March 17 - Josef Rheinberger (The Musical Birthday Series, 8th Annual Cycle)

Previous postings for March 17th may be found here: Josef Rheinberger (2019), Michael Finnissy (2020), Élisabeth-Claude Jacquet de La Guerre (2021), Nat King Cole (2022), Rudolf Nureyev (2023), Alfred Newman (2024), and Thoinot Arbeau (2026)

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Josef Rheinberger (17 March 1839- 25 November 1901) wrote works that are still part of the academic and concert organist's repertoire.  Critical opinion varies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More Is More 

Today Rheinberger is remembered above all for his elaborate and challenging organ compositions,  including 20 sonatas (of a projected set of 24 sonatas in all the keys). – adapted from Wikipedia

One needed have been superstitious

To find all the signs unpropitious

For sonatas like these

In all twenty-four keys,

On a scale so absurdly ambitious.

 

 

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December 10 - Olivier Messiaen (The Musical Birthday Series, 7th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for December 10th are here: Olivier Messiaen (2019), César Franck; Olivier Messiaen (2020), César Franck; Olivier Messiaen (2021), Olivier Messiaen (2022), Olivier Messiaen (2023), and Olivier Messiaen; Theodor Kirchner (2024)

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Olivier Messiaen (10 December 1908 – 27 April 1992) was an organist and one of the greatest French composers of the 20th century.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Compare and Contrast

An organist who likes to grapple

With Messiaen at Mass or chapel

Is not the one you'd want to stand,

At keyboards in your worship band.

The one who plays with gospel chops

Is not the one who knows the stops

To pull on those occasions when

The program calls for Messiaen.

 

 

 

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February 21 - Charles-Marie Widor (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for February 21 are here: Charlotte Church (2020), Nina Simone; Charles-Marie Widor (2021), and (2022), Léo Delibes; Johann Wenzel Kalliwoda (2023). and Léo Delibes; Stefano Donaudy (2024)

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Charles-Marie Widor (21 February 1844 – 12 March 1937) was a French organist, composer, and teacher.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tempo Changes

Many organists play it at a very fast tempo whereas Widor preferred a more controlled articulation to be involved. -- Wikipedia, s.v. "Symphony for Organ No. 5"

The Widor Toccata is often played fast,

   And it makes a magnificent racket,

Of course, at that tempo, the thing is a blast,

   At least if the player can hack it.

But Widor himself played the piece rather slower,

   More measured, more grand, and more stately,

It helped keep his blood pressure markedly lower,

   But it never gets played that way lately.

 

 

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January 22 - Charles Tournemire (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for January 22nd are here: Rosa Ponselle (2020), Leon Jessel (2021), George Balanchine; Vincenzo Righini (2022), Vincenzo Righini; Charles Tournemire (2023), and Stefano Pavesi (2024)

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Charles Tournemire (22 January 1870 – 3 or 4 November 1939) was a French composer and organist. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mass Movements

Unlike the symphonies of Charles-Marie Widor, which are usually heard in secular recitals (even when individual movements of these symphonies had liturgical origins), Tournemire's was designed for church use. — adapted from Wikipedia

The Roman rite was substantially changed with the issue of the 1969 edition of the Roman Missal after the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965). The Mass adopted a new three-year lectionary cycle, and with it the proper chants for the Mass were re-ordered to coincide more closely with the readings. – adapted from Douglas O’Neill, “Charles Tournemire's L'orgue mystique and the Ordinary Form Mass” (voxhumanajournal.com)

If you should get an urge to hear

The organ works of Tournemire,

You’ll end up in a Catholic church.

But note, as you begin your search,

That even then the chance is slight

On any given day or night

That they’ll be heard within the rite.

The Catholic Church has changed since he

Wrote music for the liturgy,

Which now processes, by decree.

Through yearly cycles A through C.

And organists who used his Propers

Must shop around to fill their hoppers

With starters, interludes, and stoppers.

 

 

 

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September 18 - Johann Gottfried Walther (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for September 18th are here: Lord Berners; Francesca Caccini (2019), Arthur Benjamin (2020), Agnes De Mille; Johann Gottfried Walther (2021), Ignaz Holzbauer (2022), and Lord Berners (2023)

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Johann Gottfried Walther (18 September 1684 – 23 March 1748) was a German composer, music theorist, lexicographer, and organist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No Place Like Tome

Walther was most well known as the compiler of the Musicalisches Lexicon, an enormous dictionary of music and musicians, and the first dictionary of musical terms written in the German language. - adapted from Wikipedia

Johann Gottfried Walther wrote

  A work of reference.

Which chances are indeed remote

  You’d read by preference.

But if you do, and if you quote, –

  Quote with deference.

 

 

 

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September 12 - Ernst Pepping (The Musical Birthday Series, 6th Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for September 12th are here: Ernst Pepping; Harvey Schmidt; Maurice Chevalier (2019), Maurice Chevalier (2020), Benjamin Carr (2021), and Jennifer Hudson (2022).

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Ernst Pepping (12 September 1901 – 1 February 1981) was a German composer known for his Protestant church music.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tradition!

Perhaps it’s optimistic over-stepping

To write my birthday verses on Ernst Pepping!

The few who know him, know that he amassed

An oeuvre much invested in the past,

With counterpoint that has a modal cast,

Which might be heard as musical anemia

By those outside the Church and Academia.

 

 

 

If you enjoy these posts, please help me, and consider sharing.  [Also, please visit my other blog: Alternate Tales: Great Art Repurposed.]