Music I play in January at St. Mary's Church, Dalmahoy.
As a bonus, the hyperlinks take you to copies of the scores from the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP).
Sunday 6 January – Epiphany
Marco Enrico Bossi (1861-1925)
Scherzo in G minor(Op.49 no.2)
Chant du soir (Op.92 no.1)
Etude Symphonique(Op.78)
In 1881, Bossi became director of music and organist at Como Cathedral. Nine years later, he was appointed as professor of organ and harmony at Naples Conservatory. In addition, he held directorships at conservatories in Venice (1895–1901), Bologna (1902–1911) and Rome (1916–1923), where he established and implemented the standards of organ studies that are still used in Italy today. Throughout his career, Bossi made numerous international organ recital tours, which brought him in contact with well-known organ celebrities.
In November 1924, Bossi embarked on a recital tour to New York and Philadelphia, where he made important appearances at Wanamaker's department stores in New York and in Philadelphia, where he played the Wanamaker Organ, the world's largest pipe organ. While returning from the United States, he died unexpectedly at sea and was interred at Como.
The 'Etude symphonique'is designed to show off the organist's pedal technique, almost requiring the winged feet of Hermes/Mercury!. I first heard it on the 1966 LP'Organ in Sanity and Madness', a recording of the concert in the Royal Albert Hall to celebrate the centenary of the Royal College of Organists. This album can be heard here.
Jehan Alain (1911-1940)
Le jardin suspendu (1934)
'The hanging garden is the ideal, perpetual pursuit and escape of the artist, an inaccessible and inviolable refuge.' (Composer's note)
Ballade en mode phrygien (1930)
Litanies (1937)
'When the Christian soul finds no new words in its distress to implore the mercy of God, it constantly repeats the same invocation with a vehement faith. Reason reaches its limit. Only faith continues its ascent.' (Composer's note)
Sunday 20 January – Epiphany 2 (The wedding at Cana)
Jesus' first public miracle was performed at a wedding feast. In the original Greek, the capacity of each of the six stone jars was given as two or three measures (metrētas), a metrētēs being about 10 gallons. As each jar held 20-30 gallons (John 2.6); a total of 120-180 gallons of water (about 545-818 litres) was transformed into wine. That's the equivalent of 605-908 bottles of very fine wine – more than enough for any party! The picture below shows what this looks like (see original at https://abramkj.com/2016/01/13/there-is-no-rejoicing-without-wine-jesus-first-miracle/)
It is appropriate, then, that I play music from a composer who wrote a Wine Symphony.
Serenade – Derek Bourgeois (1941-2017)
Flower Duet ('Sous le dôme épais' from Lakmé) - Léo Delibes (1836-1891)
Wedding Day at Troldhaugen(Op.65 no.6) – Edvard Grieg (1843-1907)
From 1971 to 1984, Bourgeois was a lecturer in music at Bristol University, whilst I was a student there and then he became director of the National Youth Orchestra from 1984 to 1993. In 1980 he began conducting the Sun Life Band (now the Stanshawe Band of Bristol), which was his introduction to brass bands. In 1994 Bourgeois was appointed Director of Music at St Paul's Girls School, London, a position previously held by a number of noted composers, including Gustav Holst and Herbert Howells.
Bourgeois was one of England's most prolific symphonists. By 2009, he had written 44 symphonies, a larger number than were produced by most 19th and 20th century composers. Symphony no.4, the 'Wine Symphony', commissioned by Harveys of Bristol in 1978, has nine movements, each inspired by a different grape variety. In an interview with Alan Rusbridgerof The Guardian, he said that the symphonies came 'tumbling out' partly to stop himself 'going mad' - his first wife was dying of motor neurone disease, and he was suffering from cancer. By the time of his death in 2017, he had 116 symphonies to his name.
Bourgeois wrote 'Serenade' for his own wedding to Jean Berry in 1965, to be played as the guests departed from the ceremony. It can hardly be called a 'march', as it starts in 11/8 time, changing to 13/8 in the middle!
The famous Flower Duet from Leo Delibes' 'Lakme' has become well-known from its use as the background music for the British Airways TV commercial. It has become a favourite choice of bridal couples for the signing of the registers.
Originally called 'Gratulanterne kommer' ('The well-wishers are coming'), 'Wedding Day at Troldhaugen' was written in 1896 as a memorial of the 25th wedding anniversary of Grieg and his wife Nina. The anniversary celebration had been held in the Fossli Hotel near the Vøringsfossen waterfall in June 1896.
Sunday 27 January – Presentation of Christ in the Temple (transferred)
How lovely are thy dwellings fair(from 'A German Requiem') – Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
Mit Fried' und Freud' ich fahr' dahin (BWV 616) – J.S. Bach
March on a theme of Handel (Op.15 no.2) – Alexandre Guilmant (1837-1911)
Composed between 1865 and 1868, Brahms's 'German Requiem' is a setting of specially-chosen Biblical texts, rather than the usual liturgical texts of the Requiem Mass. 'Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen' is a setting of verses 1, 2 and 4 from Psalm 84.
The Handel theme in Guilmant's march is the chorus from 'Messiah': 'Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is this King of Glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is this King of Glory? The Lord of Hosts, He is the King of Glory.' (Psalm 24 : 7-10).