Music Notes

It seems to me that the most logical next step in our conversation is to discuss the pipe organ itself. Since we have been reading about its ability to captivate composers and listeners, it seems some explanation about the instrument and how it operates is in order. As a way to bring this home, I thought a description of our own instrument would be a good beginning.

The pipes in our organ date from 1910. Those pipes and the wood and pipe façade you see each Sunday were built by the M.P Moller Company with a donation from Andrew Carnegie. In the early 1960’s, the Tellers Organ Company undertook a renovation that expanded the instrument and replaced some of the original components.

Generally speaking, a pipe organ is several smaller organs built as individual units that are designed to work together as one larger organ. These smaller organs are called “divisions.” Our instrument consists of three individual organs, or divisions: the Swell organ, the Great organ, and the Pedal organ.

Each “organ” consists of a large chest, called a “wind chest", on which sit racks, each holding 61 pipes. At the base of each pipe, a valve connects the pipe through a small opening to the wind chest. Air, produced by a blower, fills the wind chest, and each time a key is pushed, the valve at the base of the pipe opens allowing the wind to enter the pipe, making it speak.

Each group of 61 pipes is called a rank, and that rank is controlled by what is called a stop. When the organist wants to have a particular rank of pipes speak, he pulls on that stop. These 61 pipes in a rank represent the 61 black and white keys on the organ keyboard, and each rank of 61 pipes consists of one particular pipe sound.

Pipe sounds fall into 4 major groups: The “Principal,” or “Diapason,” pipe, which is the signature sound the organ makes. The “String” pipe sounds like a sting instrument. The “Reed” pipe sounds like brass instruments, and the “Mutation” pipe has a unique sound that adds shine and brilliance to the sound of the organ.

Organ pipes also come in different pitch sizes, which are represented by the size and circumference of the pipe. The sizes are as follows:
—32′, 16′, 8′, 4′ 2′ Fractional Mutations.

All three divisions of our organ are controlled by what is called the “console.” This also contains the keyboards for the hands and the pedal board for the feet. It also contains all the stops, which allow the organist to control what pipes are added and removed at any given time.

Next time, we will explore the many different tone colors the organ produces and some of the stops that both our organ and Frank’s contain.

The story of the Sainte–Clotilde Tradition begins with the great French teacher, performer, and composer César Franck. Born in Belgium in 1822 the young Franck developed into a keyboard prodigy. Like the young Beethoven and Mozart, he was driven by his father, and to that end, the family moved to Paris where Franck’s father planned to launch his son into the world of performing as a virtuoso pianist.

In 1840, as a student at the Paris Conservatory, the eighteen-year-Franck received a premier prix (first prize) in fuge, and a premier prix in organ in the class Benoist. This experience convinced him to abandon his career as a concert pianist and to concentrate on a career in organ and church music.

His many experiences at the Paris Conservatory included his studies with Anton Reicha. Reicha had been appointed professor of counterpoint at the Conservatory in 1818 and had been a close friend of Beethoven. This succession from Beethoven through Reicha influenced Franck’s composition and contributed greatly to Franck’s use of counterpoint, imitation, and canon. One only has to listen to Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony to hear all of these compositional devises at work.

As Franck’s career developed, he fell in love with, and married in 1848, one of his students, Félicité Saillot Desmousseaux. Franck’s marriage brought him close to his in-laws who were employed by the Comédie Française. Their influence and work in opera fanned Franck’s passion for the genre, and this would prove vital to his ultimate, unique approach to composition for the organ.

After positions as organist at Notre–Dame–de–Lorette and Saint–Jean–Saint–François, Franck accepted the position at the new church of Sainte–Clotilde in 1857. This position would enable him to design the new organ for the building being built by Cavaillé-Coll and would forever change the direction of French organ music. In addition to his position at Saint-Clotilde, he was appointed professor of organ at the Paris Conservatory in 1872. These two positions would bring him in contact with a whole generation of young organists who would be influenced by his new harmonies, extended forms, and brilliant use of melodic line surrounded by counterpoint and canon. Franck’s musical influence set a new standard for organ music and resulted in the evolution of new forms for the genre.

The great organ that Cavillé-Coll and Franck built became both palette and canvas for these new musical forms and organ compositions. In order to truly understand this experience, we need to explore the family of organ sounds, inspired by orchestral instruments and their colors, that Franck had at his disposal. And that will be the material of our next installment. Homework: listen to Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony (all the way through!).

Jean Langlais, The Man and His Music. Ann Labounsky, Amadeus Press, 2000 (p. 126)

Charles R. Wilson, Director of Music Ministries

Charles R. Wilson, Director of Music Ministries

To begin our discussion of the great church of Sainte-Clotilde, and the sacred music tradition it fostered, I must begin with my teacher, Dr. Ann Labounsky. It is through my study with her that I can count myself a product of this tradition, and it is through her teacher, Jean Langlais, that she passes this tradition to her students. Consequently, it is through the many students Langlais and Charles Tournemire taught throughout the twentieth century that this direct connection to César Franck exists today. And, it is that connection to Franck that I want to explore through this article.

César Franck (1822-1890) was the first organist at Sainte-Clotilde. Appointed in 1857 he worked closely with the great organ builder Aristide Cavaillé-Coll to build the instrument that would figure so greatly into his composition for organ, and his approach to music for the liturgy. It is important to remember that the basis for the Sainte-Clotilde tradition is the Roman Catholic mysticism expressed through the liturgical music Franck created for worship and mediation.

In order to help us understand the importance of both the church building and the organ to our discussion of the Sainte-Clotilde tradition, I would like to introduce some excerpts from Dr. Labounsky’s 2000 biography of Jean Langlais, Jean Langlis, The man and His Music published by Amadeus Press. In chapter six, Dr. Labounsky explains…

“In French the general term for organ (l’orgu) is masculine and singular, but when it refers to the ensemble of stops, pipes, and console of a particular organ, it becomes feminine (les grandes orgues) and plural. Grammar, in this case, reflected what for Langlais and other organists of this church was the emotional truth…[Langlais] often spoke of the organ at Sainte-Clotilde as his very demanding mistress.”

Dr. Labounsky goes on…

“Sainte-Clotilde is on the Left Bank, in the government district near the Quai d’Orsay, on the site of an earlier church. It was among many Parisian churches built after the French revolution to serve a growing affluent, educated, and upperclass congregation. The nave is unusually long and high for the size of this Gothic revival edifice; it was begun in 1846, based on architectural drawings of Franz Christian Gau (1817-1885), and completed in 1857 from the work of his successor, Théodore Ballu. In 1896 the church was designated a basilica….This church was built with an unusual arrangement of two rear galleries: the larger for the main organ and a smaller choir loft directly below it.”

Now that Dr. Labounsky has given us an image of this great church, next month we will dive into the life and work of César Franck and his music. Music that would be inspired by the great Cavaillé-Coll organ, and the mysticism of the Roman church.

Charles R. Wilson, Director of Music Ministries

Sitting in the pew when I was very young, I would listen to the organ music and the choir, and wonder how these beautiful sounds were made. With a little help from my mother and my grandmother, I soon solved the mystery with a trip to the choir loft at Sacred Heart Church in Wheeling WV. It seems from that moment on, I had to visit every choir loft in every church I happened upon. For, in the loft breathed a great and wonderful creature called a Pipe Organ—I was hooked. This discovery would prove to awaken my imagination, and lead me to a life as a church musician.

At forty-five years and still counting, I remember playing my first service. I was in the fifth grade, an altar boy was sent to my classroom with a note from the priest—"Send Chuckie Wilson to the church, the organist is ill!” Thus began my church music career, playing a funeral. Thank goodness it was 1965, Vatican II was being implemented in the Roman Catholic Church, I didn’t know what to do…but neither did the priest. Thank heavens the guest of honor was in the casket and couldn’t make any suggestions.

I survived that first service, but I didn’t realize at the time that I was entering into a profession steeped in tradition—a tradition that is in constant flux. We have all attempted at one time or another to “re-create” a past event and made the sad discovery that it didn’t feel the same. That is because for tradition to live on, it has to morph and change to include the current people and the current situations.

In this multiple part article I want to share the church music tradition of which I am a part. It is important, because the tradition I share, not unlike our music tradition at SUMC, is one that involves a church building, and an organ. The “Sainte-Clotilde Tradition” began with the construction of the Basilica of Sainte-Clotilde on the Left Bank near the Quai d’Orsay, on the site of an earlier church. Begun in 1846 and completed in 1857, it was built to serve a growing population of affluent, educated and upperclass Parisians. The les grandes orgues was built and installed in 1859 by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll and was designed by Sainte-Clotilde’s first organist César Franck, 1822-1890.

Franck was a master teacher and composer. He was credited with infusing the poor Mid-Victorian organ music of his day with compositions that demonstrated his understanding of the earlier masters. He taught and developed a whole new generation of church musicians rescuing organ music of that day, from its banal and tasteless existence.

It is Franck who began the “Sainte-Clotilde Tradition", and through his teaching and successors at Sainte-Clotilde, it continues today.The line goes like this: Cesar Franck 1822-1890, to his student and successor, Charles Tournemire 1870-1939, to his student and successor Jean Langlais 1907-1991, and to his student Ann Labounsky, who is my teacher.

Next month I will continue the story of the “Sainte-Clotilde Tradition", the famous organ that started it all….and how it is relevant to us at SUMC!

Ding dong merrily on high,
In heav’n the bells are ringing: Ding dong! verily the sky
Is riv’n with angel singing.
Gloria, Hosanna in excelsis!

…Let steeple bells be swungen

…Your matin chime, ye ringers

…Your evetime song, ye singers

—Seventeenth Century French Carol

Did you know that “ding dong” is an example of onomatopoeia? I sure didn’t. I’m not even sure how to pronounce onomatopoeia, let alone what it means! I had to look it up. No surprise…it comes from ancient Greek. The Greek word onoma means “name” and poiein means “to make.” Simply defined, it means “to make words.” Specifically, a word or words that mimic or represent the sound something makes—like “meow” for a cat, or “tweet, tweet” for a bird.

I learned all this when I was looking for the lyrics to the carol Ding Dong Merrily on High. Although the carol has many verses, it’s the first verse and a few additional lines (shown above) that remind me so much of what I’ve experienced here at SUMC in my first month.

In my last message, I used the words from a Quaker hymn, How Can I Keep from Singing, to describe my delight and excitement as your new music minister. But recently, I’ve caught myself singing Ding Dong Merrily on High, and now I know why. Ding dong reminds me NOT of being a ding dong, but of the beautiful bells ringing every hour from the church steeple, or the beautiful music from the Hand Bell Choir during Christmas Eve service. Merrily on High describes my wonderful, and at times overwhelming, journey this Advent and Christmas season at SUMC. It’s been an amazing first month full of smiles, fellowship, and sounds…beautiful sounds.

Please indulge me while I give thanks to some special people and groups.

I couldn’t have asked for a better Pastor than Pastor Russel. His kindness and support have made me feel appreciated and so at home. Pam Mayo has been especially gracious and helpful during my transition, and I can’t thank her enough. It was such a privilege to be invited to play with Leap of Faith. We are blessed to have such a committed group of gifted musicians. The Wesley Chorale sang so elegantly, and the Children’s Choir performance was entertaining and memorable! Hats off to our Chancel Choir who have been such a delight to work with. They’re so accomplished. And again, to the Hand Bell Choir that has become such an asset to our worship experience. The dedicated musicians of all of these choirs and ensembles make me feel Merrily on High!

Finally I would like to thank you, our congregation, for your gracious inclusion of me and my family into the church. And my Christmas bonus from you was so unexpected and heartwarming! This generosity and support, not only to me, but to the church makes me think of a quote by theologian Matthew Fox. He said, “It is the creative in us that is the Godly in us.” I love this quote. Fox means not just being artistically creative, but rather, for all of us to embrace everything we do in life, in our work, with our families, for each other, and for our church as acts of “creation.” My hope for all of us in this New Year is to grow increasingly generous with our time, love, forgiveness, compassion, tolerance, and yes…creativity. These are all virtues that bring us closer to God.

Now, let’s end as we began…with one final example of onomatopoeia. Yummm. That’s the sound I made when I ate all that great Methodist food during Christmas!

Peace,
Charles