"The Little Church Around the Corner"
One East 29th Street, New York
MUSIC NOTES:
Transfiguration Sunday - February 10, 2002
The music of Maurice Duruflé (1902-1986), while unmistakably modern in its tonal resources, continues some long-established traditions of the French school of organ composition. With only 14 pieces published, Duruflé could hardly be called prolific, yet each of these is crafted with the utmost care and artistry. Themes derived from Gregorian chant permeate this music, placing Duruflé firmly within the continuum of French organ composers that begins in the early 17th century. The Prelude on the Name Alain continues another custom among French composers, that of commemorating an esteemed colleague or teacher through a composition. Such pieces were often called a tombeau, of which there are exquisite examples in the harpsichord repertoire. The piece is written in memory of the composer Jehan Alain (brother of the famous organist Marie-Claire Alain), who was killed during World War II. The piece is built up from thematic material derived by converting the letters A-L-A-I-N into musical notation.
Marcel Dupré (1886-1971) was an important contemporary of Duruflé. He was organist at the celebrated church of Saint-Sulpice in Paris, and most of his brilliant musical career was centered there. As with Duruflé, Gregorian chant themes are an important component of Dupre's compositions. He was a master of improvisation, as is evident in the highly improvisatory style of the Prelude in B Major.
Richard Shephard (b.1949) is presently the Headmaster of the Minster School at York and the Sub-Chamberlain of York Minster. Beginning his career as a chorister at Gloucester Cathedral, he went on to study music at Cambridge, and spent 15 years at Salisbury as a music teacher, composer and a member of the cathedral choir. Many of his compositions were written specifically for Salisbury Cathedral. In 1998, he accepted a commission to compose an anthem for this parish church, to mark our 150th jubilee year. The text is drawn from the account of the transfiguration as recorded in the 17th Chapter of St. Matthew's gospel. Like the text itself, the music is deceptively straightforward, cloaking a multi-layered event that upon examination, demands much more of the imagination and intellect than is first apparent. Very few churches in the world are dedicated to the Transfiguration, and even fewer musical compositions exist that are based on this biblical event. Thus it is with special joy that this piece is sung from this church on this feast day.
The Great Service setting Collegium Regale of Herbert Howells (1892-1983) was commissioned in 1945 by the Dean of York, and completed in 1956. It is one of the last settings to be written in the grand style of Elgar and Perry, and the work shows the influence of Howells' teachers, Villiers Stanford and Charles Wood. Howells' fondness for modal harmony and his facility with counterpoint is shown to great advantage in this much-loved Georgian setting of the Anglican service.
Marcel Dupré (1886-1971) was an important contemporary of Duruflé. He was organist at the celebrated church of Saint-Sulpice in Paris, and most of his brilliant musical career was centered there. As with Duruflé, Gregorian chant themes are an important component of Dupre's compositions. He was a master of improvisation, as is evident in the highly improvisatory style of the Prelude in B Major.
Richard Shephard (b.1949) is presently the Headmaster of the Minster School at York and the Sub-Chamberlain of York Minster. Beginning his career as a chorister at Gloucester Cathedral, he went on to study music at Cambridge, and spent 15 years at Salisbury as a music teacher, composer and a member of the cathedral choir. Many of his compositions were written specifically for Salisbury Cathedral. In 1998, he accepted a commission to compose an anthem for this parish church, to mark our 150th jubilee year. The text is drawn from the account of the transfiguration as recorded in the 17th Chapter of St. Matthew's gospel. Like the text itself, the music is deceptively straightforward, cloaking a multi-layered event that upon examination, demands much more of the imagination and intellect than is first apparent. Very few churches in the world are dedicated to the Transfiguration, and even fewer musical compositions exist that are based on this biblical event. Thus it is with special joy that this piece is sung from this church on this feast day.
The Great Service setting Collegium Regale of Herbert Howells (1892-1983) was commissioned in 1945 by the Dean of York, and completed in 1956. It is one of the last settings to be written in the grand style of Elgar and Perry, and the work shows the influence of Howells' teachers, Villiers Stanford and Charles Wood. Howells' fondness for modal harmony and his facility with counterpoint is shown to great advantage in this much-loved Georgian setting of the Anglican service.
