Four Organ Recitals and an Essay: the Joseph J. Birch Collection Of
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University of Alberta Four Organ Recitals and an Essay: The Joseph J. Birch Collection of Organ Transcriptions Belinda Chiang O A thesis subrnitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fùlfillment of the requirernents for the degree of Doctor of Music Deparûnent of Music Edmonton, Alberta Spring 1999 National Library Bibliothèque nationale 1+1 of,, du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services setvices bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395. rue Weliingîon OîtawaON KIA ûN4 OttawaON KlAüN4 Canada Canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microfom, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/fïlm, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts ikom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be p~tedor otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent êeimprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. Abstract This document provides a historical background to organ transcriptions and studies the contents of the Joseph J. Birch Collection, a collection of sixty-six scores containing 206 organ transcriptions of orchestral, choral and piano works. The majority of the scores are British publications and most or al1 of them are currently out of print. The study generates the statistical data on the collection, examines the styles and techniques ernployed by the transcribers, and catalogues the contents into six indexes. It includes analyses of selected works and stylistic cornparisons of the transcribers. The study also provides information about the length and the level of difficulty of the works and their suitability for a variety of purposes ranging fiom pedagogical to performance uses. The introduction includes an account on the art of transcribing for the organ. Musical examples accompany the discussion to illustrate specific transcribing techniques and how idiomatic the transcriptions are for the organ. The bibliography includes reference books and articles on the subject of organ transcription; the discography lists recordings of well known organists perforrning transcriptions on orchestral organs around the world. This document serves as an introduction to the Birch collection and is useful to recitalists, church musicians, music scholars and anyone who is interested in the contents of this collection. Acknowledgements T wish to acknowledge the invaluable assistance of my supervisor, Dr. Mamie Giesbrecht, who inspired me in many ways throughout my degree program, introduced me to the Birch collection and loaned me books, scores and recordings that were central to the discussion of organ transcriptions. 1 am very grateful to my essay advisor, Dr. Wesley Berg, for proof reading my essay meticulously and patiently. Many thanks, as well, to Dr. Howard Bashaw, Dr. Jacobus Kloppers, Dr. John Kernahan, and Dr. Carole Terry, for their editorial suggestions and words of advice. I. thank Mr. James Whittle, Music Librarian at the University of Alberta, for providing the background information pertaining to the Birch collection. Family members and fiends have supported me through their prayers and encouragement and my deepest appreciation goes to them. 1 am indebted to my husband, Luke, for painstakingly assisting me in every task that required the use of the computer. Finally, 1 thank my newborn son, Cavan, who arrived three weeks too early - three weeks before the scheduled completion of the essay, but who behaved so well 1was still able to finish writing in tirne. Table of Contents I Four Organ Recitals Recital, December 16, 1996 Lecture-Recital, September 16, 1997 Chamber Music Recital, December 14, 1997 Recital, December 7, 1998 II Essay A. Introduction 1. Organ Transcriptions 2. The History of Organ Tran.scripti ons 3. The Art of Organ ~ranscri~tions 4. The Artists B. The Joseph J. Birch Collection of Organ Transcriptions 1. The Background 2. Contents and Statistical Data 3. General Observations 4. The Transcriptions of A. Herbert Brewer 5. The Transcriptions of George J. Bennett 6. The Transcriptions of Charles W. Pearce 7. The Transcriptions of Alfred Seymour 8. Stylistic Cornparisons 9. Conclusion C. The Indexes 1. Index of Transcribers 2. Index of Composers 3. Index of Titles 4. Index of Volume Titles 5. Index of Genres 1 6. Index of Genres II. D. Bibliography E. Discography List of ExampIes Brewer's transcription of Walter's Preislied fiom Die Meistersinger, Wagner. Brewer's transcription of Procession to the Minster fiom Lohengrin, Wagner. Brewer's transcription of Walter's Preislied fiorn Die Meistersinger, Wagner. Bennett's transcription of Prelude to Lohengrin, Wagner. Bennett's transcription of Prelude to Parsifal, Wagner. Bennett's transcription of Andantino fiom Symphony No. 4, Tchaikovsky. Bennett's transcription of the Slow Movement fiom Piano Concerto in B flat minor, Tchaikovsky. Bennett's transcription of Minuet frorn Symphony in E flat, hiozart. Pearce's transcription of Overture "Egmont," Beethoven. Pearce's transcription of the fourth movement fiom Symphony No. 9, Beethoven. Pearce's transcription of Air with Variations from Symphony No. 2, Schubert. 1Oa. Rubinstein, Romance, Op. 44, No. 1, mm. 1-4. lob. Seymour's transcription of Romance, mm. 1-4. 1 la. Rubinstein, Romance, Op. 44, No. 1, mm. 3 1-32. 1lb. Seymour's transcription of Romance, nim. 3 1-32. 12a. Pearce's transcription of Marche fiom Casse-Noisette, Tchaikovsky, mm. 5-8. Seymour's transcription of Marche fiom Casse-Noisette, mm. 5-8. Pearce's transcription of Marche fiom Casse-Noisette, mm. 18-20. Seymour's transcription of Marche fiom Casse-Noisette, mm. 18- 20. Tchaikovsky, Marche fiom Casse-Noisette, mm. 4 1-43. Pearce's transcription of Marche fiom Casse-Noisette, mm. 4 1-43. Seymour's transcription of Marche fiom Casse-Noisette, mm. 4 1- 43. Tchaikovsky, Chant sans Paroles, Op. 40, No. 6, mm. 85-90. Pearce's transcription of Chant sans Paroles, mm. 85-90. Tcha&uvsky, Chant sans Paroles, Op. 40, No. 6, mm. 17-22. Pearce's transcription of Chant sans Paroles, mm. 17-22. Seymour's transcription of Chant sans Paroles, mm. 17-22. Fantasy: Torah Song (Yisrael V'oralfa)(1994) Craig Phiilips In Recital (b. 1960) Scherzo, Opus 2 (1924) Maurice Dunifl6 (1902-1986 ) Prelude and Fu y e on the therne BACH (1855) Franz Liszt (181 1-1886) Pause Belinda Chiang, organ Partita Freu dich sehr, O mine Seele Georg BOhm Candidate for the Doctor of Music degree (1661-1733) Concerto in D Minor (after Vivaldi), BWV 596 Johann Sebasiian Bach Allegro, Grave (1685-1750) Fuga Largo e spiccato Allegro Final from Slxféme Qmphonie, Opus 59 (1930) Louis Vierne (1 870-1937) Monday, December 16, 1996 at 8:00 pm This recital is preçented in partial fulfilmsnt of the requirements for îhe Convocation Hall, Arts Building Docior of Music degrte for Ms Wang, Department of Music Ms Chiaag is a recipient of the Beryl Barns Memodal Awards Univmlty of Alberta (Graduate), the Harriet Snowball Winspear Graduate Fellowship in the Performiug Arts and the U of A PhD Scholarship. Movernents in the Orgen Symphonies of Widor and Vierne: AUegro, Adagio, Scherzo, and Toccata Lecture-Recital Program Symphony No. 5 in F Minor, Op. 42 CharlesMarie Widor 1. Allegro vivace (1 844-1937) Belinda Chiang, organ Candidate for the Doctor of Music degree Lecture Symphony No. 6 in G Minor, Op. 42 Charles-Marie Widor II. Adagio III. Intermezzo: Allegro Lecture Symphony No. 3, Op. 28 Louis Vierne Tuesday, September 16, 1997 IV. Adagio: Quasi Largo (1870-1937) at 8:00 PM V. Final: Allegro This recital 1s presentcd in partial fulfilmeni of the requirements for the Convocation Hall, Arts Building Doctor of Music degree for Ms Chiang. Department of Music University of Alberta Ms Chiang is a recipieni of the Beryl Barns Mernorial Awards (Graduate) and the U of A PhD Scholarship. In Recital Belinda Chiang, organ Candidate for the Doctor of Music degree with guest artist Linda Brown, trumpet Sunday, December 14,1997 at 8:00 pm Convocation Hall, Arts Building Department of Music University of Alberta Program Heroic Music Georg Philipp Telemann "A Simple Song" fiom Mass (1971) Leonard Bernstein L'Espérance (1681-1767) (1918-1990) L'Amour La Réjouissance From the opera Carmen (1 874) Georges Bizet Habaiiera (1838-1875) Trumpet Voluntary (1991) Ruth Watson Henderson Dance Bohême an. Rafael Mbndez (ProcessionaI for Anne-Marie) (b, 1932) Sonata II in E-flat, BWV 103 1 Johann Sebastian Bach Allegro moderato (1685-1750) Siciliano Allegro Michal StoIan, flute This recital is prescnted in partial filfilment of the rcquircmcnls for the Prayer of Saint Gregory (1946) Alan Hovhaness Doctor of Music degrec for Ms Chiang, (b. 191 1) Ms Chiang is a rccipicnt of the Beryl Barns Mernorial Award (Graduate) and Two Chorale Preludes on the University of Alberta Ph.Scholmhip. Valer U~rserin1 Hi~nmelreich Johann Sebastian Bach an. Jean Thilde Intermission A native Albertan, Lluda Brown has eamed the degreu of Bachclor of Music from The Universiiy of Calgary and Master of Music fromNorthwulem University in Variations Grégoriennes Evansion, Itlinois. In 1993, she was a finalist in the Solo Cornpetitionand won sur un Salve Regina (1964) Henri Tomasi Second Prize in Ihe Orchcsûal Competiiion at ihc Intemational Womui'a Bnw Conference in SI. huis, Missouri. Bcridn her tceching comrniünentc at Mount (1901-1971) Royal Collcge, Linda regularly perfom wih the Calgary Philharmonlc Orchcstro and the Alluis Brass. From Drei Stücke, Op. 150 Joseph Rheinberger Born in Poland, Michal Stolnrz rcccived his Master of Music degree in flute Abendlied (1839-1901) performance from the F.