The sixth French Organ Music Seminar took place in Paris
with 37 organists participating. During the course of the seminar we heard and
played 17 organs dating from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries.
The first afternoon was spent in private lessons at the home
of Daniel Roth. At 5 pm Bernadette Duforcet played and demonstrated the
Cavaillé-Coll organ at Notre Dame des Champs. Later at La
Trinité, Naji Hakim presented his improvisations and compositions in the
style of Messiaen, as well as stories about Trinité and Messiaen.
The next morning included Sunday Mass at Sacré Coeur
with its newly appointed young organist Philippe Brandeis. Some ventured to the
outskirts of Paris to St. Denis to hear an 11:30 recital played by seminar
member Bryan Kirk. Others went to St. Sulpice to hear the 11:30 recital given
by Daniel Roth. After lunch with Daniel Roth we went to St. Roch for an organ
recital on three organs given by François Levenchin, organist at St.
Roch, Sylvie Mallet, and Marie-Louise Langlais. The evening featured the
brilliant Russian organist, Yanka Hekimova, at St. Eustache. She used some very
interesting and shocking registrations. Like Guillou, she is a virtuoso, having
transcribed and recorded Mozart's Jupiter Symphony
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On Monday morning the group journeyed to the home of Marcel
Dupré in Meudon and heard a recital by a pupil of Marie-Louise Langlais,
Pascal Melis. Seminar members then played this organ, preserved exactly as
Dupré knew it. The afternoon and evening were spent with Daniel Roth at
St. Sulpice, where he lectured on the organ and the organists of St Sulpice and
improvised. Everyone had a chance to play.
Tuesday, July 11, began at the Kern organ at St. Severin
with the titulaire François Espinasse. Built in 1963, this organ was
based on the principles of the French Classical organ. At the same time Ste.
Clotilde was made available for lessons by Marie-Louise Langlais and for
playing. During the afternoon we went to La Madeleine and were treated to an
improvisation by François Houbard.
Wednesday morning and afternoon were spent at the Schola
Cantorum and at Ste. Clotilde hearing lectures and organ demonstrations by
Marie-Louise Langlais on Franck and the French School. To conclude the
afternoon Mme. Langlais had arranged an oboe and organ concert in the Ste.
Clotilde chapel. That night featured the first of three sessions with the
organist of Notre Dame, Philippe Lefebvre, who entertained us with stories of Notre Dame and outstanding improvisations. He graciously allowed seminar members time for playing the Notre Dame organ.
Thursday the lectures by Mme. Langlais continued at Ste.
Clotilde and there were more opportunities for playing and taking private
lessons at Ste. Clotilde and at St. Severin. In addition, Jacques Taddei
presented performance and improvisation at Ste. Clotilde. The night was spent
at Notre Dame with M. Lefebvre.
Friday included a trip to Chartres and a short tour of the
Cathedral by Malcolm Miller. We saw and heard the organ of Eglise St. Pierre as
well as the cathedral organ, arranged by Lynne Davis, who presented a recital
on the Chartres organ. We continued on to Dreux and played the organ there,
ending the afternoon with a wonderful buffet arranged by Ms. Davis. That night
we travelled back to Notre Dame for the final session with Philippe Lefebvre.
Saturday morning took place at St. Augustin featuring the
1899 mechanical action Cavaillé-Coll rebuild of an earlier Barker
instrument. Michelle Pinte, choir organist, was our gracious host. The rest of
the day was spent with Pierre Pincemaille at St. Denis. The 1841
Cavaillé-Coll is one of the earliest and has 69 stops of which 21 are
reeds. This is one of the oldest Gothic cathedrals and the burial place of the
kings of France.
Sunday morning seminar members went to various
churches--most were at the organ loft at Notre Dame with Olivier Latry.
During the afternoon we heard Susan Landale lecture on Messiaen. The evening
took place at Notre Dame once more, this time with Olivier Latry, co-titulaire
with Lefebvre of Notre Dame, who offered invaluable tips on improvising.
Monday morning another seminar concluded, with all of us
going our different directions. We are planning another seminar for the first
part of July, 1997 and will have a brochure available in August of 1996. Please
write for details.
--Christina Harmon
4330 Shirley
Dallas, TX 7522
