Her Other Life

Our own Keithie Knowles keeps a busy performance schedule. A violinist with the Asheville Symphony, Keithie also has other gigs on the side. When she's not with us on Sunday mornings singing in choir or playing violin, very often she is in Bristol, TN living her other life. Here's a link for the Paramount Players a chamber ensemble with whom Keithie plays in her "spare" time. They recently finished a performance weekend, and I thought it was time to give a shout out to one of our own. Keithie has also enjoyed a long relationship with the folks at First PC(USA) in Bristol including musicians Steve and Vickie Fey. Steve recently was selected to be on the hymnal committee of the PC(USA) which will prepare a new songbook for our denomination.







That's Keithie, second from the left.

Music for Sunday October 12

FirstLight music will include these Gathering Song(s): "This is the day," "I will call upon the Lord," and "You are holy (Prince of peace)." We will sing "Amazing love (You are my king)" at the confession, including for the first time the bridge, creatively employed as the introduction to the song. We will once again dance the Peace the the Israeli worship song, "Shalom chaverim."
Mike and Melissa will play Ned Rorem's "Mountain Song" at the offering, and lead "Give Thanks" as our doxology. We will be welcoming Glenn Bannerman as our centennial celebration guest preacher. He has chosen to help us dance to "I danced in the morning" (SIMPLE GIFTS) as our closing song.

Worship at 11 AM will include Hymns: 482, Praise ye the Lord the Almighty (LOBE DEN HERREN); "I danced in the morning" (SIMPLE GIFTS); and "All things bright and beautiful" (ROYAL OAK). We'll sing together our Introit, Garrett's "This is the day"
our response after forgiveness, Hopson's "We are forgiven;" and the popular though anonymous Benediction response, "Rejoice in the Lord always." The Choir anthem will be Phillip Deitterich's "Followers of the lamb." This Shaker hymn has been set by many, but I think Deitterich's really captures the exuberance of the original.

O brothers ain’t you happy…
O sisters ain’t you happy…
Sing on, dance on, followers of Emmanuel…
I mean to be obedient…
I’m glad I am a Christian…

We will enjoy the violin playing of our own Keithie Knowles this week at the prelude and offertory: Prelude: Albert Becker, Adagio, Opus 20; Offertory: Charles Callahan, Valediction; Postlude: Joel Martinson, Miriam’s dance. That last organ piece is a toe twister in 10/8, 4/4, 5/4 and probably a couple of meters I have repressed at the moment! It's a raucous interpretation of what the dance might have been like after our ancestors crossed the Red Sea.

Hymnal Committee Personnel

Persons selected for the committee to create a new hymnal for the PC(USA) have been announced (September 15). Among the names are Mary Louise Bringle, on the faculty at Brevard College and Steve Fey on the staff at PFC Bristol, TN. Mel Bringle is professor of religion at Brevard, and a prolific writer of hymn texts. She presented at Montreat W&M Conferences in 2008. Steve and his wife Vicki have been fixtures at the Montreat conferences for years. Our own Keithie Knowles has worked with them extensively.

If anyone can point me toward the news release online, I'd be happy to link to it here.

In the comments, Bob references this article from the Presbyterian News Service. It's good, but doesn't have the bios of the committee members that the PPC release has. But FWIW you can take a look at it.

Looking for some mentors

I had a first rehearsal with youth bell ringers and youth choir singers yesterday evening. It was very exciting: There were 8 ringers for bells. Double what we had last year. Problem is the new four are totally new to ringing. We had 9 singers for youth choir. Lots of enthusiasm, but, especially among the boys, not a whole lot of confidence.

Thus began a note to our adult musicians this morning. I continued with this:

I would like your help in identifying some mentors to help me with these groups. Bell ringers for the youth bells (1 person, no more than 2) and singers for youth choir (one male; one female). These persons need to be pretty solid in their own abilities and be able to guide and lead new talent. A big part of the job is yucking it up with the kids and being pals with them while also modeling good rehearsal behavior.

In bells it will be a matter of helping mark up music and tap out beats and correct technique; maybe some subbing when someone is away. In singing it will be a matter of learning notes quickly and leading the section(s) vocally. Especially in choir the mentor needs to be comfortable with and facile at contemporary music as well as traditional church anthem fare.

These are the future church musicians, so mentoring them at this stage is vital. As director I can do quite a bit, but nothing compares with having a sympathetic partner in music-making right beside the young singer or ringer.

Please help me think who might be interested and qualified and willing to help out in this way. Notice I am not explicitly asking any of you to take this on. You can volunteer yourself, but be mindful of your own prior commitments.

We'll talk about it in rehearsal. Thanks very much!

One of the most important parts of my music career was playing in brass ensemble as a teenager at my church. The other players were adult men. Most were a whole lot better than I, but everyone of them wanted the best for me as a musician and as a young Christian. I still reflect on that experience from time to time. It motivates considerably my collaborative methodology of church music practice. I'll keep you posted on what shakes loose.

A French organ history primer

My recent performance of the Final-Marche from Leon Boellmann’s Second Suite for organ generated considerable interest in Boellmann and French organ music of the mid-nineteenth century in general. Herewith is a bit more information compiled from various sources (with healthy dose from Wikipedia). I can’t claim to be any sort of authority on any of this material and heartily encourage anyone who wants more detail to investigate more in-depth presentations of the material that are abundant.

The dramatis personae for this article:

Cesar Franck (December 10, 1822- November 8, 1890)

Charles Marie Widor (February 21, 1844- March 12, 1937)

Eugène Gigout (March 23, 1844 – December 9, 1925)

Leon Boellmann (September 9, 1862 – October 11, 1897)

Louis Victor Jules Vierne (October 8, 1870-June 2, 1937)

The grand-pere of French Romantic organists and organ music is Cesar Franck (1822-1890). He was of Belgian and German origin, though he ultimately made his home in Paris. In 1858, he became organist at the newly-consecrated Saint Clotilde Basilica, where he remained until his death. Here he began to attract attention for his skill as an improviser. (The art of improvisation amongst French organists cannot be overstated; it was and is expected that an organist of any stature be able to improvise on any theme with great skill and artistry.) His first set of organ compositions, however, was not published until 1868, when he was 46 years old, although it contains one of his finest organ pieces, the Grande Pièce Symphonique. From 1872 to his death he was professor of organ at the Paris Conservatory. (The history of the Paris Conservatory is a rich and vibrant tale in and of itself, with considerable drama between the various departments at key points in French music history.) His pupils included Vincent d’Indy, Ernest Chausson, Louis Vierne and Henri Duparc. (It is through Vierne that we can make the jump to Notre Dame and its rich musical history.) As an organist he was particularly noted for his skill in improvisation, and on the basis of merely twelve major organ works, Franck is considered by many the greatest composer of organ music after J.S. Bach. His works were some of the finest organ pieces to come from France in over a century, and laid the groundwork for the French symphonic organ style. In particular, his Grande Pièce Symphonique, a work of 25 minutes' duration, paved the way for the organ symphonies of Charles-Marie Widor, Louis Vierne and Marcel Dupre. Other of his compositions are found in the collection, L’Organiste, which pieces can be performed on organ or harmonium; these do not have an independent pedal part notated (due to being written in part for the harmonium) which is why they are not counted among the organ works proper. Notice that Franck was never at Notre Dame nor Saint-Sulpice himself, but at the relatively obscure (only to non-organists) Saint-Clotilde. In 1890, Franck was involved in a serious traffic accident. It was after this accident that he wrote his Trois chorals for organ. Franck died as a result of complications from the accident very shortly after finishing the chorales.

Ste. Clotilde is known for its Aristide Cavaille-Coll organ (although it is no longer in original condition) and the succession of famous composers who have been Organiste Titulaire:

Cesar Franck 1859-1890

Gabriel Pierne 1890-1898

Charles Tournemire1898-1939

Jean Langlais 1945-1987 (went blind at the age of 2; see discussion of Vierne below)

Jacques Taddei 1987-

Here is a beginners’ guide to understanding musical life in large French churches and cathedrals. The organist titulaire had responsibility over all the cathedral organs and recitals while being able to devote more time to teaching, recording, writing and lecturing. The choir organist was a slight step downward in the hierarchy. This person had responsibility for accompanying the choirs and playing congregational song.

Somewhat contemporary to Franck, but truly a generation apart was Widor. Charles Marie Widor was born in Lyon, France to a family of organ builders, and initially studied music there with his father, who was an organist himself. The French organ builder Aristide Cavaille-Coll, reviver of the art of organ building, was a friend of the Widor family: he arranged for the talented young organist to study in Brussels, with Jacques-Nicolas Lemmens for organ technique and with Francois-Joseph Fetis, director of the Brussels Conservatory for composition. In 1870, with the combined lobbying of Cavaillé-Coll, Charles Gounod and Camille Saint-Saens the 26-year-old Widor was appointed as organist of Saint-Sulpice in Paris, the most prominent position for a French organist. The organ at St-Sulpice was Cavaillé-Coll's masterwork; the instrument's spectacular capabilities proved an inspiration to Widor. Widor remained as organist at St-Sulpice for 64 years until the end of 1933. He was succeeded in 1934 by his former student Marcel Dupre. Meanwhile, in 1890 he succeeded Cesar Franck as organ professor at the Paris Conservatory; he later gave up his post in organ to become composition professor in 1896. Coming later than Franck, Widor was part of a next generation in organ composition, and in the area of organ-building. His later works reflect this development in musical language. Where Franck was a true Romantic, in the seeming austerity of his organ works (compared to music of the Baroque era), Widor was a prime mover in the era of the symphonic organ music school.

Eugène Gigout was a French organist and a composer of European late-romantic music for organ. Gigout was born in Nancy, and died in Paris. A pupil of Camille Saint-Saëns, he served as the organist of Saint-Augustin Church in Paris for 62 years. He became widely known as a teacher and his output as a composer was considerable. Renowned as an expert improviser, he also founded his own music school. (His nephew-by-marriage, Leon Boellmann, was also a fine organist and composer for the organ, though he died very young at age 35.)

Leon Boellmann was an early musical talent and was accepted in 1871—9 years old—at the Ecole Niedermeyer in Paris. His teachers included Eugene Gigout and Gustave Lefevre. After his graduation as organist and cantor, he was employed as organist of the choir organ in the St Vincent de Paul church in Paris in 1881. Six years later he became cantor and "organiste titulaire" of the main organ in the same church. He would work at the church until his untimely death, probably from tuberculosis.

The name Saint-Sulpice is to organists a sacred name with tremendous import and a rich history. The church contains one of the finest pipe organs in the world, constructed by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll in 1862, using many materials from the church's earlier French Classical organ built by Clicquot in 1781. The Grand-Orgue of Saint-Sulpice was at the time of its building one of only three "100 stop" organs in all of Europe. Its organists have also been renowned, starting with Nicolas Séjan in the 18th century, and continuing with Charles-Marie Widor (organist 1870-1933) and Marcel Dupré (organist 1934-1971), both great organists and composers of organ music. Thus for over a century (1870-1971), Saint-Sulpice employed only two organists, and much credit is due to these two individuals for preserving the instrument and protecting it from the ravages of changes in taste and fashion which resulted in the destruction of many of Cavaillé-Coll's other masterpieces. The current organists are titulaire Daniel Roth (since 1985) and Sophie-Véronique Cauchefer-Choplin. This impressive instrument is perhaps the summit of Cavaillé-Coll's craftmanship and genius. The sound and musical effects achieved in this instrument are almost unparalleled. Widor's compositional efforts for the organ were intended to produce orchestral and symphonic timbres, reaching the limits of the instrument's range. With five manuals— keyboards— and boasting two 32-foot stops, organists at St. Sulpice have an incredibly rich palette of sounds at their disposal.

Aside from a re-arrangement of the manual keyboards c. 1900, the installation of an electric blower and the addition of two Pedal stops upon Widor's retirement in 1934, the organ is maintained today almost exactly as Cavaillé-Coll left it.

Louis Vierne was born nearly blind due to congenital cataracts but at an early age was discovered to have an unusual gift for music. (At age 2 he heard a piano for the first time. The pianist played him a Schubert lullaby and he promptly began to pick out the notes of the lullaby on the piano.) This fact is part of what would ultimately become a very dramatic and moving life story.

After completing school in the provinces, Louis Vierne entered the Paris Conservatory. From 1892, Vierne served as an assistant to the organist Charles-Marie Widor at the church of Saint-Sulpice in Paris. Vierne subsequently became principal organist at the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris, a post he held from 1900 until his death in 1937.

Vierne had a life that was physically and emotionally very difficult, with severe spiritual trials that are occasionally reflected in his music. His congenital cataracts did not make him completely blind, but he was what would be called today "legally blind." Early in his career, he composed on outsized manuscript paper, using "a large pencil" as his friend Marcel Dupré described. Later in life, as his limited sight continued to diminish, he resorted to Braille to do most of his work.

Vierne was deeply affected by a separation and subsequent divorce from his wife, and he lost his younger brother René, as well as his son Jacques, whom he adored, to the battlefields of World War I. Though he held one of the most prestigious organ posts in France, the Notre-Dame organ was in a state of disrepair throughout much of his tenure at the instrument. He eventually undertook a concert tour of North America to raise money for its restoration. The tour, which included major recitals on the famous Wanamaker organs in New York and Philadelphia, was very successful, although it physically drained him.

A street accident in Paris caused him to badly fracture his leg, and it was briefly thought his leg would need to be amputated. The leg was saved, but his recovery, and the task of completely re-learning his pedal technique, took a full year during one of the busiest times of his life. Despite his difficulties, however, his students uniformly described him as a kind, patient and encouraging teacher.

Vierne suffered either a stroke or a heart attack (eyewitness reports differ) while giving his 1750th organ recital at Notre-Dame de Paris on the evening of June 2, 1937. He had completed the main concert, which members of the audience said showed him at his full powers - "as well as he has ever played." After the main concert, the closing section was to be two improvisations on submitted themes. He read the first theme in Braille, then selected the stops he would use for the improvisation. He suddenly pitched forward, and fell off the bench as his foot hit the low "E" pedal of the organ. He lost consciousness as the single note echoed throughout the church. He had thus fulfilled his oft-stated lifelong dream - to die at the console of the great organ of Notre-Dame.

That in a very concise nutshell is some history of French organ music and personalities in its development. The people involved all had “big” personalities and had profound influence on the development of organ music and performance in the last part of the 19^th and early 20^th centuries.

I heard Daniel Roth perform in concert in the 1980’s in Bethesda, MD. His closing work was an improvisation (very common practice among French concert organists). I was so struck by the musicianship, the musicality and the drama and flair of the improvisation that I then and there devoted myself to learning more about the art and skill involved in improvisation.

Music for Worship 9/21

FirstLight worship will begin with a trio of songs in three: "Jesus, name above all names;" "He is exalted" and "Great is the Lord." We also use the Celtic Alleluia at the confession (in three) and close worship with "Go forth in his name" by Graham Kendrick, again in three. Donna Marie Todd will sing an arrangement of "Wayfaring Stranger" with Andy and Perrin accompanying for the offering.

"Veddy, veddy worship" will be the musical flavor at 11AM. Eric Thiman's "I was glad" will be the introit; we'll use Henry Purcell's tune WESTMINSTER ABBEY at the confession and John Stainer's "Seven-Fold Amen" at the end of worship. The choir will sing Henry Coleman's setting of the Wesley text "Ye servants of God" for the anthem. George Thalben-Ball's "Elegy" at the prelude will round out the British influence in the music. The organ offertory (the Intermezzo from Rheinberger's third organ symphony and the Final-Marche from Boellemann's "Second Suite") will maintain the formal feel to music with Austrian and Flemish accents. The hymns will break the pattern somewhat: "Praise my soul the God of heaven" (LAUDA ANIMA); "I'm gonna live so God can use me" (I'M GONNA LIVE); and "Song of hope" (ARGENTINA). See you at church!

Humor Alert

One way to deal with the issue...