leaderboard1 -

Nunc Dimittis

January 25, 2003
Default

Dana Cottle Brown,
Minister of Music Emeritus at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Alexandria,
Virginia, died on March 9, after an extended illness. Born on August 10, 1930,
in Woburn, Massachusetts, he began his musical career at the age of fifteen as the
organist in two Congregational churches in his home town. He then entered the
Boston Conservatory of Music, majoring in organ, and upon his graduation in
1952 was awarded the Conservatory Silver Medal for High Honors. During his
conservatory years, Mr. Brown served as assistant organist and choirmaster of
Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Boston. He received his Master of Sacred Music
degree from the School of Sacred Music, Union Theological Seminary, New York
City, serving during that time as director of music at Hollis Presbyterian
Church, Hollis, New York. Upon graduation, he served two years in the Armed
Forces as a chaplain's assistant at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Prior to
being called as Westminster's first minister of music in 1957, Mr. Brown
earned his AGO Choirmaster's certificate; he later was dean of the
Alexandria AGO Chapter from 1963 to 1965, also serving as conductor of the
Guild's senior choir and junior choir festivals. In 1999 he was awarded
an Honorary Life Membership in the Northern Virginia AGO Chapter.

Mr. Brown served Westminster Church for 33 years: he
directed four choirs, including the establishment of two handbell choirs; he
oversaw the installation of the four-manual Moeller pipe organ and arranged for
its dedication recital by Virgil Fox; he gave many organ concerts, both at
Westminster and as a guest of other churches; and he initiated the Westminster
Concert Series and Young Artist Series, made possible by gifts from the Rosalee
Brown Stubbs Memorial Fund. He retired in 1990, but contined to assist the
church's music and worship program until his death. He is survived by a
brother, a nephew, and a sister-in-law. A memorial service was held at
Westminster Church on March 18. Participating in the service were organists
David Erwin and Lawrence Schreiber, the Westminster Choir, and soprano Marilyn
Moore-Brown.

 

Paul Sifler died on
May 20 in Hollywood, California. He was 89 years old. Born in Ljubljana,
Yugoslavia, the son of an organ builder, Sifler became an American citizen in
his youth. Prior to establishing his residence in Los Angeles, California,
where he served as organist of St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Hollywood and
Temple Sinai in Glendale, he held similar posts in New York City, including St.
Paul's Chapel. Sifler's work as a composer, organist, and
choirmaster was a life-long pursuit. Among his many works are the oratorio, In
the Days of Herod the King, the Mass for Voices and Marimba, and Seven Last
Words of Christ for organ. His monumental achievement is Hymnus, five volumes
of organ works based on hymns. Many of his choral and instrumental works have
been published and recorded, including The Despair and Agony of Dachau,
published by Belwin/Mills and recently recorded by Mary Preston on the Meyerson
Center organ in Dallas, Texas, for the Gothic label. Most of Sifler's
works are available from Fredonia Press, 3947 Fredonia Dr., Hollywood, CA
90068.

 

Guy Thérien
died on May 11 in St-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada, after a brief battle
with cancer. Born in 1947, he studied organ with Bernard Lagacé and
served his apprenticeship with Casavant Frères from 1965 to 1968. In
1968 he joined Orgue Providence, Inc., and in 1978 this company was renamed
Guilbault-Thérien, Inc., after the partnership of André Guilbault
and Guy Thérien. Over 50 new organs of tracker and electro-pneumatic
action were built under his supervision, in addition to more than a hundred
rebuilding and restoration projects of existing instruments. Since 1992 Mr.
Thérien served as president and owner of the firm. He was a founding
member of the Pro Organo Society (1970) and Amis de l'Orgue de Montréal
(1991). Among his notable instruments are those at the Grand Séminaire
Chapel in Montréal and in the chapel at Brick Presbyterian Church in New
York City. He is survived by his wife Lyne and four young children (Jean-François,
Jean-Chris-tophe, Jean-Philippe, and Marie-Ève).
Guilbault-Thérien, Inc. continues its work under the direction of
longtime partner and chief voicer Alain Guilbault.