AGO Members with Guests Tessika McClendon,
Sigrid Wise,
James Sclater, and Nash Noble,
at Northminster Baptist Church,
Sept 17, 2010
The program began with the singing of a hymn - "God, Our Help and
Constant Refuge", tune Michael, by Herbert Howells. It was preceded by
a voluntary, after which Cantor Nash Noble sang the first verse and the
audience responded enthusiastically with the remaining ones. In its
recitals the Organ Historical Society always begins with a hymn, to
show how a particular organ functions in supporting singing, and it
was in that spirit that one was included here.
Next Annie Coleman played
African-American composer Florence Price's "Retrospection" most
expressively. David Harrison followed, with Petr Eben's "Moto
Ostinato" (from "Sunday Music for Organ"), an exciting and vigorous
piece. Then Carol Durham played Dan Locklair's Toccata "His Wonders
to Perform" (from "In Mystery and Wonder"). There were passages where
her feet were literally dancing. James and Judy Sclater followed, with
his arrangement of "When the Saints Go Marching In", for clarinet
(James) and organ (Judy). It was New Orleans jazz at it finest.
Another duo, Sheila Hess and Billy Trotter, presented the rollicking
"Stars and Stripes Forever", arranged by Elizabeth and Raymond Chenault
for one organ, four hands and four feet. Len Bobo then played one
of his own compositions, an exciting Toccata, and afterwards David
O'Steen played the glorious "Carillon de Westminster" of Louis Vierne.
Tessika McClendon (accompanied by O'Steen) closed the program with a
group of four pieces for soprano: Handels' "Let the Bright Seraphim"
and "O Had I Jubal's Lyre"; "Pie Jesu" (from Andrew Lloyd Webber's
"Requiem"); and Moses Hogan's arrangement of "Give Me Jesus".
McClendon, a former student of Kathy Castilla and a 2004 graduate
of Tougaloo College, and later of the Boston Conservatory, sang
- how best to say it? - beautifully. Perhaps the most moving of all
was the "Pie Jesu", in which she was assisted by the young voice of
Sigrid Wise. It was a wonderfully impressive and climactic close to
an evening of musical delights.
- Glenn A. Gentry