The St. Petersburg Chapter of theAmerican Guild of Organists is proud to present

ROBERT DELCAMPORGANIST

in Concert

3:00p.m.

Sunday, 19 February 2012

Sacred Heart Catholic Church509 North Florida Avenue

Tampa, Florida

PROGRAM

See, the conqu'ring hero comes!, Op.90Allegretto in B minor, Op. 19, NO.1Grand Chorus in G minor, Op. 84

Alexandre Guilmant(1837-1911)

Felix-Alexandre Guilmant is considered, along with Charles-Marie Widor, as oneof the founders of the 19th-century French Romantic school of organ playing. As acomposer, editor, musicologist, and publisher he made significant contributions tothe organ repertoire. His teaching led to a vast improvement in the technicalabilities of organists as well as in the overall quality of organ performance. As aworld-renowned performer and improvisor, he inspired a greater appreciation ofthe organ and its music amongst the general public.

The music of Handel played an important in role in Guilmant's repertoire, and hewas the first to play the organ concertos on his series at the Palais du Trocaderoconcerts in 1878. Several of his organ works use themes by Handel, one of themost popular being the paraphrase on See, the conqu'ring hero comes!, Op.90, fromthe oratorio Judas Maccabaeus. A quiet presentation of the theme is followed by aspirited fugal development which builds to the final massive statement of Handel'stheme.

The Allegretto in B minor, Op. 19, no. 1, is a wistful piece featuring the oboe andclarinet stops in dialogue, while the Grand Chorus in G minor, Op. 84, published in1898, is typical of the many march-type pieces which Guilmant wrote for variousfestive, ceremonial, and liturgical occasions. The opening theme alternates with atrio and a short fugato before ending with a dramatic flourish.

Symphonie Gothique, Op. 70II. Andante sostenuto

Charles-Marie Widor(1844-1937)

Charles-Marie Widor was born on 22 May 1845, in Lyon, France, where his fatherwas organist of the church of Saint-Francois-de-Sales. In January 1870, he wasappointed as probationary organist for one year at the church of Saint-Sulpice inParis but was never confirmed as permanent organist. Thus, he remained thetemporary organist for the next 64 years! In his 93 years, Widor was highlyesteemed as an organist, composer, teacher, conductor, writer, and culturalambassador, not only for French music but for French culture in the widest sense.He left behind an impressive output of more than 80 opus numbers, includingchamber music, songs, sacred works, orchestral symphonies, solo concertos, musicfor the stage and ballet, and three operas. It is, however, through his organ music,particularly the ten organ symphonies, that his reputation endures today.

In his last two symphonies, Widor departed from the secular nature of Symphonies1-8, and created works inspired by church architecture and based upon Gregorianchant, namely, the Symphonie Gothique (1899)and Symphonie Romane (1900). TheSymphonie Gothique was inspired by the church of Saint-Ouen in Rouen, whichcontained Cavaille-Coll'sacknowledged masterpiece of organ building. The secondmovement is meant to evoke the calm, high vaulted interior of this great gothicedifice.

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Prelude and Fugue on BACH Franz Liszt(1811-1886)

The Prelude and Fugue on BACH was composed in 1855 and later revised in 1870 andarranged for piano solo in 1872. It is dedicated to his pupil Alexander Winterberger,who played it for the first time in Liszt's presence on 13 May 1856 on the MerseburgCathedral organ. In German nomenclature Bstands for B flat and H for B natural -thus the motive B (B flat) A C H (B natural) emerges as a tribute to the great JohannSebastian Bach. Liszt proclaims Bach's genius by repeating his "name" in nearlyevery measure of the piece.

The BACH is more of a continuous fantasia rather than traditional prelude andfugue; the fugue placed in the middle is merely an episode in the larger work. Asthere is no extended development of the subject, it should more aptly be termed afugato. Liszt added a motif to the four note BACHcryptogram to produce a fuguesubject using eleven of the twelve tones of the scale. This subject was first used byBach himself in his Prelude and Fugue in B flat BWV 898, a work Liszt must haveknown from his intense study of Bach's music while at Weimar. Bach also used theBACH motif in the final unfinished fugue in his Art of Fugue, a work he wasattempting to complete near the end of his life.

FREEWILL OFFERING

Grande Piece Symphonique, Op. 17 Cesar Franck(1822-1890)

Andantino serioso, Allegro non troppo e maestosoAndante; Allegro; AndanteFinale: Beacoup plus largement qu'a l'Allegro

Although a native of Liege, Belgium, Franck lived most of his life in Paris and cameto be regarded as a French composer. For many years, until the time of his death,he was organist of the church of Sainte-Clotilde, and his organ music is among hisfinest work. He lived at a time when French music had earned itself aninternational reputation for flippancy in every medium and venue of performance.Franck brought a note of lofty purpose, producing in his maturity a series ofimportant works: a piano quintet, string quartet, symphony, and a violin sonata --among the most sublime in sentiment and lyrical in expression of their time.Franck's organ music consists of twelve pieces: the Six Pieces of 1862, the TroisPieces of 1878, and the Trois Chorals of 1890, which are the last music he wrote. Itis recorded that Franck played all the Six Pieces to his friend and admirer, FranzLiszt, at Sainte-Clotilde on 13 April 1866. Liszt afterwards declared: "These poeticpieces have a clearly marked place alongside the masterpieces of Johann SebastianBach."

Franck inscribed the second and longest of his Six Pieces, the Grande PieceSymphonique, to the enigmatic composer and pianist Charles-Valentin Alkan. Thework is essentially a sonata with a number of clearly defined sections grouped intothree main movements: (a) an Introduction and Allegro in F-sharp minor; (b) anAndante in B major/Scherzo in B minor; (c) a Finale in F-sharp major which ispreceded by a recapitulation of previous material, as in the manner of the finale ofBeethoven's Ninth Symphony. The Introduction presents a restless theme,marked Andantino serioso, which alternates with a pleading recitativemarked quasi ad libitum. The music then rises to a climax and subsides, before acrescendo leads to the abrupt opening of the Allegro non troppo e maestoso withits chorale-like second subject in the relative major. The quasi ad libitum from theIntroduction reappears once during the course of this section, and also at its end.

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The Andante presents one of those conjunct melodies, dear to Franck, that hoveraround the third of the scale. Its second half is heard in canon, another formulafavored by the composer. The Andante is interrupted by an Allegro, which suppliesthe scherzo element to the work. A quiet reprise of the Andante follows. Theprevious themes are then passed under review: the vigorous Maestoso pedal themeof the initial Allegro, followed by the Andantino serioso of the Introduction, then ahint of the scherzo and the Andante. The Finale then bursts forth with atriumphant tune heard over a rolling pedal part, which is a major version ofthe Maestoso theme of the first Allegro. A fugato leads to a joyous and triumphantconclusion.

About the Artist

Robert Delcamp is Professor of Music and University Organist and Choirmasterat The University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. He is organist of All Saints'Chapel (Episcopal) on the university campus, where he directs the UniversityChoir. Under his direction, the Choir has made several recordings and 11 tours ofEngland, including residencies at York Minster, Wells, Salisbury, and visits thispast May/June to St. Alban's, Rochester, Canterbury, and the American Cathedralin Paris.

A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, he earned Bachelor and Master of Music degrees inorgan performance at the College-Conservatory of Music at the University ofCincinnati, and later the DMus. degree from Northwestern University. Hecontinued his studies in France with Louis Robillard, Organiste Titulaire at theChurch of Saint-Francois-de-Sales, in Lyon.

As a concert artist Robert Delcamp has toured extensively throughout the UnitedStates, as well as in England, Germany, and Luxembourg. His recordings for theNaxos label include three volumes in the Organ Encyclopedia series of thecomplete organ works of Marcel Dupre and solo CDs of organ music by CamilleSaint-Saens, Alexandre Guilmant, and Charles-Marie Widor. Copies of theserecordings are available following today's concert.

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About the Organ

Originally built by the M.P. Moller Organ Company in 1926, this instrument wasthe firm's Opus 4685. After years of service, it fell silent in the 1970'S, sitting fornearly 20 years until it was rebuilt by the Wicks Organ Company in 1990 as thatfirm's Opus 6210.

Great16 Double Open Diapason8 Principal8 HoW Flute8 Gemshom4 Octave4 Flute Hannonique2 Fifteenth

III SesquialteraIV Fourniture

8 Tuba Mirabi1is (Ch)8 Trumpet

Chimes

Swell (enclosed)16 Bourdon8 Stopped Flute8 Viole8 Viole Celeste4 Principal4 Rohr Flute2 Octavin

III-IV Plein Jeu16 Contre Fagotto8 Comopean8 Oboe8 VoxHumana4 Clarion

Tremolo

Choir (enclosed)16 Contra Viola8 Principal8 Viola Pomposa8 Viola Celeste8 Concert Flute4 Principal4 Koppel Flute

2213 Nazard2 Harmonic Piccolo8 Tuba Mirabi1is8 Clarinet

Tremolo

Pedal32 Resultant16 First Open Diapason16 Second Open Diapason (Gt)16 Stentorphone16 Violone16 Bourdon16 Lieb1ich Gedeckt (Sw)16 Contra Viola (Ch)

10213 Quint8 Octave8 Major Flute8 F1auto Dolce (Sw)4 Chora1bass

IV Rauschpfeife32 Contre Bombarde16 Trombone16 Contra Fagotto (Sw)8 Tuba Mirabilis (Ch)8 Trombone4 Clarion

Glockenstern

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About the American Guild of Organists

The American Guild of Organists (AGO) is the national professional associationserving the organ and choral music fields. The Guild serves approximately 19,000members in 330 chapters throughout the United States, Europe, Korea, Singapore,Taiwan, Bermuda, and Sydney.The Guild was formed in New York City in 1896. Itsfirst chapter was the Pennsylvania Chapter, formed in 1901. The second chapter,then called the New England Chapter, was formed in 1905. The Guild has beenheadquartered in New York City since its inception. The Guild sponsorscompetitions in organ performance and improvisation and in organ and choralcomposition. National and regional conventions, held in alternate years, presentthe finest performers. AGO has received many prestigious awards, such as TheAmerican Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP)Award, as wellas various grants including ones from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).The American Organist magazine, published monthly by AGO, is the most widelyread journal devoted to organ and choral music in the world. Currently there are330 active chapters. The St. Petersburg Chapter welcomes new members andinquirers. Visit us online at www.stpetersburgago.com.

The St. Petersburg Chapter gratefully acknowledges Fr. George Corrigan, OFM,Pastor of Sacred Heart Church, and Mr. Sean Fitzsimmons-Brown, Director ofMusic, for their gracious hospitality in hosting this concert. Sacred Heart Churchis a historic treasure on the West Coast of Florida, and we are truly grateful fortheir willingness to share this sacred space and beautiful instrument with thecommunity.

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