Reception, Lecture-Recital Highlight May Meeting
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
May 2006 Volume 22 THE Number 8 OPUS The official publication of the St. Louis Chapter of the American Guild of Organists www.agostlouis.org Reception, Lecture-Recital Highlight May Meeting The closing event for the 2005-2006 Texas. Her music degrees are from the her husband was a biology professor at program series will be held Monday, May University of Colorado and the University Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. 22, at Second Presbyterian Church. of Texas. She also studied in Europe at the Dr. Thomerson taught organ in the music Traditionally, May is the month in which Flemish Royal Conservatory in Antwerp, Department of SIUE for 25 years. She was the St. Louis AGO Chapter recognizes Belgium, and took private lessons in Paris. music director at University United Metho- members of the Guild dist Church in St. Louis, and of the community and was active in Guild who have contributed The Details ac-tivities both in St. their time and talent to Date: Monday, May 22, 2006 Louis and in the metro- promoting the organ Event: Dr. Kathleen Thomerson, FAGO, ChM east area. Dr. Thomer- Lecture/Recital on the works of Langlais and performance of son is currently organist and Peeters organ music. Please and music director at Location: Second Presbyterian Church join your fellow mem- Mt. Olive Lutheran 4501 Westminster Place bers at 6 p.m. for a St. Louis, MO 63108 Church in Austin, Texas. reception honoring all Time: 6:00 p.m. – Reception Dr. Thomerson has a past recipients of the 6:30 p.m. – Dinner deep personal interest Avis Blewett award. 7:30 p.m. – Program in sanctuary in creating hymn texts The program for Host: Charles Collins and tunes and continues the evening will be a Cost: $8 for dinner to write new material. lecture and recital by Reservations: Kathleen Bolduan, 314-935-5517 Her best-known hymn Dr. Kathleen Thomer- or [email protected] text is “I Want to Walk as son, who received the (Vegetarians accommodated upon request. Please confirm a Child of the Light,” set your reservations by Friday, May 18.) Avis Blewett award in to her original tune May 1994. Dr. Thomer- Directions: Second Presbyterian Church is located on the northwest corner Houston (The Hymnal son has been very ac- of Taylor and Westminster Place in the Central West End. 1982, #490). In 2005, tive in the Guild, both From I-64/U.S. Route 40: Take the Kingshighway North exit. Go north on 16 of her new tunes, on the local and Kingshighway past the Barnes Hospital complex to Lindell (Chase-Park with texts by Patricia B. national levels. She is a Plaza). Turn right. Go two blocks east to Taylor. Turn left. Continue four blocks Clark of Austin, Texas, past Dean of the St. north to the church. Turn left on Westminster to parking lot on right past the were published by Louis Chapter. She has church. Street parking also Taylor. MorningStar Music in been elected to the the hymnbook titled “A office of National Taste of Heaven’s Joys.” Councilor, and served the national organi- Her program will be a discussion and The recital portion of the evening is zation as director of the Committee on demonstration of works by Flor Peeters, open to the public. Please invite friends. Educational Resources. She currently with whom she studied in Belgium, and Plan to attend to hear Dr. Thomerson play serves on the Executive Committee of the Jean Langlais, with whom she studied in works by Peeters and Langlais, and to gain Austin, Texas, AGO Chapter. France and the USA. insight into these composers and their Dr. Thomerson was born in Tennessee Before retiring to Austin, Texas, Dr. compositions. and grew up in Mississippi, California, and Thomerson lived in Collinsville, Ill., when — Martha Shaffer — From the St. Louis Chapter Dean… The End of Music? The recent issue of The American became inexorably smaller, increasingly ties, it can be so much more. Great music, Organist features a commentary by Haig frenetic, and potentially more violent than like sacred art, like the Holy Scriptures Mardirosian on “the end of music,” con- ever. themselves, can be a veritable expression jecturing that perhaps classical music, Following the World Wars, European of divine revelation—God with us. Once having run its course, is defunct. His part- civilization was no longer in any shape to we’ve experienced something so transcen- ing remark hints that he has more to say assert itself. Ours had become preemi- dent, how can we possibly relegate it to a on the subject in the next issue of TAO. nently an American world, and the linger- mere market niche? Nonetheless, one can hardly resist reflect- ing of “Old World” culture was largely I believe our calling at this moment in ing on his suggestion, as far as it goes. honorary, an afterglow that has gradually history is to stand firm, and uphold the My response is painted with a broad given way to the abiding principles, values, artistic traditions that we know to be hu- brush, and is concerned primarily with the and climate of the market economy. This manizing and life-giving. All this presup- music of the masters, whose standards of “cross-fade” of cultures marks the world in poses, of course, that we are discerning in artistic integrity and discipline have which most of us music professionals have the music we choose, and that we teach it provided the foundation for most serious come of age. and perform it well. In some measure we musical endeavor. These standards may One of the noblest of American values share the work of the prophets, rarely well encompass accomplishments in jazz is our fundamental sense of egalitarianism, understood by their own times or their and folk music, even traditional popular and our democratic system of self-govern- own people, but unswervingly committed music; excluded from consideration, ment, for all its flaws, is a miracle of politic- to the truth. We may be swimming against however, are most of the commercially al history. In this context, the common the tide, but we need not be bitter or successful entertainment and contempo- denominator, the will of the people, is a recalcitrant. We should bear in mind that rary Christian forms in circulation today. good and necessary consideration. A less truth without charity is counterproductive, Art historian Kenneth Clark suggested admirable American trait is the widespread and a little bit of diplomacy will go a long that the greatest human cultural achieve- inclination to dismiss or dismantle any- way. But hold the line, we must, to preserve ments arise from a confluence of factors: thing that fails to be readily profitable. our musical patrimony for future genera- prosperity (but not excessive wealth); a Here, the common denominator, the tions who may need it even more that we prevailing confidence; a corresponding “bottom line,” can often be a destructive do—or better yet, for some unimagined energy and enthusiasm; the providential consideration. golden age of music. appearance of men and women of genius; Free market principles are not all bad, — Stephen Mager and a receptive and fertile social climate. but they are inherently hostile to religion Today, many of these vital ingredients are and art, or at least, to art in the service of either lacking or misdirected—we would religion. The work that we do as sacred THE be hard-pressed to prove our times to be musicians ideally seeks to elevate truth OPUS anything like a golden age of artistic above profit, and pursues the eternal The official publication achievement. rather than the temporal. What we do with of the St. Louis Chapter Our musical heritage is in large part a heart and soul doesn’t sell, yet there are of the American Guild of Organists. European gift. We often hear of the 1900’s indeed profits to be won, however May 2006 as “the American century.” However, the intangible. Great art, like vital religious Volume 22, No.8 case could be made that the era from faith, strives to reconcile the comprehen- Wayne King, Editor Napoleon until 1945 was really the last sible with the ineffable; there’s no reward You are invited to submit material great European age. It began with such without appreciable intellectual and to the editor for publication consid- promise, in the springtime of Romanticism, spiritual investment. As the saying goes, eration. Material and calendar but it ended in the ignominy and cataclysm ‘no pain, no gain.’ items should be e-mailed to of the World Wars—conflicts that history While it is true that music offers an [email protected]. may someday view as a single, broad occasion and a means for building faith Next regular issue – September 2006 conflagration. After Hiroshima, the world and charity among our spiritual communi- -2- PIPE ORGAN ENCOUNTER (POE) UPDATE Here’s the abbreviated schedule As of May 1, we had 21 registrants for the St. Louis POE. Our goal is 25, and we’re almost there! The following is a schedule of events for the POE week. In addition to the listed events, the students will have lessons and practice time each afternoon. We encourage all chapter members to attend as many events as you would like. We also encourage you to help out at any event as well. To volunteer, send a note to POE Chair Mary Hitchcock-Reinhart at [email protected]. Sunday, June 11 Afternoon: Registration Evening: Hymn service at Bethel Lutheran Church Monday, June 12 Morning: Classes/Workshops with Michael Bauer Late Morning: Fox Theater Lobby Organ with Stan Kann Evening: Organ Crawl/Progressive Dinner incl.