"The Little Church Around the Corner"
One East 29th Street, New York
MUSIC NOTES:
Candlemas - February 3, 2002
Healey Willan (1880-1968) is regarded as one of Canada's pre-eminent musicians, although he was in his early 30's when he emigrated to Canada from England. He earned great distinction as an organist and choral conductor, and also as a composer of both organ and choral music. He had a keen interest in classical forms of organ literature such as the chorale prelude, of which Mit Fried und Freud ich fahr dahin is an example. The text, roughly translated as "with peace and joy I travel thither" is by Martin Luther, and probably reflects the thoughts of Mary and Joseph as they went to the temple with the child Jesus for the Presentation, which we celebrate today.
The Nunc Dimittis, sometimes called the Canticle of Simeon, is a biblical text found in the second chapter of St. Luke's gospel. It is a profound text that was first uttered at the time of the Presentation, and is well-established in the liturgy as one of the Evensong canticles. As with the other evening canticle, the Magnificat, there are many musical settings of the Nunc Dimittis. The setting used today is by Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625), a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal and one of the great masters of Jacobean music. It was intended as part of a larger group of compositions forming a Great Service, most of which was lost probably during the Civil War.
The service setting is by Hans Leo Hassler (1564-1612), a student of Andrea Gabrieli in Venice. Hassler was greatly influenced by the Venetian polychoral style, and upon his return to Germany, developed a mellifluous and seamless style of choral composition which is well represented in the Missa Secunda. This work contrasts sharply with the compositional style of Hassler's German contemporary Johann Eccard (1553-1611), a prolific composer who remained faithful to the chorale traditions and Protestant musical ideals as established by Luther. When to the Temple Mary Went is a fine example of Eccard's work. He paid close attention to the relationship of words to music, and was careful that the words should never be lost in the music, but rather should carry them in such a way as to impress the text clearly upon the mind of the listener.
The Danish-born Dietrich Buxtehude (1637-1707) is one of the principal organ composers of the late 17th century. Much of his career was spent as organist of St. Mary's Church in Lübeck, and according to popular legend, Sebastian Bach journeyed on foot some 200 miles to hear his playing. The Toccata in F# Minor shows Buxtehude's virtuosity as a composer, for not only is it in an unusual key, but in a single piece it contains examples of the toccata, fantasia, prelude, canzona and fugue, and even some suggestion of the four-part chorale.
The Nunc Dimittis, sometimes called the Canticle of Simeon, is a biblical text found in the second chapter of St. Luke's gospel. It is a profound text that was first uttered at the time of the Presentation, and is well-established in the liturgy as one of the Evensong canticles. As with the other evening canticle, the Magnificat, there are many musical settings of the Nunc Dimittis. The setting used today is by Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625), a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal and one of the great masters of Jacobean music. It was intended as part of a larger group of compositions forming a Great Service, most of which was lost probably during the Civil War.
The service setting is by Hans Leo Hassler (1564-1612), a student of Andrea Gabrieli in Venice. Hassler was greatly influenced by the Venetian polychoral style, and upon his return to Germany, developed a mellifluous and seamless style of choral composition which is well represented in the Missa Secunda. This work contrasts sharply with the compositional style of Hassler's German contemporary Johann Eccard (1553-1611), a prolific composer who remained faithful to the chorale traditions and Protestant musical ideals as established by Luther. When to the Temple Mary Went is a fine example of Eccard's work. He paid close attention to the relationship of words to music, and was careful that the words should never be lost in the music, but rather should carry them in such a way as to impress the text clearly upon the mind of the listener.
The Danish-born Dietrich Buxtehude (1637-1707) is one of the principal organ composers of the late 17th century. Much of his career was spent as organist of St. Mary's Church in Lübeck, and according to popular legend, Sebastian Bach journeyed on foot some 200 miles to hear his playing. The Toccata in F# Minor shows Buxtehude's virtuosity as a composer, for not only is it in an unusual key, but in a single piece it contains examples of the toccata, fantasia, prelude, canzona and fugue, and even some suggestion of the four-part chorale.
