Symphonie VI: "Cantabile" - Charles-Marie Widor
Cantique de Jean Racine - Gabriel Faure
Ubi Caritas - Maurice Durufle
Hymns: #536 TORAH SONG, #339 SCHMUCKE DICH, #538 LUCINA LAUDONIAE
The music for Sunday comes to us from the rich French Romantic tradition of the late 19th century. Charles-Marie Widor was born in Lyons to a family of organ builders. He began his career as an organist at age 11 and soon sparked the interest of Cavaillé-Coll, the famous organ builder. Cavaillé-Coll made arrangements for Widor to study at the Brussels Conservatory with the renowned organist Nicolas-Jacques Lemmens. Upon completion of his studies he moved to Paris where he was appointed organist of the five manual, 100 stop organ at St. Sulpice in 1870 where he remained for 64 years. Influenced by the organs of Cavaillé-Coll, Widor created a new medium that he called the “organ symphony,” a multi-movement work for organ that borrows its forms from the traditional orchestral symphony which allowed Widor to explore the orchestral capabilities of the Caviellé-Coll organs. Symphonie VI in g minor was composed in 1878 for the inauguration of the organ at the Trocadéro and was premiered there on August 24 by the composer. The overall structure of the symphony alternates slow and fast movements as well as alternating tonal centers. The first and third movements are in g minor while the fifth is in G major. The Cantabile is the most melodically driven of the five movements. It has been suggested that this movement is a “tip of the hat” to Franck whose Trois Pièces were premiered at the same concert series. This movement varies the melody and accompaniment in such a way that what starts as an accompaniment becomes more of a countermelody than an accompanimental figure. This piece is more evocative of orchestral writing than organ writing lending credibility to Widor’s idea of the “organ symphony.”
The gradual anthem is by Gabriel Faure who, for a breif time (1871-1874), served as the choirmaster under Widor at St. Sulpice. There are stories of the two trading improvisations during the service each trying to outdo the other. The Cantique de Jean Racine Op. 11 garnered Faure the first prize for composition in 1865. Faure continued in church positions and in 1874 was appointed the organist at the Madeleineas choirmaster to Theodore Dubois and in 1896 become titular organist. In 1896 he also was appointed as a professor of composition at the Paris Conservatoire and in 1905 became the director of the Paris Conservatoire. Faure was well loved by his students and colleagues and greatly appreciated for his forward thinking approach to composition. The Cantique is one of Faure's earliest compositions.
The music for Sunday comes to us from the rich French Romantic tradition of the late 19th century. Charles-Marie Widor was born in Lyons to a family of organ builders. He began his career as an organist at age 11 and soon sparked the interest of Cavaillé-Coll, the famous organ builder. Cavaillé-Coll made arrangements for Widor to study at the Brussels Conservatory with the renowned organist Nicolas-Jacques Lemmens. Upon completion of his studies he moved to Paris where he was appointed organist of the five manual, 100 stop organ at St. Sulpice in 1870 where he remained for 64 years. Influenced by the organs of Cavaillé-Coll, Widor created a new medium that he called the “organ symphony,” a multi-movement work for organ that borrows its forms from the traditional orchestral symphony which allowed Widor to explore the orchestral capabilities of the Caviellé-Coll organs. Symphonie VI in g minor was composed in 1878 for the inauguration of the organ at the Trocadéro and was premiered there on August 24 by the composer. The overall structure of the symphony alternates slow and fast movements as well as alternating tonal centers. The first and third movements are in g minor while the fifth is in G major. The Cantabile is the most melodically driven of the five movements. It has been suggested that this movement is a “tip of the hat” to Franck whose Trois Pièces were premiered at the same concert series. This movement varies the melody and accompaniment in such a way that what starts as an accompaniment becomes more of a countermelody than an accompanimental figure. This piece is more evocative of orchestral writing than organ writing lending credibility to Widor’s idea of the “organ symphony.”
The gradual anthem is by Gabriel Faure who, for a breif time (1871-1874), served as the choirmaster under Widor at St. Sulpice. There are stories of the two trading improvisations during the service each trying to outdo the other. The Cantique de Jean Racine Op. 11 garnered Faure the first prize for composition in 1865. Faure continued in church positions and in 1874 was appointed the organist at the Madeleineas choirmaster to Theodore Dubois and in 1896 become titular organist. In 1896 he also was appointed as a professor of composition at the Paris Conservatoire and in 1905 became the director of the Paris Conservatoire. Faure was well loved by his students and colleagues and greatly appreciated for his forward thinking approach to composition. The Cantique is one of Faure's earliest compositions.
The voices sing the hymn accompanied by flowing triplets in the organ interspersed with a interludes which feature a solo flute.
The text is by the French dramatist Jean Racine (1639-1699). Racine has been heralded as one of the most important literary figures in Western history despite the fact that his works are largely untranslatable. The text of the hymn is:Word of God the most high, our sole hope, Eternal day of the earth and heavens
As we break the silence of the peaceful night Divine saviour, look down upon us.
Imbue us with the fire of thy great mercy so that hell itself will flee at the sound of your voice
Disperse the sleep which leads our languishing souls to stray from the path of righteousness.
O Christ show your favour to your faithful people who have come together to worship you
Receive the praises that they offer up to your immortal glory
And may they come back laden with the gift of your grace.
The voices sing the hymn accompanied by flowing triplets in the organ interspersed with a interludes which feature a solo flute.
The communion anthem is by Maurice Durufle. It is his setting of one of teh antiphons for footwashing for Holy Thursday. The melody was composed sometime between the 4th and 10th centuries or even before and is ususally sung at the Eucharistic Adoration. Durufle maintains the flow of the plainchant by allowing the meter to change constantly. The piece feels like a plainchant that has been harmonized because that is essentially what it is. It also gives the lower voices a chance to shine. The text is:
Where charity and love are, God is there.
Christ's love has gathered us into one.
Let us rejoice and be pleased in Him.
Let us fear, and let us love the living God.
And may we love each other with a sincere heart
Christ's love has gathered us into one.
Let us rejoice and be pleased in Him.
Let us fear, and let us love the living God.
And may we love each other with a sincere heart
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