Imagine that you only knew the string quartets of Beethoven and then discovered his Fifth Symphony. Or maybe you were already familiar with the organ music of J.S. Bach and came upon the Brandenburg Concertos. Imagine the elation! Some rather fine composers are still waiting to break out from the confines of their few well-known works. Our “19th Century French Rapture” program presents an opportunity to uncover another dimension of some really great, already recognized composers. Like Bach, they were masters of the organ. Also like Bach, they offer other great listening opportunities.
It is unfortunate that these wonderful composers are not better known for their wealth and variety of compositions. They have been pigeon-holed to our detriment. Both of our French composers wrote substantially in other genres including chamber music. The Piano Quintets each has contributed to our coming program (works for piano and string quartet) are exhilarating and passionate works full of the kind or color, virtuosity, and intensity for which their organ works are known.
For 63 years, Charles-Marie Widor was organist at Saint-Sulpice in Paris, perhaps the premiere church organ position in France. He was succeeded by Marcel Dupre, and between the two of them, they held that position for 101 years (1870-1971). Widor was appointed “Provisional Organist” at Saint-Sulpice with the high recommendations of Camille Saint-Saëns and Charles Gounod. When Widor retired at the age of 89 after 64 years on the job, he was still “Provisional Organist.” Apparently, he never got around to asking, or was offered, the full-time position. Obviously, it didn’t matter.
Vierne was Widor’s best student. After serving as Widor’s assistant at Saint-Sulpice, Vierne won the main organ position at Notre Dame de Paris in 1900 and served there until his death in 1937. During that time, he performed – along with his regular church services – 1,750 organ recitals. In 1906, he was badly injured in a street accident and almost lost one leg. The leg was saved, but he had to completely relearn his pedal technique, which took him nearly a year of difficult work. In 1914, Vierne signed papers at the beginning of World War I allowing his underaged son to join the French Army. In 1917, this son committed suicide at the front. Vierne’s grief was compounded by the fact that he had allowed his son to go into the army early. His Piano Quintet on this program is a commemoration of his son, which works through the stages of grief but ends somewhat optimistically and triumphantly. Vierne was born with congenital cataracts and was nearly blind. He used large sized music print and his formidable memory. On June 2, 1937, he played his 1,750th recital at Saint-Sulpice. At the conclusion of the performance, he keeled over and fell from the organ bench leaving his foot on the low E pedal. The booming bass note rang out across the vast expanse of the cathedral for some time. Vierne died still performing.
These composers are household names in certain quarters – but only in certain quarters. If you are an organist, or a fan of organ music, you will immediately recognize the names Widor and Vierne. These are both giants in the field of organ music, both because they were spectacular virtuosos on their instruments in Paris, but also because of what they contributed to the organ repertoire. If you have ever stepped into a church at Easter, you have to know Widor’s Toccata from his Fifth Organ Symphony. It is one of the most explosively virtuosic movements ever written for the organ. It literally shouts “Hallelujah” at the end of the Easter service.
Jeannie Yu will be back – fresh from her radiant triumph in Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto – to wield her extraordinary technique and sublime musicianship in these equally challenging works. And David Perry, after a few breaths of fresh air, will return with his colleagues to offer sumptuous and brilliant string playing.
Buying tickets now saves the disappointment some experienced at our recent sold-out performances. Please call 920-854-7088 or visit www.midsumersmusic.com for tickets or further information for our “19th Century French Rapture” program, August 23–26, and additional concerts leading up to our Labor Day Gala. We also have a boat cruise for our 88 Key Society members coming up on August 28th. If you are not a member and would like to come with us on the Island Clipper for a great evening of fun, food, and friendship, now is a good time to become a member. Just call 920-854-7088, or visit our website. We look forward to seeing you at the concerts and aboard ship soon. Ahoy!
19th Century French Rapture
Quintet in C Minor, Op. 42 Louis Vierne
Quintet No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 7 Charles-Marie Widor
August 23, 7:00 pm: Hope United Church of Christ, Sturgeon Bay
August 24, 7:00 pm: Donald & Carol Kress Pavilion, Egg Harbor
August 25, 7:00 pm: Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Ephraim
August 26, 7:00 pm: St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Sister Bay
Musically yours,
Jim Berkenstock