For the first time in Ann Arbor, the complete organ works of François Couperin (1668–1733) were performed on two evenings by students of Professor Marilyn Mason. Couperin’s Mass of the Convents was performed on March 16 and his Mass for the Parishes was performed on March 25. These performances offered a rare opportunity to hear the only known organ music of one of the most famous composers of Paris. The 21-year-old Couperin, known as Couperin le Grand (“Couperin the Great”) to distinguish him from other members of his musical family, composed the Messe pour les couvents for convents or abbey churches and the Messe pour les paroisses for parishes or secular churches.
The reeds, mutation stops, flutes, principal chorus, and mixtures of the C. B. Fisk organ in the Blanche Anderson Moore Recital Hall served Couperin’s Masses well. The rich palette of color necessary for the performance of French Classical repertoire was present. The Chalumeau provided an excellent substitute for the Chromhorne that Couperin specified, and the aggressive and penetrating timbre associated with the French classical reeds was provided by the single Trompete. The cohesiveness of the ensemble was impressive.
In keeping with the performance practices of the classical French organ Mass of the eighteenth century, the organ verses alternated with sung verses in alternatim. Kipp Cortez performed the role of cantor at both performances. Like Guillaume-Gabriel Nivers (1632–1714), Couperin wrote five organ versets for the Kyrie, three for the Sanctus, nine versets for the Gloria, an Offertoire (an independent solo not linked to alternatim, the longest and most technically demanding within the organ Mass), two versets for the Agnus Dei, and one for Deo gratias. The organ versets and offertoire were played by the following performers for both the Mass of the Convents and Mass of the Parishes: Renate McLaughlin (Kyrie); Nancy Deacon, director of music at Most Blessed Sacrament Cathedral in Detroit (versets 1–5 of the Gloria); Joshua Boyd, organist at Lord of Light Lutheran Church in Ann Arbor (versets 6–9 of the Gloria and Offertoire); Kipp Cortez, assistant organist at the First Congregational Church in Ann Arbor (the Sanctus, Agnus Dei, and Ite Missa est).
Renate McLaughlin offered introductory comments, explaining that the two Masses differed dramatically in style because of the strictures placed on Masses composed for parishes. The Caeremoniale Parisiense of 1662 stipulated that Masses written for parishes must be based on a recognizable Latin Mass.
Couperin quotes part of Missa cunctipotens genitor Deus in the Kyrie and Sanctus of his Mass for the Parishes. No such edict applied to the Masses being composed for the convents.
Each performer gave thoughtful interpretations, and added graceful and at times sizzling ornaments. They provided an aural document showing how the organ in Couperin’s Masses appropriated texts from the Ordinary of the Mass and supplied a solo offertoire.
Hearing the entire Mass of the Convents, one could imagine the delight such music gave those within the walls of a religious community. And likewise hearing the Mass for the Parishes, one can imagine sitting in the Chapelle Royale and seeing the joy on the face of Louis XIV as his organist, François Couperin, played his Mass for the Parishes.
Photo credit: Marijim Thoene
C. B. Fisk, Inc., Opus 87, 1985
The Marilyn Mason Organ
The University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
27 voices, 35 ranks, 1,716 pipes
Hauptwerk, Man I
16′ Bourdun
8′ Principal
8′ Rohrflöte
4′ Octava
4′ Spitzflöte
22⁄3′ Quinta
2′ Octava
Mixtur V
Cornet III
8′ Trompete
Oberwerk, Man II
8′ Gedackt
8′ Quintadena
4′ Principal
4′ Rohrflöte
3′ Nasat
2′ Octava
2′ Gemshorn
13⁄5′ Tertia
11⁄3′ Quinta
1′ Sifflet
Mixtur III
8′ Chalumeau
Pedal
16′ PrincipalBaß
8′ OctavBaß
4′ OctavBaß
16′ PosaunenBaß
8′ TrompetenBaß
Oberwerk to Hauptwerk
Hauptwerk to Pedal
Oberwerk to Pedal
Tremulant
Klingel (rings bell to signal calcant)
Hand-pumped wind and electric blower
Fifth-comma Meantone tuning
