The Ninth House of Hope Organ Institute was held at The
House of Hope Presbyterian Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, July 27-30, 2003. The
single topic for the institute was the life and music of Louis Vierne. Participants
from seventeen states and three foreign countries heard organ and carillon
recitals, organ master classes, lectures, and concerts of Vierne's rarely-heard
chamber music and his Messe solemnelle
for choir and two organs. There was also an exhibit of original manuscripts and
Vierne iconography provided by Brigitte de Leersnyder.
Mme. de Leersnyder was the main speaker. She is in the
process of writing a book about Vierne's life and music, which will be
published with his correspondence, unknown iconography and additional research.
She divided her discussion into three lectures: Vierne's life from his birth to
the end of his studies at the Paris Conservatory (1870-1894); from the end of
his studies at the Conservatory to his return to France (from a lengthy stay
out of the country when he sought treatment for his eyesight), 1894-1920; and
from his return to France to his death (1920-1937).
Other lecturers were Ben van Oosten, Gregory Bover, and
Michael Barone. Ben van Oosten, who has recorded the six organ symphonies of
Vierne, the eight sonatas of Guilmant, and the complete organ works of Widor,
and is the author of the comprehensive Widor biography (in German), lectured on
"19th-Century French Organ Symphonists." Gregory Bover, Vice-President
for Operations at C. B. Fisk Organ Builders, worked with Charles Fisk on Opus
78 for House of Hope and led the restoration of the Ducroquet and Merklin
organs in the church. He was project manager and supervised the design and
construction of several important Fisk organs, including at the Meyerson
Symphony Hall in Dallas. His topic was "The Ducroquet and Merklin Organs
at House of Hope." Michael Barone is a senior executive producer at
Minnesota Public Radio and host of MPR's organ program, Pipedreams, who was also
on hand to record the concerts. His lecture was "Vierne on Record: an
audio document of Vierne's compositions and performances on disc."
In addition to institute events, the regular Sunday morning
worship service featured French organist Jean Galard, playing parts of Vierne's
Symphonie No. 3 for the prelude and
postlude. An excellent performer, Mr. Galard is organist of the church of St.
Médard in Paris, and Mme. de Leersnyder's husband. Before each evening
concert there were carillon recitals played by Julia Walton, guest carillonneur
from Michigan State University, Lansing.
Sunday night's opening concert featured the House of Hope
choir performing the Vierne Messe solemnelle en ut# mineur
style='font-style:normal'>, op. 16, under the direction of Thomas Lancaster,
choirmaster at the church and Professor of Choral Music at the University of
Minnesota. The organists were Nancy Lancaster, Organist and Coordinator of
Music at House of Hope, playing the 1979 Fisk organ in the back gallery, and
Dee Ann Crossley, Co-director of Music and Organist at Augustana Lutheran
Church in St. Paul, playing the 1878 Merklin organ in the chancel.
Organ recitals were given by Martin Jean and Ben van Oosten.
The first one, follwing the choral concert on Sunday evening, was by the gifted
young American concert organist, Martin Jean, Professor of Organ at the Yale
University School of Music and Institute of Sacred Music. Dr. Jean opened his
program with a moving performance of Franck's Fantaisie en la
style='font-style:normal'>, followed by Triptyque
style='font-style:normal'>, op. 58 by Vierne. The three movements of this work
are "Matins," "Communion," and "Stèle pour un
enfant défunt." (In 1937, Louis Vierne, performing on a recital for
Les Amis de l'Orgue at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris, had just finished
playing this last movement when he died suddenly at the organ console.) Dr.
Jean followed with "Naïades" from Pièces de
Fantaisie, op. 55, no. 4, and then ended
his first half with the Choral Improvisation on "Victimae
paschali" by Tournemire, reconstructed
by Maurice Duruflé. The second half of his program was a superb
performance of Vierne's Symphonie No. 2, op. 20 in its entirety; the five movements are Allegro, Choral,
Scherzo, Cantabile and Final.
The concert Monday evening was devoted to chamber music by
Vierne. Members of the Minnesota Orchestra joined other musicians in a program
of music that is seldom heard, but certainly deserves to be. The concert opened
with a three-movement work from 1910, Sonate pour violoncelle et piano
style='font-style:normal'>, op. 27, performed by Pitnarry Shin, cello, and
Christopher Wallace, piano. This was followed by a work composed in 1927, Les
Angélus, op. 57, whose three
movements (Au Matin, A midi and Au soir) were sung by soprano Cheryl Oie with
organist Jean Galard. Basil Reeve, oboist, then joined pianist Christopher
Wallace in a performance of Deux pièces pour hautbois et piano
style='font-style:normal'>, op. 6, an unpublished work from 1896. The final
work on the program was the Quintette pour piano et cordes
style='font-style:normal'>, op. 42, composed in 1917. This wonderful piece was
performed by pianist Christopher Wallace, violinists Vali Phillips and Sarah
Kwak, violist Kerri Ryan, and cellist Pitnarry Shin.
Tuesday evening's organ recital was played by the brilliant
Dutch concert and recording organist, Ben van Oosten, Professor of Organ at the
Rotterdam Conservatory and organist of the Grote Kerk in The Hague. In addition
to music of Vierne, he played Franck's Prière
style='font-style:normal'>, "Allegro" from Symphonie No. 6
style='font-style:normal'> of Widor, and Élévation
style='font-style:normal'>, op. 2 by Dupré (dedicated to Vierne). His
program opened with Trois Improvisations: Marche épiscopale, Méditation, Cortège, by
Vierne, reconstructed by Duruflé, and closed with an electrifying
performance of Vierne's Symphonie No. 6 en si mineur
style='font-style:normal'>, op. 59.
Master classes were offered on Monday and Tuesday with both
Martin Jean and Ben van Oosten teaching Vierne repertoire on the Fisk and
Merklin organs. Participants were Mari Ampe, "Madrigal" (24
Pièces en style libre); Kenwick
Mervine, "Impromptu" (Pièces de Fantaisie
style='font-style:normal'>); Mary Joy Rieder, "Cloches de Hinckley" (Pièces
de Fantaisie); Curt Sather,
"Romance" and "Final" (Symphonie No. 4
style='font-style:normal'>); Lilly Ardalan, "Choral" (24
Pièces); Kirk Rich,
"Final" (Symphonie No. 1);
Denise Lanning, "Scherzetto" (24 Pièces
style='font-style:normal'>); Frederick Krieger, "Cortège" (24
Pièces); Ralph Johansen,
"Requiem Aeternam" (Pièces de Fantaisie
style='font-style:normal'>); Kevin Gunderson, "Adagio" (Symphonie
No. 3); Roger Ruckert, "Allegro"
(Symphonie No. 3); Timothy
Weisman, "Adagio" (Symphonie No. 3
style='font-style:normal'>); Boyd Herforth, "Romance" (Symphonie
No. 4); and Doug Nelson, "Carillon de
Westminster" (Pièces de Fantaisie
style='font-style:normal'>).
Wednesday morning began with a panel discussion with Martin
Jean, Brigitte de Leersnyder, and Ben van Oosten speaking and fielding
questions. This was followed by a participants' recital. House of Hope church
is fortunate to have four organs, each one a marvelous gem, and this program
used all of them. Performing were Keith Toth and Nancy Lancaster on the 1852
organ attributed to Ducroquet in the church's Assembly Room; Mari Ampe and
Denise Lanning performing on the 2001 Jaeckel organ in the chapel; Lily Ardalan
playing the Merklin organ; and Doug Nelson, Timothy Weisman, Mary Joy Rieder,
Curt Sather, and Kirk Rich playing the Fisk organ.
Every evening, institute participants were treated to
elegant receptions. Sunday we were welcomed to The Commodore, a former
residential hotel and home of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Sinclair Lewis. Monday
night we were invited to The University Club overlooking the downtown skyline
and the Mississippi River Valley, and Tuesday we went to the James J. Hill
House, a 1891 mansion, now museum, that even has an organ built by George
Hutchings in 1891.
The schedule was light enough that one did not feel rushed,
and the size was such that one could easily spend time with friends, yet the
institute was packed with valuable information and wonderful music-making.
Nancy Lancaster is to be congratulated for presenting such an outstanding
institute. James David Christie also deserves credit for his assistance in the
arrangements. And thanks are due to all those from House of Hope who
volunteered their time to serve refreshments at the breaks, two delicious
evening meals in the church's parlor, and were there to help in any way they
were needed during the entire institute.
Photos by Brad Althoff
