J.S. Bach’s Mein gläubiges Herze frohlocke Mark Sedio’s ... · PDF fileent—choral/vocal accompaniments. Bach’s “Mein gläubiges Herze froho l cke ... very....

40 THE AMERICAN ORGANIST

For the upcoming CAGO exams,candidates will be required to playtwo challenging—and very differ-

ent—choral/vocal accompaniments.Bach’s “Mein gläubiges Herze froh locke”(My Heart Ever Faithful) from Cantata68 (Also hat Gott die Welt geliebt) is abeloved soprano aria. Mark Sedio’s Richin Promise is an attractive contemporarycomposition for two-part mixed voicesand keyboard.

Interestingly, Bach’s aria is found in avery different form in Cantata 208, thelengthy secular cantata for the birthdayof Duke Christian of Saxe-Weissenfels.Here we find the bass line only of “Myheart ever faithful,” outfitted with an en-tirely different tune and text. (The glori-ous “Sheep may safely graze” also comesfrom this cantata.) In Cantata 68, thepresent aria is the second movement, butthe original is still quite different fromthe familiar arrangements (such as theone readily found on IMSLP). The ariais scored for violoncello piccolo and bas-so continuo; a violin and oboe are heldin reserve for a lengthy postscript to thesoprano part. This part is excised fromthe usual vocal score. The score youprobably hold in your hands is a realiza-tion for solo keyboard.

Given the usual arrangement, and thefact that the original has no change in orchestration, it is best to approach theaccompaniment with a simple and un-changing registration. Given the rapidityof the left-hand part, which is the violon-cello piccolo of the original, pedal is outof the question—unless you wish tomake use of silent pedal here and there,as you think best. As the popular ar-rangement places one ritornello in thehighest register of the organ, and as theoriginal has a restrained orchestration, Isuggest keeping the registration to some-thing like Swell flute 8' and principal 4' .Other solutions are possible, but I wouldavoid going above the four-foot range.Keep it consistent for the sake of the mu-sic, and keep it simple for your own sake.

Regarding articulations, the common

vocal-keyboard score has many addedstaccato markings and the like. Youmight consult the full score to get a clearsense of how the violoncello piccolo is indialogue with the soprano, and practiceaccordingly, using such articulations asprovide clarity and structure. Regardingtempo: obviously, don’t rush, and don’tdrag. A moderately-quick tempo—say,

= 84—should do just fine. It’s not aspeed-reading contest; you get no kudosfor pulling off the 16th notes at a speedno singer could ever match.

* * *Mark Sedio is cantor of Central Lu -

ther an Church, Minneapolis. His Rich in Promise is a lyrical, mystical setting ofwords by Hildegard of Bingen, adaptedby Susan Palo Cherwien. The piece is fortwo-part mixed voices and “keyboard,”but it is definitely a keyboard with a damp -er pedal or sustain pedal that is intend ed.Several passages absolutely require recast-ing in order to work at the organ.

I would register most of the piece onquiet 8' flues—including strings, if possi-ble. On my instrument, I have no issuesusing celeste ranks as a component of thiskind of soft and prayerful registration;there are those who would forbid thementirely in choral accompaniments, butyou may use your best judgment, basedon the instrument in question. I wouldreserve the pedal for the low notes begin-ning in m. 6 and thereafter. I do not rec-ommend soloing out, as there are no true

solo lines in an organistic sense. To createone would require significant rewritingand seems unnecessary in any case.

Several spots simply cannot be playedon the organ as written. One is the sec-tion including mm. 57 and 58. Here, thedamper pedal of the piano can sustain ap-propriately, and this is undoubtedly whatthe composer intended. The organistshould not simply lift and strike the highclusters, but rather work out a way to sus-tain as much of the lower chord as feasi-ble (including all the chord tones, insome good voicing), and playing the highclusters over this. These clusters should“shimmer”; they are not “splash” effects.

This piece will definitely challenge theorganist to come up with a musical andelegant solution. The good news is thatthe piece contains enough lyricism andintrospection that different solutionsmay be found. Never use this lyricism toexcuse sloppy rhythms or wholesale sim-plifications; you can and should be pe-nalized if you do this. The 16th notes, inparticular, are virtually always realizable,and should be played. Also, do not hangabout the bottom octave of the pedal-board, but play the bass notes in theirproper register, according to the logic ofthe music. They are an integral part ofthe voice-leading. The fact that bassnotes are mixed with eighth and 16thnotes does not mean that they are not asinging line in their own right.

If you are determined to change regis-tration, you might consider intensifyingthe sound at m. 41. The question willthen arise, though, of how to get back tothe original sonorities. Do not purchaseeffects of registration at the high price ofmusical integrity. Remember that the re-duction of stops is most effective onweak beats, unless there is something inthe music that inherently requires anoth-er solution.

Best of luck in your practicing! May yousucceed in your every musical ambition.

Jonathan B. Hall, FAGO, ChM, is director ofthe Committee for Professional Certification.

AGO CAGO EXAMINATION REPERTOIRE

J.S. Bach’s Mein gläubiges Herze frohlockeMark Sedio’s Rich in Promise

Jonathan B. Hall

This piece will definitely challenge the organist to come up with a musical

and elegant solution. The good news is that

the piece contains enough lyricism and introspection

that different solutions may be found.

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Johannes Brahms: Herzlich tut mich er-freuen, No. 4 from Elf Choralvorspiele,Op. posth. 122 (any edition).

IT IS COMMONLY KNOWN that Jo-hannes Brahms wrote relatively littlemusic for the organ, especially with re-

spect to his overall compositional output.Despite this, there is little doubt that herespected this instrument and, from thetime of his initial learning to play the or-gan in his early 20s, remained interestedin it. In correspondence with his friendClara Schumann, Brahms describes his or-gan practice sessions and muses about apossible tour as a concert organist. Severalchoral works, including the great Re-quiem, include organ accompaniment orindications. The early organ works byBrahms, dating from the 1850s, includethe preludes and fugues in A minor and G minor, the chorale prelude and fugueon “O traurigkeit,” and the Fugue in A-flat Minor.

The publication dates of Brahms’s or-gan works are scattered and do not corre-spond to the composition dates. A latecontribution to the repertoire, the ElfChoralvorspiele (11 Chorale Preludes) werewritten as a tribute to Clara Schumannfollowing her death. Often included in abeginning organ student’s “shopping list”of repertoire to be covered during thecourse of study, the pieces are certainlyworth more than a cursory examination.The author strongly recommends readingThe Organ Music of Johannes Brahms byBarbara Owen (Oxford University Press,2007) as a supplement to your prepara-tions. Owen’s writing is superb, and thebook includes extensive commentary onthe issues discussed in this article.

On EditionsVarious editions of the organ works of

Brahms are currently available. The origi-nal Simrock edition of the 11 Chorale Pre-ludes is available in its entirety at Imslp.org, and the engraving is still legible. TheKalmus and Dover editions are reprints

of an early Breitkopf & Härtel edition.While it is useful to become fluent inreading C clefs, if you are uncomfortablewith reading the alto clef (used in No. 4),know that the Edward B. Marks, Peters,and G. Henle Verlag editions have elimi-nated the alto clef and rewritten the musicin the usual G and F clefs. Occasionalpublications of the 11 Chorale Preludeshave also reworked several of the preludesin order to allow for soloing out of themelody. Herzlich tut mich erfreuen is notone of the affected chorales, but it is worthnoting this when purchasing an edition.The effect achieved by, for example, play-ing the melody on a solo stop in the pedalcan be beautiful and should not be ruledout completely; but it should not be con-sidered authentic to the composer’s origi-nal intent.

RegistrationDepending on the edition being used,

various suggestions may be offered by theeditors. Brahms does not give specific di-rections for registration, but he does pro-vide dynamic indications. The playershould change manuals, using the dynam-ic markings as the indication of where todo so. Begin on a softer manual, changingto a second, louder sound at the fourthbeat of m. 4, where the cantus firmus isstated in the soprano, and the pedal en-ters. Remain there until the fourth beat ofm. 8; from there, alternate keyboards ac-cording to the dynamic markings. In oth-er words, play on the louder keyboardwhenever the pedal is required, the lastentrance of the pedal being anticipated byone quarter-note value. (A third keyboardor a still softer registration might be con-sidered for the phrases marked piano.)The text of the chorale Herzlich tut micherfreuen is joyful and optimistic in charac-ter, yet at the same time demonstrates re-straint, longing, and even uncertainty. An overly exuberant registration such asorgano pleno would be too aggressive forthis piece. Two combinations of similartimbre but contrasting volume would

work well, and the pedal, with 16' stop,must balance with the louder of the twomanual combinations. Some combinationof flutes and/or principals at 8', 8', and4'—or even as much as a subtle 2' stop—could work, depending on the instru-ment. A choice as simple as two contrast-ing 8' principals would be a viable option;while something modestly brighter, suchas Principals 8' and 4' on the main key-board, and Flute 8' with principal 4' onthe secondary (softer) keyboard, wouldalso be acceptable. Combining principalsand flutes at these pitches is acceptable.Barbara Owen points out that all of theorgans that Brahms knew were built afterthe death of Bach—some well into the19th century—and therefore a neo-Baroque approach to registration, such asthat suggested in the Peters edition, wouldbe ill-advised.

InterpretationAn initial glance at chorale No. 4 im-

mediately reveals the pianistic, arpeggi atedtexture. Arpeggiation not being immedi-ately idiomatic to the organ, the first in-terpretational challenge will be arriving ata touch that sounds natural. Lean in thedirection of legato, but a slightly brighterlegato that allows the type of clarity that apiano’s percussive attack would provide.The constant eighth-note motion shouldbe clean and precise, but not deliberatelydetached or articulate. (This texture isreminiscent of some organ music by Men-delssohn—such as the opening of SonataIV of Op. 65 or the Prelude in C Minorof Op. 37, for which a similar key touchworks well.) A further peculiarity of theopening texture is the use of double-stems(such as on the very first A-natural). Bar-bara Owen states, with regard to thesedouble-note-value pitches, that they“must be brought out with care, suffi-ciently to make them noticeable, but notat the expense of the free-flowing move-ment that underlies them.” Select a tempothat allows the music to proceed withease, while still allowing for flexibility.

Johannes Brahms’s Herzlich tut mich erfreuenLouis Vierne’s Matines

Andrew Scanlon


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A metronome marking of around = 96is a good place to start; yet the use ofhemiola in this piece means the playermust take care to place emphasis correct-ly, without overaccenting.

The manual changes described abovealso present a challenge, both in terms of tempo and fluency. Avoid a “leaping”or “stabbing” approach to the manualchanges. Carefully consider the arrange-ment of Manuals I and II as upper/lower,to facilitate ease of manual changes.Many organs have a manual transferswitch, the use of which could be advan-tageous. Take extra care to work out thefingering at manual changes, and allow asubtle give-and-take in your tempo at thepoint of transition.

Louis Vierne, Matines from Triptyque,Op. 58 (Editions Lemoine, MastersMusic Publications, or Imslp.org).

Vierne’s Triptyque is somewhat of anoverlooked jewel among the smallerworks of 20th-century French com-posers. Not as frequently performed asthe smaller 24 Pieces in Free-Style, thethree movements of this set are roughlythe same level of technical difficulty, andare composed with the typical evocativeflair that we expect of Vierne’s music.The CAGO exam options recommendthe first, Matines (dedicated to MauriceDuruflé), as one of the Group B possibil-ities. The title is an obvious allusion tothe morning; given the following move-ment’s title of Communion, the other ob-vious connection is to the monastic of-fice of Morning Prayer. Peaceful andmesmerizing, Matines is equally usefulfor concert or church services.

RegistrationIn contrast to the Brahms work dis-

cussed above, Vierne gives very specificregistration directions. This is typical ofFrench composers going back as far asthe French Classic period. While the in-structions call for three manuals, thepiece can be easily adapted for a two-manual organ by playing the first sectionon either the Great or the Swell, which -ever has the more beautiful flutes. Ofnote here is the difference between openand stopped flutes. Vierne asks for both a Cor de nuit and a Flûte, as he clearly hasin mind a color that combines that of astopped and an open flute. Insofar as ispossible, it would be ideal to recreate this

combination. Realizing the limitations of some organs, it may be necessary touse whatever flute stop is available. Themood of the piece, however, requires oneto find a flute combination that is sweetand free of excessive chiff. It’s also inter-esting that, although the score indicatesboth hands should play on the Positive,expressive dynamic markings are includ-ed. Most French organs do not have anenclosed Positive division. This strength-ens a case for playing the first section onthe Swell if adapting to a two-manual organ.

As always, any and all dynamic indica-tions in French Romantic music are tobe interpreted as directions to manipu-late the swell box. When the indication ispiano, the box should be closed; con-versely, when the dynamic states forte,the box should be open. Beginning at thethird system of page 2, where the texturechanges from chordal to contrapuntal,play on two manuals: the left hand onthe oboe with flute 4', and the right handon a flute. Adjust the pedal balance, ifneeded.

At the second section of page 3, theindication “GR” indicates to play on theGreat with the swell coupled. The three-measure sequence at the bottom of page3 can either be played on the Positive, oron another keyboard, by using a divi-sional piston; but make sure the sound isa flute, as called for in the composer’s in-structions. At the turn to page 4, play onthe Swell, using the strings only (youshould take off the oboe and flute 4' ).Maintain this registration until the end,using the box to shape the phrases as in-dicated in the score. Save the tightlyclosed box position for the last chord,closing it fully before playing the pedalF-sharp.

InterpretationWith a few exceptions, the notes in

Matines lay under the fingers naturally. I would recommend beginning yourpreparation of the work with a study ofthe chromatic and enharmonic portions,to build in a comfort level with readingthe myriad accidentals. The two portionsthat will require a bit of dissecting aremm. 15–19, and mm. 75–80. The shortscope and poignant character of the work,with its gentle rocking motion, does notrequire that the player emote a great dealor use excessive rubato. A straightforward

rendition of the notes, taking care tomaintain a very consistent legato touchthroughout, will allow the unclutteredgracefulness of the work to reveal itself. In several places, a rest in the right handallows for a breath in the musical line(e.g., m. 9, beat 3). Lift the soprano voiceprecisely, while connecting the remainderof the voices in hands and feet. In thefirst and second systems of page 2, it ishelpful to play the occasional alto voicein the left hand, allowing for more easeof legato without awkward substitutions.In mm. 43–46, note the stem direction/voice leading challenges, and be sure tokeep the alto voice legato. Between mm.78 and 79, even though a slur might sug-gest a lift in the soprano voice, it makesmore sense to play through without abreath at that point, to avoid an unmusi-cal accent on the G-sharp.

Andrew Scanlon, FAGO, is the organ profes-sor at East Carolina University, and organist-choirmaster at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church inGreenville, N.C. He is a member of theAGO’s Committee on Professional Certifica-tion and an active recitalist.

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Surely, the most famous Advent music of all timeis Bach’s “Wachet auf,” BWV 645 (“Wake,awake”), recommended for Advent I. Philipp

Nicolai wrote his Advent text in 1599. Take time tolearn its beautiful melody by heart; your interpreta-tion of the chorale prelude will certainly benefit fromfamiliarity with the chorale that inspired it.

Ex. 1: “Wachet auf” chorale

“Wachet auf” is the first of six cho rale preludes published byJ.G. Schübler, probably in 1748 or 1749. At least five of the sixpieces are transcriptions by Bach of arias from his cantatas; “Wa-chet auf” was originally the fourth movement of Cantata 140. Inthe original composition, tenor voices sing the chorale melody,while above it violins and viola play an original melody in unison.Peter Williams (The Organ Music of Bach, Cambridge UniversityPress, 1980, Vol. 2) quotes several theories about the symbolismof this added melody: Does it represent the call of the watchmen,Zion’s heart leaping for joy, or even the arrival of the bridegroom?Beneath the chorale, continuo players (keyboard plus string bass)provide the bass line and fill in the harmonies. In the composer’stranscription for organ, the right hand plays the string melody,the left hand represents the tenor voices, and the continuo is re-placed by a single pedal line.

REQUIREMENTSMost of the Schübler chorale preludes are more difficult to

play than they appear or sound. Bach’s usual practice when com-posing for organ was to consider the comfort of hands and feet;but here he composed the pieces originally for other media, so

his usual preoccupation with such practical matters could not ap-ply. The pedal line in “Wachet auf” is particularly awkward, andrequires agile feet (see Ex. 3) plus constant pivoting of the lowerbody. The right hand and feet need lively articulation, in themanner of string playing, while the left hand needs a clearly de-fined touch.

Any two-manual organ, provided it has at least two octaves ofpedals and a consistent, relatively lively action is suitable for thismusic.

EDITIONSThe best editions are by Bärenreiter (published with the

Orgelbüchlein and the Chorale Partitas, catalog no. BA 5171),and Breitkopf and Härtel (Schübler Chorales only, catalog no.EB 8352, or published with Clavierübung III and other choralepreludes, catalog no. EB 6588). The new Breitkopf Bach edition(Vol. 6, edited by Werner Breig, EB 8806) is certainly one toconsider if you are investing in a new book, but I have not hadthe opportunity to examine it. The Peters Edition is also reli -able. If the Novello is the only edition available, please white out all inappropriate editorial additions. These include marks of tempo and mood, dynamics and registration, and the articu -lation marks in the left hand and pedal.

REGISTRATIONBach has left us some registration marks: Pedal 16 Fuss (Pedal

16 foot), Sinistra 8 Fuss (left hand 8 foot), Dextra 8 Fuss (righthand 8 foot). These simply confirm for us the foundation pitch ofeach department. In other words, you should draw Pedal 16' plusat least 8'; and for each hand, you should draw 8' plus, if you like,higher pitched stops. The balance of the three lines should beroughly equal in dynamic level but contrasting in character. Be-yond this advice, you can register the piece as you like. Bear inmind the bold, invigorating character of the text, but also con-sider the warmth of the original scoring. For example, you mightchoose for the left hand: reed or principal 8' (no louder thanmf ); for the pedal: flute 16', principal 8'; right hand: flute 8',principal 4'.

LEARNING THE NOTESConsider your touch before planning fingering and pedaling.

Bach has included bowing marks in the right hand, which weshould follow, making small articulations before and after eachslur and between each beat, in the manner of Baroque string play-ing. These bowing marks are not quite complete (see mm. 40 and50, where the editor in your volume may have suggested slurring


J.S. Bach’s Choral Prelude “Wachet auf, ruft uns die stimme”(from Schübler Chorales, any edition)

Anne Marsden Thomas

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AUGUST 2015 2

each of the first two beats to be consistent with mm. 5, 9, etc.),and you should play through the right hand to ensure that youare clear about the touch for every note. The left hand shouldseparate very slightly between each beat, replicating the conso-nants of the chorale text in the original scoring. The feet tooshould slightly separate between beats, like a string player usingseparate bows. Note that these separations therefore coincide, soyou will need to take care to release the hands and feet simulta-neously between each beat.

These tiny gaps between the beats, absolutely normal for key-board players of this period, contribute clarity of melody andharmony plus a dancing vitality in the rhythm. They also makethe piece much easier to play, as shifts of hand or foot positionfrequently coincide with these gaps.

Ex. 2: mm. 14–15

Now that you know where the gaps are, it is time to plan thepedaling. Usually, when playing music of this period, an all-toespolicy is the most comfortable and effective. However, as thebass was not originally conceived with feet in mind, this pedalline does not lie obviously under the feet, and you may evenfind it convenient to use an occasional heel. My pedaling hereincludes alternate toes (sometimes crossing), single toe on con-secutive notes, plus a rare heel.

Ex. 3: mm. 8–13 (pedal)

Before planning the fingering, I suggest you consider the or-naments—because it is easier to learn them first. We have thefollowing ornaments in this piece:

APPOGGIATURA

The right-hand appoggia -tura in m. 7 is identical inrhythm to those in mm. 8, 24,25, 30, 38, 39, 48, and 49.

The right-hand appoggia -tura in m. 12 (in the firstbox), begins on the beat. It is identical in treatment to the one in m. 52.

Similarly, the left-hand appoggiatura in m. 20 be-gins on the beat, then riseson the second 16th to themain note.

SLIDE

The sign in m. 8 (righthand) indicates a slide.Check that you begin theslide on the beat. This meansthat the slide supplants themain note: begin the slide where the main note is printed.

TRILL

As with the appoggiaturaand the slide, all trills beginon, not before, the beat.This rhythmic placementdemands extra care whenplaying trills. The right-hand trills in mm. 11, 28, and 41 are on eighth notes, so there isplenty of time to make a graceful, metrical trill.

In m. 12, the trill with printed closing notes is much simplerthan it looks. Once again, a graceful metrical trill works best.See Ex. 5 (second box) for this trill.

The right-hand trills in mm. 9, 10, 26, 27, 39, 40, and 49(right hand) are on 16ths, so they need to be rapid and clean.Effective fingering is therefore essential. Probably, you will pre-fer second and third fingers, repositioning your hand in thebreaks before and after the trill. Depending on your preference,and also on the nimbleness of your fingers, you can start eitheron the upper auxiliary (making a total of four notes) or on thewritten note (making a total of three notes).

Ex. 9: m. 9, first and second beats

option 1 option 2

Most of the left-hand trills are on quarter notes(mm. 21, 30, 33, 45).Closing notes (that is, afour-note turn to finishthe trill) are often addedhere; personally, I thinkthat it is more effective, as well as much easier, to stop the trill on the final eighth.

Ex. 4: m. 7

Ex. 5: m. 12

Ex. 6: m. 20

Ex. 7: m. 8

Ex. 8: m. 11, first and second beats

Ex. 10: m. 21 (first time, thirdand fourth beats)



Similarly, in m. 35, the trill sounds best if it stops on the finaleighth.

The trill in m. 18 (lefthand) indicates closingnotes, and the slur overthe second half of thismeasure is best interpret-ed by tying the two Dstogether.

You may wish to add extra ornaments: m. 25 should proba-bly be identical to m. 8, and m. 29 to m. 12. Most people add a short trill in m. 52 on the final beat (right hand).

FINGERINGIn this piece, your right-hand fingering can be somewhat un-

orthodox: experiment until you find the fingering that promotesthe best sound, the most graceful hand, and the most reliable ac-curacy. You will certainly shift the position of your right handvery frequently within each phrase.

Don’t forget to plan the left-hand fingering too. Even thoughit has the fewest notes, it has the most important line and needsto be played with perfect conviction and style.

When learning this piece, repeat each voice (right hand, lefthand, and pedal) separately, to ensure equal character and confi-dence. At every release, bring your finger and foot to the surfaceof the key, and then move across the keys to the next position;avoid aerial journeys of the hand or foot. Feel how every phrasemakes a journey toward the cadence and how each cadence isimmediately followed by a breath. To achieve confident pivotingof the lower body, learn the pedal line in two stages. First, playthe pedal part alone, with your hands resting on a stable surface,such as the console cheeks; then, repeat the pedal part with yourhands in the air. (For further guidance on pivoting, see 7.3 in mybook A Practical Guide to Playing the Organ [Cramer Music,London, 1997]).

Next, combine the voices in pairs, ensuring that the tiny gapsbetween each beat are perfectly coordinated. Choose your learn-

ing tempo imaginatively: while over-fast practice causes errorand stress, over-slow practice is boring and results in a dull per-formance. Remember to backtrack often, perhaps repeating eachphrase two or three times before moving on.

TOWARD THE PERFORMANCENow that you have learned the notes, you will want to work

toward a performance speed. I suggest = 76. The playing timetakes 41/2 minutes at this tempo. A metronome will be helpfulwhile you work on gradually increasing the speed of the choraleprelude. (Check that you do not speed up too suddenly.)

As the piece becomes more familiar to you, notice how clev-erly Bach expresses the text of the hymn. Observe how the restin m. 2 really “wakes up” the listeners! (Make sure that you donot sustain over the rests—a common fault.)

I love the way the right hand calls us to attention again in m. 21 (second time), interrupting the left hand’s cadence with a surprise repeat of its previous phrase, and how stirring the lastpage is, as the music steadily climbs through mm. 42–45, beforethe emotional peak in m. 47.

This article has been updated since its first publication in the November2002 issue of TAO.

Anne Marsden Thomas is head of the Royal College of Organists Acad -emy Organ School. She directs the annual RCO Summer Course in Lon -don, England, that regularly draws 80 students from all over the world,and has authored and/or edited 20 books for the student organist. She isthe director of music at St. Giles Cripplegate Church in London. For herservices to organ music, Thomas was awarded the MBE (Member of theMost Excellent Order of the British Empire) in 2015.

Ex. 12: mm. 1–3

Ex. 11: m. 18



David Ashley White: A Second Light, Selah Publishing Co., 160–660.

DAVID ASHLEY WHITE, born in1944, is Moores School of MusicProfessor of Composition at the

University of Houston in Texas. He holdsa bachelor of music degree in oboe perfor-mance and a master of music in composi-tion from the University ofHouston. His doctor of musi-cal arts degree is from the University of Texas at Austin.He served as director of theMoores School from 1999 to 2014. His vocal and instru-mental music is recorded onseveral labels, including Al-bany, Gothic, and Zephyr.Hymn tunes by White arepublished in several denomi-national hymnals, and fourvolumes of his hymns arepublished by Selah Publish-ing Co., most recently I’llSing and Joyful Be (2014). A seventh-generation Texan,he is composer in residence at PalmerMemorial Episcopal Church, Houston.The AGO 2016 National Convention inHouston will premiere his anthem With a Shining Like the Sun for mixed chorus,brass, timpani, organ, and congregation.The organ solo A Second Light, written

January 16, 2010, in Houston, is basedon the plainsong melody “Jesu dulcismemoria.” A two-manual instrument isspecified. Before starting to learn thispiece, it would be useful to listen to a re -cording of the plainsong melody, adjust-ing to the flowing, nonmetrical style ofthe chant on which it is based. There areseveral good a cappella versions availableon YouTube. A peaceful, reflective moodshould be established when playing the in-troduction and first entry of the plain-song. Between the two stanzas of thechant melody, there is a contrasting inter-lude, and the work ends with a soft coda.The beginning choice of stops is left tothe player. On some organs, an 8' Princi-

pal or Diapason could be used on ManualI; but on other organs, that might be toosturdy. Flutes and strings would be likely,but the same sound blend should not beon both keyboards. The sound on ManualI should be clearly differentiated from theaccompanying Manual II. The addition of bright reeds is indicat-

ed on page 2. Both hands are on the same manual atthat point,and it mustbe one onwhich theexpressionbox can beopenedtwice. Thereis no dimin-uendo indi-cated be-tween the ffof m. 24 andthe mp andmf indica-tions of m.25, so a gen-

eral piston should be used at the commabreak between these measures. If a three-manual organ is being played, the lefthand could be on a softer registration onManual III at m. 25. If a two-manual or-gan is being used, make sure the expres-sion box is almost closed before startingthe left-hand chord on beat 1, then openhalf way before playing the right-handeighths. At m. 42, the right-hand melodyis on Manual I, with a diminuendomarked. If Manual I is unenclosed, onesolution would be to have Manual II cou-pled to Manual I from the piston changeat m. 25. In this case, remove the couplerduring the rest at m. 45. It is also possibleto change to a softer stop on Manual I atthis time.

Robert J. Powell: “Dear Nightingale,Awake!” No. 3 in From Heaven Above,MorningStar Music, MSM 10-180.Robert Powell was born in 1932 in

Benoit, Mississippi. He earned a bachelor

of music degree from Louisiana State Uni-versity and was Alec Wyton’s assistant atthe Cathedral Church of St. John the Di-vine in New York City while earning hismaster of sacred music degree at UnionTheological Seminary. From 1968 to2003, he was director of music and or -ganist of Christ Church (Episcopal) ofGreenville, South Carolina. He holds theFellowship and Choir Master certificatesfrom the AGO. His Service of HolyCommunion is widely used in many Episcopal churches. Presently the organ -ist at Trinity United Methodist Church,Greenville, he has about 400 composi-tions in print. “Dear Nightingale,Awake!” is included in three pieces forChristmas in the suite From HeavenAbove. Based on a 17th-century Germancarol tune, this setting was published in2013. It uses only one manual, and theregistration given is Swell flutes 8' and 4'with Pedal of 16' and 8'. The Nazard 22/3'is added to the flutes at m. 25. This piecehas an easy pedal part. Melod ic figura-tions in the manual part suggest birdsong.In addition to the nightingale, there arethree cuckoo calls at the end of the piece.Due to the frequent repeated eighth

notes in the carol theme, consider playingmost eighths in the organ setting in three-quarter values, and the 16ths almost con-nected in legierro touch, with a light, deli-cate style. Most quarter notes would belegato. This will avoid the heavy effect ofplaying all nonrepeated notes legato andrepeated notes as being only half-value inlength. The composer has indicated a fewplaces where the 16ths are to be legato.The cuckoo call motif in the last systemhas staccatos over those eighth notes. Thispiece will be a short, cheerful addition toChristmas organ music libraries.

Kathleen Thomerson, FAGO, ChM, is pastdirector of the AGO Committee on Profes-sional Certification. Retired from MountOlive Lutheran Church in Austin, Tex., shecontinues to play as a substitute organist forchurches in Austin.


David Ashley White’s A Second LightRobert J. Powell’s Dear Nightingale, Awake!

Kathleen Thomerson

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