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University of Nebraska-Lincoln

January 24, 2003
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For twenty-two years George Ritchie and Quentin Faulkner have developed and presented a wonderful series of organ conferences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Musicians throughout the United States and abroad have come to expect a superb conference with clinicians, artists and teachers who are among the most respected people in their fields. (See sidebar for a brief retrospective history of the Nebraska Organ Conference.)

 

The twenty-second conference was no exception to the rich history of this event. Sixty-two organists from 16 states and Canada converged on Lincoln September 14-16, 2000, to experience a very different type of symposium entitled "The American Symphonic Organ." Because Lincoln possesses one of the most unusual new organs built at the end of the last century--the Schoenstein symphonic organ in First-Plymouth Congregational Church--the event was held entirely off-campus. All sessions were held at First-Plymouth Church and were led by four people prominent in their repsective fields of endeavor. David Briggs, director of music and organist at Gloucester Cathedral; Frederick Swann, organist in residence at First Congregational Church in Los Angeles; Jack Bethards, president and tonal director of Schoenstein & Co.; and John Levick, director of music and fine arts at First-Plymouth Church.

The conference opened on Thursday afternoon with an introduction to the First-Plymouth symphonic organ, which comprises the Lied chancel organ and the Ruth Marie Amen gallery organ. Jack Levick began this session by playing a transcription of "Nimrod" from Elgar's Enigma Variations (arr. William Harris). This piece very ably demonstrated two unusual features of this organ: the double enclosed divisions of  the Solo-Celestial and the Gallery-Ethereal, and the variable tremulant control that can be assigned to the crescendo pedal.

Jack Bethards, with the able assistance of Thomas Murray (who dedicated the chancel organ in October of 1998), then introduced the organ with an in-depth discussion and demonstration of the many unique features that Schoenstein has been developing in its series of "American Romantic" instruments. While acknowledging that one can cite many an example of poor Romantic organs from the early 20th century--with their wooly diapasons, imitative voices, and heavy concentration on celestes--the "Neo-Baroque" emphasis in organ building that began in the middle of the last century, while producing many splendid examples of the best in American organ building, caused the wanton destruction of some very great examples of the Romantic organ. It has been only within the last few years that the E.M. Skinners, Kimballs, and even an Aeolian or two have once again been recognized for the magnificent instruments that they are.

To begin with, Jack Bethards expanded on what makes the symphonic ideal. First, the true symphonic organ must possess a wide variety of tonal colors to enable the organist to have the same registrational capabilities as the symphonic orchestrator. Second, the ideal organ must have clarity, which is critical to playing the romantic repertoire. Next, the symphonic instrument must possess maximum dynamic range to enable precise control, either by building on a "terraced" basis without the use of the swell box, or by using normal and double-enclosed swell boxes and by providing for suddenly accented changes. This last requirement has resulted in the development of one of the more interesting features on this organ. By devising a Sforzando coupler that routes a Swell-to-Great or Solo-to-Great coupler through a momentary touch-toe lever, Schoenstein provided a simple way to give an accent to the first beat of a measure played on the Great manual. The fourth requirement is to have a wind system that is absolutely steady and of adequate capacity. Finally, the organ must have an action that is lightning fast in both attack and release, to provide for proper articulation, accenting, and fluid response.

All of these requirements add up to an instrument that is extremely flexible--as flexible as a symphony orchestra. Bethards feels that the symphonic organ can be even more expressive than a symphony orchestra because it is under the complete control of just one artist. He also feels that the symphonic organ concept has nothing to do with slavishly imitating orchestral voices. Rather, it provides a symphonic range of musical tools to the performer.

The First-Plymouth organ possesses an astonishing spectrum of tonal colors, ranging from a wealth of diapason choruses (for Bethards, the diapason chorus is to the symphonic organ what the string section is to the orchestra), to the four tubas on 15≤ wind, to an ensemble of four unison clarinets, to two oboes on the Swell (a capped English Oboe and a piquant French Oboe). One final note about the organ: the gallery organ is really an independent instrument with its own two-manual console, and served as the principal organ at First-Plymouth during the installation of the chancel organ. Though only of twelve stops, the gallery organ is robust and, with its double expression system, is an instrument of wonderful dynamic range that can hold its own against the chancel organ, as was demonstrated later in the evening in the "Kyrie Eleison" from Vierne's Messe Solennelle.

The question inevitably arises: why resurrect a concept that for years was considered woefully out of date and out of step with current trends in organ building? The heyday of the symphonic or romantic organ was in the 1920s when it was difficult, if not impossible, for most people to hear live orchestral performances. The symphonic organ installed in numerous civic auditoriums across the country as well as in the homes of some very wealthy individuals presented the opportunity to experience live performances of the great orchestral repertoire via transcriptions. And experience and enjoy they did! It was not unusual for crowds of 5,000 or more to turn out for these concerts.

Jack Bethards stated that there are some very good reasons for the symphonic organ to co-exist today with historic organ-building practices. First, since the main role of the organ in church is to accompany both the choir and congregational singing, the symphonic organ provides the required variety of tone colors at all dynamic levels, including the important effect of full organ, under complete dynamic control. Powerful, clear bass is equally important for promoting congregational singing. And fast key-action is imperative for making the accompanist's job as stressless as possible. Second, the wide array of tone colors also can help to relieve boredom among musicians and their congregations. Third, much of the currently-used organ repertoire continues to be from the romantic period; the symphonic organ can interpret that literature, Bethards asserts, as well as interpreting earlier literature in a musically satisfying (if not "authentic") way. Finally, the symphonic organ presents, as no other form of organ building can, a venue for the resurgence of the transcription, which is once again captivating enthusiastic audiences on the concert circuit.

Following Jack Bethards's and Thomas Murray's introduction to and demonstration of the Schoenstein symphonic organ, British concert organist David Briggs concluded the Thursday afternoon session with "The Art of Symphonic Organ Registration with particular Reference to the Performance of Transcriptions." There are few concert organists as well versed in this subject as Briggs. He became a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists at age 17, and was the youngest cathedral organist in England when he was appointed master of the choristers and organist at Truro Cathedral in 1989. A brilliant improvisateur (as we were to hear for outselves in his sold-out recital Friday evening), he is just as well known today as a master of the organ transcription.

Briggs noted that the use of transcriptions in concert programming is once again in vogue, the pendulum having swung back. The movement back to transcriptions was led by Thomas Trotter, and heralded by such artists as Thomas Murray and David Briggs. The renewed interest in the use of transcriptions is an attempt to rekindle audience appreciation and interest in the organ. When registering a transcription, a goal is to use "acoustic coupling" to achieve a bigger spread of sound. By adding 8' stops in succession and by beginning to use the swell box in one division and then adding the unenclosed division while closing the swell, it is possible to achieve seamless registration, very similar to what the conductor obtains from a symphonic ensemble. Briggs concluded this session by playing the second movement from his compact disc recording of Mahler's Fifth Symphony, a transcription that took him 300 hours to produce and another 300 hours to learn.

The Thursday evening event was a concert by the Abendmusik Chorus with organist Fred Swann. The chorus performs weekly as part of the worship services at First-Plymouth Church, and has been conducted by Aaron Copland, Randall Thompson, Daniel Pinkham, John Rutter, and Sir David Willcocks. The chorus has presented both well-known choral masterpieces and            some seldom-heard choral works such as Horatio Parker's Hora novissima (now available as a CD on the Albany label). The Thursday evening concert was the first in the Abendmusik-Lincoln 2000-2001 series and was co-sponsored by Abendmusik, The University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Music, and the Lincoln Organ Showcase. The Abendmusik-Lincoln concert series was begun by Jack Levick in 1972 and has become one of Lincoln's premier subscription concert series, having won the Governor's Arts Award.

The music ranged from Andrew Carter's "Hodie Christus natus est" to "I Was Glad when They Said unto Me" by Parry. The program included a lovely piece entitled "Alleluia" by First-Plymouth organist emeritus Myron Roberts. For this writer, the highlights of the evening were "In the Year that King Uzziah Died" by David McK. Williams and the "Kyrie Eleison" from Vierne's Messe Solennelle. The latter piece utilized the gallery and chancel organ to splendid effect. Fred Swann, whose name is synonymous with sensitive and fluid organ technique, accompanied the chorus with playing that was stunning. For the concert's organ solo work, Swann chose Introduction, Passacaglia, and Fugue by Healey Willan. The Schoenstein organ proved itself to be every bit the ideal instrument for accompanying an ensemble of the size and quality of the Abendmusik Chorus.

After experiencing Fred Swann's talents as accompanist on Thursday evening, the conference participants eagerly awaited the Friday morning session with Fred Swann on the topic "Meeting the Challenges of Accompanying at the Organ." Swann began by elaborating on a number of points that are integral to being a successful accompanist. One must be a true partner with the choir, must know when to be subservient and when to be assertive, must be sensitive not only to the particular piece of music but also to abilities and limitations, if any, of the group, must be supportive and have an intuitive sense of what a particular piece of music is calling for, must become "one" with the individual or choir, and must accompany in as colorful a manner as possible. Swann then gave a few hints for adapting piano scores to the organ:

1. Play in the center of the keyboard, avoiding extremes of range.

2. Leave out unnecessary doubling of octaves, but be alert to places where coupling will enhance the sound or is actually called for in the orchestral score.

3. For arpeggios, hold a chord with one hand and play the running figure on another manual within as small a range as possible.

4. For triplet figures, do not repeat every note unless the tempo, text, and organ action make it viable. Again, one might sustain a choir on a second manual with one hand or hold certain notes in the choir while repeating others.

5. At all times preserve the rhythm, especially important rhythmic figures. Also, observe phrasing and accents which can be achieved by touch.

6. Play all fast bass passages, except for notes on strong beats, with the left hand on the manual. Be careful to avoid a "peg-leg-Pete" effect in the pedal.

7. Play tremolos as you would on the piano, depending upon the responsiveness of the action.

8. Preserve the integrity of the bass line at all times, playing in the proper octave of the pedal.

9. Match your touch and registration to the style and period of music, just as you would in performing an organ solo.

10. When possible, consult an orchestral score for clues to registration and for lines that may have been omitted in the piano reduction but which are possible on the organ. Recordings are helpful if orchestral scores are not available.

An additional suggestion is to utilize four hands, if possible, in oratorio accompaniment. This will help in adding orchestral voices to the keyboard reduction. Swann noted that Brahms first scored the Requiem for piano four-hands, and this score could be played to advantage with organ four-hands. He also recommended turning parts of Handel's Messiah into a "trio." Above all, the accompanist must practice as assiduously as one would practice a solo piece. Fred concluded this session by demonstrating the various accompanying techniques that he recommends for successful and stressless performances. The participants were shown annotated scores and recommended registrations for Joseph Clokey's A Canticle of Peace and Randall Thompson's The Last Words of David.

After a lengthy lunch break in which the conference participants were encouraged to visit some significant organs in the area by builders such as Bedient, Casavant, Aeolian Skinner, and a recently restored 1875 Kilgen in the First Church of Christ Scientist, Fred Swann continued with the afternoon session entitled "Creative Hymn Playing."

He began by reminding everyone that hymns are truly the music of the people. As such, good hymn playing demands a strong sense of creativity and vitality. A cardinal rule is to use plenty of organ. It nearly always follows that good, solid organ playing results in optimum congregational response. To answer the question of what is the preferred phrasing to use, Swann usually follows the textural phrase. When there is no punctuation, he recommended then using the musical phrase.

The tempo will vary with different occasions. Here an intuitive sense is important. In terms of touch, legato may not always be best in successful, creative hymn playing. Clear articulation is really key to providing the most support to the congregation, as is maintainence of proper rhythm. Eighth notes should be given their due, and Swann recommends, if anything, lengthening them. When registering the hymns, he suggests using a principal chorus of one kind or another. It is often advantageous to solo out the melody with interesting, colorful stops, perhaps even using chimes on occasion. As Swann said, "More souls have been saved by chime notes than all of the mixtures in captivity."

It is important to be sensitive to the situation when determining the length of an introduction. In accompanying the congregation, it is helpful to hold the final chord of each stanza for an extra measure. Interludes should utilize the same basic rhythm as the hymn and should begin on the last sung measure of a stanza. There should be a clear indication to the congregation of the beginning and ending of an interlude. Free accompaniment of hymns can be very effective but can often be equally as annoying, particularly if used too often. The only ritard should come at the end of the last stanza of the hymn.

The conference continued Friday evening with an organ recital by David Briggs. This recital was also a part of the Abendmusik-Lincoln Concert Series. As was the case on Thursday evening, there was a sold-out crowd for this event. The first half of the program was devoted to transcriptions, beginning with three by Bach--"Sinfonia" from Cantata 29 (arr. Arthur Wills),  "Badinerie" from the Second Orchestral Suite (arr. David Briggs), and "Komm, süsser Tod" (arr. Virgil Fox). Outside of the Wanamaker organ, one can't think of a better instrument on which to hear this last piece than the First-Plymouth organ.

Briggs continued with his transcription of the "Hungarian March" from the Damnation of Faust by Berlioz, followed by pieces by Debussy and Rimsky-Korsakoff. The first half ended with another of Brigg's wonderful transcriptions, Richard Strauss' Death and Transfiguration. The first half of this recital was eclipsed by the second half, which was entirely devoted to a series of improvisations entitled Suite improvisée. There were nine movements, each in homage to a great composer and/or artist: "Blockwerk" (in homage to our Medieval predecessors); "Tierce en taille" (François Couperin); "Ricercare" (Bach); "Andante" (Mozart); "Passacaglia" (Brahms); "Elegie" (Vierne); "Danse infernale" (Stravinsky); "Scherzo symphonique" (Pierre Cochereau)  ; and "Sortie" (Phillipe Lefebvre, Notre-Dame de Paris). This was a brilliant performance and utilized all of the vast resources of the Schoenstein organ to full advantage, including the double expression system, the split pedalboard and the Sforzando couupler.

The conference concluded on Saturday morning with David Briggs' second session, entitled "Balancing a Recital Program . . . How to Educate and Excite Your Audience." The goals of an exciting concert program are "to move people" (Louis Vierne); to give the audience the same feeling that they get when attending a symphony concert; and to never, ever be boring.

In terms of program planning, Briggs feels that there are five types of concerts to consider:

1. A lunchtime recital, usually of 45 minutes duration.

2. An evening concert, which is more formal and usually with an intermission.

3. A specialty presentation; i.e., for a conference such as this.

4. A dedicatory recital intended to show off the instrument.

5. A recording session.

Whatever type of program is being considered, the most important goal is to have great variety in the program. Include one or two well-known pieces along with some which will be new to the audience. There should be a nice balance between giving the listeners a good time and giving them a certain degree of education. Of course, the specifications of the particular instrument are key to developing an appropriate program. Variety in the program is achieved by not programming two pieces back to back that are of the same mood, using a great deal of color in the registration, and varying the dynamic range and the tonalities.

In developing the program format, the opening number should be a piece that is probably familiar to the audience and is rather easygoing, a piece that lets the listener "settle back and enjoy the flight." Then it should be on to something that is much more brilliant. The program should speak to the audience and not be too long. If one addresses the audience regarding the program content, one should do so before the program begins, preferably using some humor. It is a good idea to have the second half of the recital shorter than the first. Briggs maintains that the use of transcriptions is a wonderful way to reach a wide audience, as is the use of other instruments such as the trumpet or even the flute (the Poulenc Flute Concerto, for example). The recital should obviously end by sending the audience away on a very high note. If there are to be encores, they should be short and contrast with the end of the formal program. David Briggs' encore on Friday evening was an improvisation on a Ragtime theme, which contrasted perfectly with the brilliant "Sortie" that concluded the formal part of his recital.

In developing a program for a compact disc, it is important to consider the instrument's versatility, your versatility, the commercial viability of the music performed, and a program that will hold the listener's attention.

No concert can exist in a vacuum--a thorough and wide-reaching public relations program must be developed and implemented. Paid advertising is the sure way to get the message out and  best promote a recital. But, paid advertising can be cost prohibitive; therefore, we must rely upon public service announcements and listings in both the broadcast and print media.

Briggs touched briefly on the art and use of improvisations in a recital. Cochereau called improvising "an illusionist art." Though it doesn't always happen, when the spark is ignited, a good improvisation can produce an element of excitement that no written piece can attain, according to Briggs. This final conference session ended with Briggs playing his recording of his transcription of The Sorcerer's Apprentice by Paul Dukas.

Following a panel discussion with all of the artists and clinicians, another memorable University of Nebraska-Lincoln Organ Conference came to an end. Many thanks to the clinicians and artists: Jack Bethards, Thomas Murray, Jack Levick, Fred Swann, and David Briggs. And, once again, thanks to George Ritchie and Quentin Faulkner for presenting a dynamic theme for the conference and for being gracious hosts for the event. Special thanks to Dr. Otis Young, Senior Minister at First Plymouth, the Abendmusik Chorus and the entire staff at First-Plymouth Congregational Church for their wonderful hospitality.

No report on the 2000 UN-L Organ Conference would be complete without a word or two about the venue in which it was held. First-Plymouth Congregational Church is perhaps one of the most unusual churches in the country from an architectural standpoint. It was designed by a noted New York architect, Harold Van Buren Magonigle. Dedicated in 1931, First-Plymouth was his first and only church commission in a long and distinguished career that included designs for the Main Memorial in New York's Central Park, the famous Liberty Memorial Tower in Kansas city (currently undergoing a major renovation after years of neglect) and the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo. When the congregation (a merger of First Congregational and Plymouth Congregational) began planning for a new larger church in the middle 20s, the thought was to have a building of Gothic or New England Colonial design. But, as time wore on, this thinking changed and the pastor at the time (Dr. Ben Wyland) wrote, "I wish that some master architect in classic architecture would give us a church that would fit America and be called an American type of church architecture." For this building, the architect went back to the early Basilican church and the Greek Forum for basic styles and then proceeded to design a church that is unique--not only to Lincoln but to the rest of the country as well. The dominant feature of the building's exterior is the Carillon Tower, which contains the largest and only true carillon in Nebraska. The glory of First-Plymouth is the sanctuary, a stunning space with the acoustical properties of a great concert hall. The acoustics in this space enhance not only the organ but choral and congregational singing as well. Even with a full house on both concert nights, the sanctuary provided a rich resonance and clarity of sound.

 

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