Fractured at St. Mary's: February 26, 2017 at 4:00pm
Presented by St. Mary's Episcopal Cathedral in the series Fractured: Music & Spirituality in a Time of UpheavalProgram:
Dieu parmi nous from La Nativité du Seigneur, “God among us from The Birth of a Savior” (Olivier Messiaen) premiere 1936
Duologue for Trumpet and Organ (Dennis Janzer) premiere 1995
Winner, First Prize, 1995 International Trumpet Guild Composition Contest
Psalm 92: Flourish Like the Palm Tree (Dennis Janzer) Premiere 2010
Commissioned for the American Guild of Organists Region IV “Psalms and Palms” 2010 Midwinter Conclave, Sarasota-Manatee Chapter
Psalm Meditations (Dennis Janzer) Premiere 2004
Compositions for Native American Flute with guitar (Howard and Beverly Vance)
Location/Cost:
St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, 700 Poplar Avenue; Free Admission
Performers:
Dennis Janzer, Organ; http://djanzer.com
David Spencer, Trumpet; http://davespencertrumpet.net
Beverly Vance, Native American Flute; http://www.howardvance.com/duoframe.htm
Howard Vance, Guitar; http://www.howardvance.com/duoframe.htm
For Information:
Call 901-527-3361 or click here.
The concert presents a great variety of musical compositions written during the past 80 years. Each is a musical reflection of some aspect of “spirituality”. Messiaen prefaces his works with biblical quotes, Janzer’s Psalms are based on individual verses and his Duologue’s second movement is Orison or Prayer while the haunting sound of the Native American Flute takes the concert to a serene and mystic place. The concert takes place in the great space of the cathedral, enhancing both the visual and aural aspects. The limitless colors of the pipe organ, of great importance to all the works presented, but critical for Messiaen, where his registrations are meticulously notated, transport the listener from the ordinary to the extraordinary. Experiencing a performance of these works, one can fully appreciate the wonders within the music that stretches the listener and touches on a visceral level. The Duo Vance will provide an added dimension to the concert performing original compositions. This program is truly a spiritual experience in current times of upheaval, a spiritual escape from the fractured daily life.
Olivier Messiaen
Messiaen’s “DIEU PARMI NOUS” FROM LA NATIVITÉ DU SEIGNEUR
Paris during the ‘30s was a time of uprisings, political revolt, and Nazi invasions. In this climate Messiaen developed his unique and striking musical language. In 1930, he was appointed Organiste Titulaire of Sainte Trinité Church in Paris, a position he held for over 40 years. At the outbreak of World War II, he became a French army hospital attendant, and in 1941 was taken prisoner and held in a POW camp.
La Nativité du Seigneur is a testament to Messiaen’s Christian faith divided into nine meditations inspired by the birth of Jesus and was written while he was in residence at Grenoble near the French Alps. The work culminates with Messiaen’s most famous organ piece, the brilliant, dazzling “Deu parmis nous” (God among us). It is prefaced byt the biblical text:
“…the Word was made flesh and it has dwelt in me. My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.”
Beginning with a brilliant fanfare of cascading chords then answered by a descending figure in the pedals, as God in human form descends to the earth and is now among us. A love theme follows, then the sound of birds. These 3 themes are developed in what is an extended introduction leading into a thunderous and energetic toccata, overflowing with joy.
Messiaen developed his own complex musical language, both accessible and powerfully communicative. He made use of sounds from nature, especially bird-song and drew from principles of non-European music such as the meters and rhythms of Ancient Greek and traditional Indian music as well as incorporating the fluidity of Gregorian chant.
Dennis Janzer
Janzer’s Duologue for Trumpet and Organ was awarded first place in the International Trumpet Guild’s 1995 Composer Contest and has enjoyed performances on the Great Music Series at St. Bart’s in New York, the Cleveland Institute with concert organist Karel Paukert as well as various university and concert venues. This is the Memphis premier.
The three-movement work makes great demands of both players.
The movements vary in style from the jagged rhythms of the opening “Laudations” to a “modern” romantic second movement – “Orison” to a brilliant display of technique in the multi-metered “Masque.” In the words of Clavier magazine’s review of Duologue: “This impressive piece deserves many performances. It captures the attention of the audience as it presents idiomatic challenges to the performers. Representing the most significant recent addition to modern trumpet and organ repertoire, it encourages further exploration of Janzer’s compositions.”
Psalm 92, Flourish Like The Palm Tree was commissioned for the American Guild of Organist 2010 Region IV Midwinter Conclave and received its premier performance by Felix Hell at Christ Episcopal Church, Bradenton, FL for which the work was written. Conceived as a concert work, use of the full gamut of the softest to loudest stops is called for. Each verse of the psalm is depicted in music. The text depicts the human condition from the fractured and evil forces to the serene. The title comes from verse 12: “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree”.
Psalm meditations are short organ compositions reflecting verses from the Psalms.