"The Little Church Around the Corner"
One East 29th Street, New York
MUSIC NOTES:
Lent I - February 17, 2002
Healey Willan (1880-1968) was born and educated in England, and emigrated to Toronto, Canada, as a young adult. Soon after his arrival in Canada, he was appointed organist of St. Paul's Church Bloor Street, the largest Anglican church in Canada. To the surprise (and dismay) of many, he left St. Paul's for the much smaller and then quite unknown Church of St. Mary Magdalene, nestled on a corner of a working-class neighborhood not far from the University of Toronto. St. Mary Magdalene's became a focal point of Willan's musical life, and his compositions for the services of this church, his organ-playing and the excellence of the choir under his direction became legendary. Restraint, dignity and liturgical sensitivity are the hallmarks of Willan's church music. He had a deep understanding of Gregorian chant and Renaissance music, and aspects of both are infused into his unique musical style, which is richly Romantic in its harmonic flavor. Mass No. 2 in F Minor was composed for penitential seasons, and is a fine example of the economy, effectiveness and beauty of Willan's choral liturgical music.
Richard Farrant (ca.1525-1580) was master of the choristers of the Chapel Royal and organist of St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, during the brief and precarious reign of Edward VI (son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour), whose reign lasted only from 1547 to 1553. It was during this reign (in 1549) that the Book of Common Prayer was first published. Call to Remembrance is a short anthem written in a style encouraged by the architects of the English church, and with the text in English rather than Latin. This piece became immensely popular, and found its way into many period manuscripts of collected Tudor anthems. Its popularity has endured throughout the centuries, along with other pieces ascribed to Farrant, including Hide Not Thou Thy Face (probably the work of John Hilton [d.1608]) and Lord, for Thy Tender Mercy's Sake (probably by Christopher Tye [1505-1573]).
Jan Pieterszon Sweelinck (1562-1621) is a key figure in the early Netherlandish school of organ composition. He succeeded his father Pieter as organist at the Oude Kerk (Old Church) in Amsterdam, a position he held for most of his life. The organ fantasias are an important component of his output, and these were heavily influenced by the English school of keyboard music as found in the Mulliner and Fitzwilliam Books. Sweelinck was fascinated by the possibilities for echo effects created by the multiple manuals of the organ, and developed this idea extensively in the Echo Fantasia.
Richard Farrant (ca.1525-1580) was master of the choristers of the Chapel Royal and organist of St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, during the brief and precarious reign of Edward VI (son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour), whose reign lasted only from 1547 to 1553. It was during this reign (in 1549) that the Book of Common Prayer was first published. Call to Remembrance is a short anthem written in a style encouraged by the architects of the English church, and with the text in English rather than Latin. This piece became immensely popular, and found its way into many period manuscripts of collected Tudor anthems. Its popularity has endured throughout the centuries, along with other pieces ascribed to Farrant, including Hide Not Thou Thy Face (probably the work of John Hilton [d.1608]) and Lord, for Thy Tender Mercy's Sake (probably by Christopher Tye [1505-1573]).
Jan Pieterszon Sweelinck (1562-1621) is a key figure in the early Netherlandish school of organ composition. He succeeded his father Pieter as organist at the Oude Kerk (Old Church) in Amsterdam, a position he held for most of his life. The organ fantasias are an important component of his output, and these were heavily influenced by the English school of keyboard music as found in the Mulliner and Fitzwilliam Books. Sweelinck was fascinated by the possibilities for echo effects created by the multiple manuals of the organ, and developed this idea extensively in the Echo Fantasia.
