ORGAN CONCERT
Joan Martin
Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church
November 7, 2010 4:00 P.M.
"Around the Church Year"
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The hymns are all contained in The Presbyterian Hymnal, with the exception
of the final "Alleluia," which is found in Lift Up Your Hearts.
History of the Clarisse A. Reid Memorial Organ
Our Organ was designed by Professor W. H. Donley, of Indianapolis, Indiana,
built by Hook, Hastings & Company of Boston, MA. The Organ case was
designed by Badgkey & Nicklas, Cleveland, OH., and built by A.H. Andrews
Company of Chicago. IL.
This beautiful Organ is in reality, FIVE ORGANS IN ONE: Great, Swell, Choir,
Echo and Pedal.
Speaking Stops 41
Cathedral Chimes 1
Couplers, etc. 22
Accessories 9
Combinations (Pistons) 20
Pedal Combinations, etc. 9
And Crescendo 1
The Main Organ is behind the pulpit, divided with space in the center for the choir,
detached console, etc., and comprised four beautiful facades of Gothic tracery and
groups of large speaker pipes all finished in gold and mahogany.
The unique Cathedral Chimes are enclosed in a swell box and are operated by a
special electro-pneumatic devise of the builders.
The Echo Organ is placed high in a tower in the opposite end of the church, and
from the character of its stops, their artistic treatment, and its peculiar location,
this unusual feature is very beautiful and useful.
Prologue
1. *"The Star Spangled Banner" -- Dudley Buck (1839-1909)
Theme, Variations I-V
* If you wish, you may sing the first verse while standing for the music.
2. "In Mystery and Wonder" -- Dan Locklair (1947- )
3. "O Sing to the Lord" -- Arr. Jeffrey Blersch ( - )
(Hymn #472)
~ Dancers -- N. Ruth Brown & Chuck Gilbert
The Liturgical Year
1. Advent: "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" (Hymn #9)
-- Arr. Flor Peeters (1903-1986)
2. Christmas: "Tomorrow Will Be My Dancing Day"
-- Arr. Douglas E. Wagner (1952- )
3. Epiphany: "We Three Kings" (Hymn #66)
-- Arr. Paul Manz (1919-2009)
4. Transfiguration: "O Wondrous Sight, O Vision Fair" (Hymn #75)
-- John Dunstable (c. 1370-1453)
5. Lent: "O Man, Bewail Thy Grievous Fall"
-- J. S. Bach (1685-1750)
6. Easter: "O Sons and Daughters, Let Us Sing" (Hymn #116)
-- Jean Ferancois Dandrieu (1682-1738)
7. Ascension: "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name!" (Hymn #142)
-- Arr. Janet Linker (1938- )
8. Pentecost: "Come, God Creator, Holy Ghost!" (Hymn #125)
-- J. S. Bach (1685-1750)
9. Trinity: "Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty!" (Hymn #138)
-- Arr. Jeffrey Blersch ( - )
Followed by Audience singing Hymn #138
"Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty!"
Vs. 1 --- All in harmony
Vs. 2 --- Women
Vs. 3 --- Men
Vs. 4 --- All in unison (no descant)
Epilogue
1. Westminster Chimes Reid Church Tower Bells
2. "Carillon De Westminster" -- Louis Vierne (1870-1937)
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Special Thanks To:
Jerry Redmyer -- Videographer
Linda Morris -- PowerPoint and Program Preparation
Lois McMahan -- Page Turner
The Rev. Joseph T. Fields, Jr., M. Div. -- Pastor
Debbie Hunt -- Nursery
Connie Wood, Teresa Wright, & Anne Johnston -- Greeters
Lyn Patton -- Tower Bells
Soli Deo Gloria
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Joan Martin -- Joan has been organist at Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church since 1971. She graduated from Indiana University (Bloomington) School of Education and taught 2nd/3rd grades and choir at Vaile Elementary School in Richmond. Church music study was at the University of Colorado and various workshops sponsored by the Association of Disciples Musicians. At Reid Church and First Christian Church she has been involved in many areas of church music-- children and adult choirs, handbell choirs, organ/piano accompanying, and liturgical dance.
N. Ruth Brown -- By day a mild- mannered first-grade teacher at Seton Elementary School, in the evenings Ruth can be found singing with various local choruses, dancing here and there, "playing" various roles at Richmond Civic Theatre, such as director, actor, and board member. She has choreographed, sung, and danced for the Whitewater Opera Company and for many shows at RCT. Ruth is delighted to give a musical "not" to her Scottish ancestors as she joins in today's celebration.
Chuck Gilbert -- Chuck teaches second-grade at Seton Elementary School. Outside of school Chuck likes to garden and contradance. Also, he performs at Richmond Civic theatre. His latest roles were as William Ford in "Oh! Henry!" and "The Tin Lizzie" and Zach in "A Chorus Line."
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Program Notes
Included in the variations of "The Star Spangled Banner" by
the 19th century American composer, Dudley Buck, are a pedal
solo, a minor key, and a fughetta. Buck played a major role in
the development of organ and choral music in the United States
of America as he struck a successful balance between popular
taste and his own high musical ideals.
The Casavant Diptych, "In Mystery and Wonder," was
composed in 2003 in honor of Casavant Freres, a Canadian pipe
organ builder. Symbolism is shown with the use of the C and F
notes for Casavant Freres. In "Aria" the opening melodic line,
build on C and F chords, is repetitive and climaxes on full organ
with this melodic line in the pedal. The conclusion features the
same mysterious spirit of the opening, but the melodic line is
heard in canon with itself. Dan Locklair is Composer-in-
Residence and Professor of Music at Wake Forest University in
Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
"O Sing to the Lord" ("Cantad al Senor") is a Brazilian folk
melody set for organ by Jeffrey Blersch. This American
composer/recitalist also serves as organist/choir director at Our
Redeemer Lutheran Church in Staplehurst, Nebraska. The hymn
text in The Presbyterian Hymnal (TPH) #472 is based on Psalm 150.
Advent: Flor Peeters, Belgian composer/organist, set the hymn
tune, "Veni Emmanuel," to a 12th century Latin text. The melody,
found in a French Missal, dates back to at least the 15th century
and was used originally as the tune for the funeral responsory,
"Libera Me." This afternoon the organ piece is played alternatively
between the front and the rear organs. Translations of the test
are found in TPH #9.
Christmas: "Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day" is a
traditional English carol which had its first written appearance in
William B. Sandys' Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern of
1833. The text was probably based on a secular song dated
before the 17th century. The 11 verses in Sandys' collection
include 3 parts -- General/Christmas, Lent/Passiontide, and
Passiontide/Easter/Ascension. The progression of the verses
tell the story of Jesus in His own voice. The technique of
repeatedly characterizing Jesus' life as a dance is also used in
the modern hymn, "Lord of the Dance." Douglas E. Wagner,
arranger of the organ piece, has degrees in music from Butler
University, taught music many years at North Central High
School in Indianapolis, Indiana, and now devotes much of his
time to composition.
Epiphany: The Paul Manz arrangement of "We three Kings"
gives a distinct feeling of the trip from the Orient to Bethlehem.
Follow the words of #66 in TPH. Paul Manz, church musician for
many years at Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Minneapolis,
Minnesota, was well known for his hymn festivals and
organ/choir compositions.
Transfiguration: Hymn #75 of TPH is a 15th century hymn
written for the Feast of Transfiguration. The music by
Englishman John Dunstable, a contemporary of Chaucer is
"Agincourt Hymn." When the tune was used as a hymn setting,
it was renamed "Deo Gracias."
Lent: #24 of the 45 organ chorals in The Liturgical Year by
Johann Sebastian Bach is "O Man, Bewail Thy Grievous Fall."
The music expertly and deeply expresses the grief of the Lenten
season.
Easter: The 15th century French melody, "O Filii et Filiae" was
probably composed for the Easter text written by Jean Tisserand,
a 15th century Franciscan monk. It seems appropriate to use an
organ arrangement of "O Sons and Daughters, Let Us Sing!"
(TPH #116) by Jean-Francois Dandrieu, a French Baroque
composer, harpsichordist, and organist.
Ascension: Oliver Holden wrote the tune "Coronation" for the
text of the Ascension hymn (TPH #142) in 1793. Janet Linker,
organist/composer from Columbus, Ohio, incorporated phrases
of "Arioso" by J. S. Bach in this variation of "All Hail the Power."
Pentecost: "Come, God Creator, Holy Ghost" ("Komm, Gott
Schopfer, Heiliger Geist"), from Bach's "Eighteen Chorals," is
based on the 12th century plainsong "Veni Creator Spiritus" (TPH
#125). The Orgelbuchlein version appears as the opening 8
measures and symbolizes the Spirit of God over the waters at
the beginning of the Creation. The second section was added
later and symbolizes the Holy Ghost appearing in the wind and
fire.
Trinity: The tune "Nicaea" was written by the Englishman, John
Dykes, for the text of TPH #138. It was named "Nicaea"
because the text expressed the doctrine of the Trinity as found in
the Nicene Creed. The Jeffrey Blersch organ arrangement is
Part 1 of "Triptych on 'Holy, Holy, Holy' ( ... our song shall rise to
Thee.'")
"Carillon de Westminster" by the French organist/composer,
Louis Vierne, is a fantasia on the Westminster chimes that have
been played from the Clock Tower, Place of Westminster, since
1858. The same 4 notes are played in various patterns every 15
minutes. Vierne altered the melody in the second quarter in this
organ composition. Lyn Patton will play the original Westminster
Quarters on the Reid tower bells prior to the organ piece.
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