Seminary. A frequent recitalist and composer 6 Master Tallis’s Testament of several works for organ, he is also an Herbert Howells (1892-1983) avid train enthusiast with a huge model railroad at his home. Herbert Howells was one of the most English of all English composers; the 2-5 Concerto in D minor after Vivaldi, visionary, pastoral quality of his music BWV 596 seemed to spring quite naturally from the J. S. Bach (1685-1750) mellow landscapes of the Gloucestershire countryside where he was born. Although, Performances of Italian string concertos in his own words, he was ‘not a religious were a regular feature of musical life at the man’, Howells was Court of the Duke of Saxe-Weimar, where the only major British composer of his Bach worked from 1708 to 1717. As an generation to write a substantial quantity 1 Toccata accomplished string player, Bach no doubt of church music; this is now frequently John Weaver (b. 1937) took part in these performances, but he also and universally performed, rather unfairly found a more effective way of penetrating to overshadowing his other achievements in The composer writes: “The Toccata was the heart of the Italian style, by transcribing the realms of orchestral and chamber music. composed during my second year as a many of these works for solo keyboard. One of the most memorable experiences student at the Curtis Institute of Music Bach’s own creative personality was of Howells’ early life was a concert in (1960). It is dedicated to Grace Newsome profoundly affected by this vibrant music Gloucester Cathedral in 1910, which Cushman, a remarkable theory teacher from from Southern Europe - by its relentless, included the premiere of Vaughan Williams’ the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore and motoric rhythmic drive, by its wealth of Fantasia on a theme of Thomas Tallis. the director of a summer music camp in characteristic musical figures and turns of He felt a profound and ‘intuitive affinity’ Vermont which I attended from my early phrase, and by the formal principle of the with this contemporary re-interpretation of teens. I later was deeply involved in the concerto ritornello or recurring theme, which the Tudor style, and many years later he teaching and administration of the camp. I offered endless possibilities for the building described his own Master Tallis’s Testament wrote it at a time when I was feeling that the of large-scale musical structures. (1940) as a ‘footnote’ to the Vaughan organ literature was in need of more joyful Long believed to be an original Williams Fantasia. It takes the form of a pieces, and so I set out to write a toccata composition by Bach’s son Friedemann theme and two variations - a poignant with a decidedly sunny disposition. It has (who rubbed out his father’s name on the lament in which the melodic conventions of been recorded several times and is often manuscript, and substituted his own), this the 16th century combine with the subtle used as a wedding recessional.” Concerto in D minor is an arrangement tints of Howells’ own modal harmony to John Weaver has been Director of Music by J.S. Bach of Vivaldi’s Concerto for Two create an original work of art of haunting, at Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church in Violins, Op.3 no.11. It begins with a lively timeless beauty. New York City since 1970. He was Head of canonic duet above insistent repeated pedal the Organ Department at the Curtis Institute notes, and then a few full chords lead into from 1972 to 2003, and Chair of the Organ a dancing fugue. The slow movement is a Department at the Juilliard School of Music lilting siciliano, and the concerto ends in a from1987 to 2004. He also taught organ at vigorous finale with a pungent chromatic Westminster Choir College, the Manhattan ritornello. School of Music, and Union Theological 7-8 Sonata No. 3 Mendelssohn introduces the tune of the 10 Bells Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) penitential chorale Aus tiefer Noth, making Jean Langlais(1907-1991) a striking contrast to the majestic wedding Most of the great romantic composer/ music, which returns at the end to bring this Organist of the Basilica of Sainte-Clotilde pianists (Liszt, Schumann, Brahms, long and complex movement to a triumphant in Paris from 1945 until his retirement in and even Chopin) tried their hand at conclusion. The sonata then concludes in 1987, Jean Langlais was the most prolific organ playing at one time or another, complete simplicity with a short Andante in French organ composer of his generation. but Mendelssohn was the only one who Mendelssohn’s most melodious style. While he was still a student, his composition took a serious and lifelong interest in the ‘King of Instruments’. At heart this was 9 Elijah on the Mountain a private, personal passion; in his day he Robert Ampt (b. 1949) stood apart from the mainstream of the organ profession, and he had no pupils. The composer writes: “Elijah on the But after his death, his organ works - and Mountain is a continuous, multi-section the Six Sonatas in particular - exercised an work opening with a bold fanfare; the enormous influence on the art of organ- motive upon which the entire piece is playing all over Europe. Mendelssohn based. Subsequent sections include fugal rarely played the organ in public in his own and ostinato passages and culminate country; his greatest successes were in in a full-organ series of hectic runs and England, where ‘his masterly performances dense chords. A dramatic, but quiet and aroused universal admiration and delight’. contemplative return to the opening fanfare The ‘Six Grand Sonatas’ were commissioned leads to a mysterious, unison ending. by an English publisher in 1844, and The work is inspired by the passage from published the following year to generous the First Book of Kings : And he said, Go critical acclaim. ‘These intensely poetical forth upon the mount before the Lord. And new ideas’ wrote Schumann, ‘what a perfect behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and picture they form in every Sonata! In Bach’s strong wind rent the mountains, and brake music I always imagine him sitting at the in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the organ, but in yours I rather think of a St. Lord was not in the wind: and after the Cecilia touching the keys…’ wind an earthquake; but the Lord was The first movement of the Third Sonata not in the earthquake: And after the had its origins in a much earlier work, as earthquake a fire; but the Lord was Mendelssohn revealed in a letter which not in the fire: and after the fire, a still he wrote to his sister Fanny in July 1844: small voice.” ‘Please look out for the organ piece in A Robert Ampt is the Sydney City major that I composed for your wedding, Organist, Organist and and wrote in Wales, and send it back to me Choirmaster of Sydney’s by return of post... I love the beginning, but German Lutheran Church, and detest the middle, so I am completely re- an organ teacher at the writing it...’ The new middle section is an University of Sydney. agitated fugue in the minor key, into which tutor Paul Dukas told him that he was In the years following the Reformation 12 Trumpet Tune in E flat David N. ‘a born composer’, and this judgment in Holland, the organ took no part in the Johnson (1922-1987) was vindicated by the effortless flow of services of the church; strict Calvinists new works which he produced during considered organ-playing to be an Very few composers of the twentieth century the next sixty years, works that were offensively worldly affair. The organs have so often and so actively contributed never as revolutionary as the music of his belonged to the City Councils, and Sweelinck to the genre of festive and ceremonial friend Messiaen, but which nevertheless was employed by Amsterdam City Council music for organ as did David N(athaniel) had a unique and instantly recognisable to give concerts at least once a day. Freed Johnson (1922-1987). Born in San Antonio, personality of their own. Commissioned from the requirements of congregational Texas, Johnson was an organ major at the by a London publishing company in 1957, accompaniment, the organs of Holland were Curtis Institute, Philadelphia and, following Langlais’ ‘Three Characteristic Pieces’ adopts doctoral and composition studies, served a deliberately simple, transparent style of as either Chair or Professor of Music at writing, in homage to the 18th century a number of universities before settling English composer John Stanley. in Arizona. There he headed the music The last piece, Bells, is a short toccata which faculty of the State University and served as rings the changes in a sparkling sequence organist and choirmaster at the Episcopal of chiming motifs, ending with a final Cathedral in Phoenix. resounding peal on the pedals. The Trumpet Tune in E flat recorded here, and subtitled ‘Homage to the 18th 11 Mein junges Leben hat ein End century’, is a prime example of Johnson’s Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562-1621) legacy of occasional music that comprises at least eighteen such pieces for organ The Dutch composer and teacher Sweelinck solo cast in a variety of keys. Bearing a was one of the most important musical dedication to Belgian organist Flor Peeters, figures of his time, forming a vital link it was published by Oxford University Press in the chain that leads from the earliest in 1964 in a volume called ‘An Album of composers of keyboard music through to the Postludes’.