The AGO 23rd Choral-Organ Festival, at St. James' Episcopal
Church, March 26, 2009
20th century choral and organ music was presented by the choirs and musicians
from St. James, and St. Andrew's Episcopal Cathedral, Jackson. John Paul,
Organist-Choirmaster at St. Andrews, opened the program with a Chorale
Fantasia on an Old English Tune, by C. Hubert Parry. With this beautiful,
thoughtful arrangement of a tune used with "When I Survey the Wondrous
Cross", Paul created such a mood of serenity and quiet meditation that when
he finished everyone sat for a moment as if in reverent prayer. It was a
special moment.
The St. Andrews choir followed with four songs by Lennox Berkeley, a composer
who is not well known in this country. Berkeley was an accomplished musician,
and studied French at Oxford University. He became very proficient in the
language, and then studied composition with Nadia Boulanger in Paris. He
later became closely associated with Benjamin Britten. Later in his life he
taught at the Royal Academy of Music and Keele University. I found the music
very attractive. At times there was an element of English folk music while at
other times it was very dramatic with a dissonant texture. It is not easy
music to sing but the choir sang the dissonant passages with absolute
accuracy and ease. The treble voices sang with the beautiful head tone that
is produced by pre-adolescent boys. It was so well done that I would have
believed it to be boys if I had not seen otherwise. The lower voices also
perfectly emulated the typical male choir in the English tradition. The
choir was masterfully accompanied by Rob Robertson, Assistant Organist at
St. Andrews. Paul’s conducting was expressive and very descriptive of the
music.
Two organ pieces were then presented by Michael Beattie, President and
Executive Director of the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, and
Organist-Choirmaster at The Chapel Of The Cross Episcopal Church in Madison.
Master Tallis’ Testament, from six pieces by Herbert Howells, was first and
used a wide dynamic range from quiet and peaceful to full and dramatic.
There were moments when the listener could find the musical style that
characterized the music of Thomas Tallis. Paean, by Kenneth Leighton,
followed and was played with drama and energy. The syncopations were jazzy
and exciting - a wonderful piece really well played.
The St. James choir, directed by Donald Messer, was next. There were two
a cappella selections, "Puer Nobis", by Richard Rodney Bennett, and
"Jesus Christ the Apple Tree", by Phillip Stopford. The choir used a mixed
voice choral sound that was well balanced and precise. Two selections, "If
Ye Love Me", by Philip Wilby, and "The Souls of the Righteous", by Geraint
Lewis, were accompanied and directed by Messer from the organ. The final
anthem was "Seek Him That Maketh the Seven Stars", by Jonathan Dove, and
was quite mystical. The organ accompaniment, played by Michael Beattie, was
composed so that there was a sound image of outer space. A toccata figure
that appeared in the middle also sounded other-worldly. Coordinating the
choir and organ was very complicated but Messer and the choir made it seem
easy. This was followed by a quiet organ piece played by Messer: Aria, from
three pieces by Lennox Berkeley, was peaceful in a somewhat lullaby style
using a solo with accompaniment registration.
The final work, Festival Te Deum, by Benjamin Britten, was sung by the
combined choirs with John Paul, conductor, Shawn Leopard, soloist, and
Michael Beattie, organist. This performance by these two fine choirs,
conductor, soloist and organist, in a room sympathetic to music was,
stunning and was a fitting finale to an evening of musical feasting.
Jackson is indeed fortunate to have such talented, dedicated church choirs
and leaders to provide quality music every Sunday in the worship of God.
- Billy Trotter