One of the requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Maine is a capstone Senior Project. I chose to do a lecture and recital on the topic, Organ Music Through the Liturgical Seasons.
About fifty people attended my Senior Lecture and Recital on April 29, 2016 at 8:30 a.m. I felt supported by family, University of Maine professors, and friends from church, school, and the American Guild of Organists. Some friends flew in from New York and my brother, Gerry, and his wife, Teresa, drove up from Boston to attend.
In my lecture, I described the six liturgical seasons of the Catholic church, some resources to determine the bible readings for each day, some considerations in choosing organ music for liturgies, and some resources for church musicians. I compiled a list of common hymns for each liturgical season and some composers who wrote organ music based on those hymns.
I then presented two posters that provide a visual way to connect organ music selections to the various liturgical seasons.
Describing one of the posters
Here is a link to my program with the outline of my lecture, the recital program, the two hymns, translations of the Latin texts, program notes, and the stoplist for E. & G. G. Hook’s magnificent Opus 288.
I was fortunate to be joined by two special guest musicians: Dan Conte, bass-baritone, and Anthony Viselli, violin, who both took the time to rehearse with me and perform as part of my recital.
With Anthony Viselli and Dan Conte
I was privileged to play my Senior Recital on E. & G. G. Hook’s magnificent Opus 288, which was built in 1860 for St. John’s Catholic Church in Bangor.
At the console of E. & G. G. Hook’s Opus 288
This was a participatory recital. You will see in the program that the people who attended were invited to join in singing two hymns.
I posted recordings of two of the recital pieces on soundcloud.
1. St. Columba: The King of Love from Ten Hymn Preludes for Organ, Set 1 by Healey Willan (1880-1968)
Healey Willan (1880-1968) was a composer and organist who was born in England and emigrated to Toronto, Canada in 1913 where he was an Anglican church musician. He composed for many genres, and he is best known for his sacred choral and organ music. St. Columba is used in two hymns in the Ritual Song hymnal: “The King of Love my Shepherd Is” and “O Breathe on Me, O Breath of God” and based on an ancient Irish tune. Listen for the melody played in the tenor on the Choir Cremona (clarinet).
2. Christ Lag in Todesbanden (Christ lay in death’s fetters), BWV 625, from the Orgelbüchlein by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) was a German composer and musician who is generally regarded as one of the greatest composers of all time. During his lifetime, his abilities as an organist were highly respected. The Orgelbüchlein is a collection of 46 chorale preludes and includes music for all of the liturgical seasons. The source of the melody for Christ Lag in Todesbanden is the Gregorian sequence Victimae Paschali Laudes (Praise the Paschal Victim), which is used in the Catholic Church as the Easter Sequence.
Applauding my guest artists and the magnificent organ
My sweet and supportive husband, John, prepared food and coffee for a reception following the recital, so I could greet and talk to my family and friends.
With my husband, John
I am grateful to many people for their support and encouragement as I pursued my passion for organ music and my goal to be a church musician. I would like to thank my teachers, friends, and family. In particular, I would like to thank my organ teacher and mentor, Kevin Birch.
To increase my skill as an organist, I need to practice regularly. I don’t have a pipe organ in my home. Three churches provided tremendous support by allowing me to practice on their tracker pipe organs: St. John’s Catholic Church in Bangor, Hampden Highlands United Methodist Church in Hampden, and Orono United Methodist Church in Orono. The music directors, pastors, church administrative staff, and congregations of all three churches are very supportive and I am very grateful. I also practiced on the small chamber pipe organ at the University of Maine.
Since last September I have been the music intern at St. Paul the Apostle Parish, St. John’s and St. Teresa’s churches. I had many duties in the music office with the choirs and for liturgies. I played the organ for Masses twice a month. This experience playing for liturgies has been very helpful in building my organ-playing skills and my confidence. I also put into practice the information I learned preparing my Senior Project when I chose the music to play for these liturgies. I assist with the St. John’s Youth and Adult Choirs and the St. Teresa’s Schola. In addition to excellent practical experience conducting choral music, I receive much support and encouragement from the people who give their gift of music to our congregations through these choirs.
My sister-in-law, Teresa, generously documented my lecture and recital in pictures. Here is a link to see more pictures.
With my brother, Gerry, and his wife, Teresa
Two friends flew from New York to attend and help with my recital. Helen Levin and Fran Morton ushered for my recital and helped with reception logistics.
With Helen and Fran
In summary, my Senior Lecture and Recital demonstrated the results of years of preparation and the support of many people. I am eternally grateful.
