Elain Mann is Director of Music Ministry, Our Saviour's
Lutheran Church, Chippewa Falls, WI
The workshop began with two lectures by Orpha Ochse of Whittier College. In "The Life and Times of 19th-Century French Organists" Ochse described how the lifetime position of the 18th-century French organist was lost because of the destruction of organs and the conversion of church buildings to secular functions during the French Revolution. By the mid-1800s congregations wanted to hear popular music, mainly opera. But by 1895 the popularity of the organ recital had grown in Paris to the extent that one could choose from four different programs on the same date. Ochse described the importance of the Cavaillé-Coll organ, the development of the secular organ recital, and important 19th-century performers and composers. The second part of the lecture featured taped examples of lesser known works from 19th-century France, with a bibliography of modern editions. Ochse is the author of Organists and Organ Playing in Nineteenth-Century France and Belgium (Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1994).
The afternoon brought lectures by John R. Near, of Principia
College, concerning Widor editions, focusing on the Symphonie Gothique and Symphonie Romane. Near is in the process of preparing editions of the Widor symphonies, published by A-R Editions, Madison, WI. Performance considerations include metronome marks and the interpretation of such terms as allargando, animato, a piacere, ritardando, along with the various articulation and trill signs Widor used. Near has dealt with the question of which of Widor's many editions one should use, locating almost all of them in the preparation of his new edition. He maintains that performers should use Widor's last version, but not all of the editions are datable--autographs were lost during the war. The A-R edition lists all known editions, and gives changes made, with appendixes for significant differences--Near corrects numerous mistakes in the various printings.
The School of Music and the Frederick T. Rahn Memorial Fund
sponsored an evening recital by Robert Glasgow, of the University of Michigan,
in Clapp Recital Hall: Chorale in E,
Franck; Symphonie Romane, Widor; Fantaisie, op. 73, Rousseau; and Symphonie VIII, Widor. On April 1, Glasgow discussed "Performance Considerations of French Romantic Organ Music." One must understand the Cavaillé-Coll organ and the score, and then make adjustments on an American organ to approximate the desired sound. The performer must consider reed quality, pitch of mixtures, lack of manual foundations and 16' sound, and operation of the 19th-century French swell
pedal. Glasgow urged performers to listen and to adjust to the conditions of
the room and the organ. This session was followed by a masterclass conducted by
Dr. Glasgow. Students from the University of Iowa who performed included:
Shelly Moorman-Stahlman--Roger-Ducasse, Pastorale
style='font-style:normal'>; David Henning--Vierne, Symphonie III; Wendy Payton--Franck, Choral III in a; and Cathleen McCready--Mendelssohn, Andante tranquillo (Sonata III).
The workshop ended with a recital by University of Iowa
faculty members Delores Bruch and Delbert Disselhorst playing the Taylor and
Boody organ in Krapf Organ Studio. Dr. Bruch played the following selections:
Tiento de dos bajos 8° tono, Aguilera
de Heredia; Sonata para
cimbalo, Santo Elias; Praeludium,
Variations on "Nun komm' der Heiden Heiland,"
style='font-style:normal'> Kneller; Prelude and Fugue in c
style='font-style:normal'>, S. 546, Bach. Dr. Disselhorst performed works of
Bach: Prelude and Fugue in g, S.
535; Nun komm' der Heiden Heiland; Der Tag, der ist so freudenreich; O Lamm
Gottes, unschuldig; Heut triumphiret Gottes Sohn (Orgelbüchlein
style='font-style:normal'>); and Prelude and Fugue in G
style='font-style:normal'>, S. 541.
