at Oakes Park, Mr. Stevens repaired the tracker action, Bagshaw e made cleaned up the sound board and wind-chest into which particles of alterations to his the ceiling had penetrat ed. Three collapsed organ pipes w ere care- fine dining room to fully straightened out; the whole pipe work was cleaned and re- accommodate a new placed, but no attempt was made at regulation. The organ case also purchase, a cham- received expert treatment; a layer of Victorian varnish w as re- ber organ by John moved to reveal a finely figured mahagony case. The organ can be England and Son blow n by hand or foot, or an electric blow er. (George Pike Eng- land). The organ To explore the sound of this newly found old English organ Susi w as subsequently Jeans had chosen to play a piece by August Klengel (1790-1847), installed in his organist at the Katholische Hofkirche in Dresden, w here Silber- country house, mann’s last great organ stood. The piece modulated through a Oakes Park, Shef- number of remote keys which all sounded well and had their own field. Besides being key colour. There exists a recording on a ca. 1790 Geo. Pike Eng- an eminent physi- land organ at Kenw ood House by Jennifer Bate. cian, Sir William In an old family account book, there are the two following entries was also a fine mu- relating to the organ. In 1836-37: “For repairing the organ sician and a patron £13.13s” and “For tuning the organ 17s.” There is a signature on of the arts who the inner door of the organ case “A. Buckingham June 1836.” It counted Joseph seems that the item of £13.13s for the repair of the organ w as Haydn among his used for an enlargement of the bellow s and alteration of the case- friends. It is quite w ork at the back. A passage of a letter from a clergyman (w riting likely that Haydn in 1813 Lancashire Archives, Preston) describes the original himself played on this instrument. It is not known exactly how the maker’s reputation: “I am happy to find that you have got our old organ came to the Bagshawe family, but it is known that at the organ. I have no doubt but the new work which Mr. England has time he acquired it, the organ was in its totally original condition. added to it, and from the manner in which he will have repaired In 1836 a slight change was made to the diagonal reservoir; it w as the old, but that he will have made it a very excellent instrument.” converted into a “Cummings” single rise reservoir requiring a slight enlargement to the base of the case at the rear. The plaque It is considered to be a fine example of its kind. The organ is pres- on the organ reads; “England and Son Fecit 1790, Stephen Street, ently in the care of Hellmuth Wolff & Associés, awaiting a thor- Tottenham Court Road.” ough restoration and looking for a permanent home. This is a very rare example of an old English organ. Old organs in Hellmuth Wolff: 1260, rue Tellier, Laval, QC, Canada H7C 2H2 Tel: Holland, Germany and France abound, places where organs were (450) 661-2073, Fax (450) 661-6967 [email protected]. legally protected and w here alterations or destruction carried a heavy fine. Not so, unfortunately, in England where finding an old organ in its unchanged original state is something of a rarity, something w hich one can only find by stumbling on an instrument in someone’s private collection. Just such an instrument was dis- covered one day in the home of the Bagshaw es of Sheffield, by the keen and historically minded Prof. E. D. Mackerness. The older George England worked between 1740 and 1790, his son George Pike England from 1788 to 1814. George Pike Eng- land w as most likely the builder of this Sheffield organ. Father and son had a great reputation as organ makers. They also made the organ at Sheffield Cathedral, of w hich unfortunately little original w ork remains. The South Church in remote Hallow ell, Maine, acquired in 1823 a small George Pike England organ, apparently second-hand. Susi Jeans, w idow of Sir James Jeans, gave an inaugural recital on this unusual find on April 6th 1973 and described her first experi- ence on the organ: “When I saw the organ first, it was practically unplayable, but from the few notes which could be elicited it w as apparent that w e had found a rare treasure. A hurried examination show ed that the instrument was untouched. Natural deterioration w as slight but some damage was caused by a bomb in the Second World War, causing water to leak into the organ.” The Bagshaw es, keenly wishing to protect the inherent qualities of the England chamber organ, hired Mr. Christopher Stevens to

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From September 10 to 13 Ton Koopman w ill lead masterclasses RGA EWS on Bach and Couperin on the Riepp organs of the Basilika Otto- O N beuren. There w ill also be a number of concerts and visits to O R GA N C O NC E R TS A US TR A LI A historic organs of the area. Active places are filled; auditors are PO Box 695, Hurstbridge 3099, welcome for the fee of EUR 150 (students EUR 130). Koopman Victoria, Australia w ill conclude the three days with a concert on Satruday the 13th . Tel: 61 3 9718 0383, Fax: 61 3 9718 0345 Contact [email protected]. www.organconcertsaustralia.com.au/ In 2002 musical editor Lucienne Arel announced the launch of a If you represent a concert hall, tow n hall, new musical publishing house, Les editions musicales LUC- cathedral, church, university or other organisation in Australia or AREL, at w hich point she had published organ and choral w orks New Zealand looking to book one or more organ concerts, or if of Gilles Leclerc, Denis Bédard, Raymond Daveluy, and Gilles you are a concert organist seeking to tour from among the scores Fortin. Further inqu iries and orders should be directed to Les of interesting and historic organ venues located throughout Aus- editions LUCAREL, 10 900 Bois-de-Boulogne, Montréal, QC, tralia... OCA invites you to get in touch. H3M 2X1, tél: (514) 332-1756, email: [email protected]. AGO ANNOUNCES IMPROVISATION COMPETITION England's St. Alban’s International Organ Competition in July In March the American Guild of Organists announced its 2004 named its new first place winner, a 27-year-old South African of National Competition in Organ Improvisation, to be held in three European decent. Herman Jordaan was voted first prize by an rounds culminating at the National biennial AGO Convention in international jury and also w on the Prize of the Audience, a rare Los Angeles California, July 4-9 2004. Prizes range from $750 up combination at St. Albans. He is a native of Pretoria and a gradu- to $2000. For information, visit www.agohq.org, or to apply to take part, e-mail [email protected] or call (212) 870-2310. ate of both the Universities of Pretoria and South Africa. He has also studied in Holland w here he w on first prize at two interna- LONGEST PIECE OF MUSIC IN HISTORY BEGINS tional organ competitions, and has been a prize w inner also at a On Wednesday February 5th 2003 in Halberstadt, Germany, the competition in Finland. Herman Jordaan w ill tour in North Amer- first note was heard in the longest and slowest piece of music in ica under the management of Philip Truckenbrod Concert Artists. history, As Slow as Possible by the late John Cage. The work was American composer Dan Locklair’s Ere long we shall see, a brief originally a 20-minute piece for piano, but a group of musicians Concerto for Organ and Orchestra w as premiered in the Cathedral and philosophers decided to take the title literally and w ork out of St. John the Divine, New York, on the 9th of July, 1996 during how long the longest piece of music could last. They settled on the American Guild of Organists’ centennial convention. Its pre- 639 years because the organ in Halberstadt upon which it is cur- miere recording w as issued in 2002 by the Slovak Radio Symphony rently being performed w as 639 years old in the year 2000. The Orchestra under Kirk Trevor w ith organ soloist Gregory performance has already been going on for 17 months, but the d’Agostino at the Rieger-Kloss organ of the Radio Hall, Bratislava. only sound heard prior to this past February 5th was the sound of the organ’s bellow s inflating. The w ork, dedicated “to the AGO, past, present and future”, is based on a three note theme, A-G-B representing AGO. The A member of the committee, Sw edish composer Hans-Ola recording issued by Albany Records bears the number TROY517. Ericsson told the BBC, “We, a group of theologians, musicolo- Cobourg, Ontario w ill be the unlikely setting for concert of Swiss gists, philosophers, composers and organists, met during a couple of years solely to discuss the question “What is As Slow As Possible and Swedish music for organ and alphorn, including the w orld premiere of Le Cor Magique for organ and “Cor des Alpes” by for the organ? It w as rather w onderful to discuss one topic at the late Bengt Hambræus, giant of the Swedish avant garde length.” “We came up with the answer that the piece could last movement and from 1972 until his death, professor at McGill for the duration of the organ – that is, the lifetime of an organ. It’s a sound that we give to the future to take care of, and hopefully University in Montréal. The work, which was completed in 2000 shortly before the composer’s death, w as commissioned by and is the aesthetics and the ideas of John Cage w ill manage to survive.” dedicated to alphornist Michael Redner Cumberland w ith the as- In a still more incredible story, Cage’s music w as most recently in sistance of a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts. The the new s when composer Mike Batt w as forced to pay a six-figure premiere w ill take place Friday October 24th 2003 by Cumberland sum to Cage’s publishers, w ho accused him of plagiarising a silent the assistance of organist Christopher Daw es at St. Peter’s, Co- piece of music. bourg on the three manual Casavant Frères organ new ly expanded by Andrew Mead and Associates. Sw edish and Sw iss repertoire THE DIAPASON: Readers of OrgAlt are invited to request a for both instruments separately and together w ill form the balance free sample copy of the respected and w idely-circulated monthly of the programme. Call (905) 372-3442 for more information. journal of the organ and church music. Send your request to editor Jerome Butera: jbutera@s gcmail.com.

ORGALT: NEXT ISSUE December 1st 2003 - March 31st 2004 - Austria and the Czech Republic: a Performer’s Travelogue - Pipings in Space: The New Organ Concert Presenting - CD Reviews: Jaap Zw art: How w ould Reger and Liszt play Bach? Jan Hora/Petr Čech : Complete w orks of Hába Kabeláč - A conversation with John Bell of Scotland’s Iona Community - Concert Review : David Briggs at Westminster Church, Winnipeg

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