Recital 11th September 2023, St Saviour’s Eastbourne

Introduction, Passacaglia and Fugue (1916) Healey Willan (1880-1968) Symphony No. 5, Op. 42, Nr. 1 (1879) Charles-Marie Widor (1844-1937) (i) Allegro vivace (ii) Allegro cantabile (iii) Andantino quasi allegretto (iv) Adagio (v) Toccata Healey Willan’s earliest musical training was as a chorister at the choir school of ’s, venue to this recital. His famous masterpiece ‘Introduction, Passacaglia and Fugue’ was written in 1916 after his emigration to Canada. Described by Joseph Bonnet as the ‘greatest of its genre since Bach’, this is a virtuoso work of great depth, ingenuity, and variety. Firmly established in the remote key of Eb minor, it has a uniquely intense resonance which serves to heighten its romantic passion. Inspired by the large Casavant organ of S. Paul’s Toronto built in 1914, whose particular feature was a large battery of solo tubas, the composition was the result of a musical challenge from a friend that only a ‘German philosophical mind’ could write a truly fine passacaglia. Willan’s answer to this was composed, one variation at a time, on his train journey into work, resulting in a set of 18 variations including a powerful Wagnerian funeral march, followed by choral, fugue and finally a mighty coda. Although later known as the ‘Dean of Canadian Composers’ and commissioned to compose an anthem for the 1953 Coronation, never again did Willan write organ music on such a huge scale. A recording by Francis Jackson in 1964 assured a place in the mainstream organ repertoire in England. Charles-Marie Widor (1844–1937) was, along with his teacher, Lemmens, responsible for the renaissance of French organ music and playing in the 19th century. His teaching at the Conservatoire inspired a generation which included Tournemire, Guilmant, Vierne and Dupré. French organists were among the first to apply the advances in keyboard techniques pioneered by Liszt and to take advantage of the technological advances in the romantic organs of Cavaillé-Coll. These together opened up a new world of colour enabling composers such as Franck and Widor himself to take full advantage of a more orchestral approach. Widor was successively Professor of Organ and then of Composition at the Paris Conservatoire. He was also organist at Saint-Sulpice for over sixty years; he took up the post in 1869, seven years after the inauguration of the new Cavaillé-Coll instrument there. It cannot be coincidence that almost his complete organ output was in the form of ‘symphonies’: though first and foremost an organist, the general absence of contrapuntal writing and the detailed instructions on registration suggest that he approached the different colours of the organ as he would have done an orchestra. There continues to be a debate as to where Widor’s ten symphonies were intended merely as suites or collection of separate pieces (in the manner of Couperin and Rameau) or were structured as a whole. Whilst the movements do not have titles in the manner of many of Vierne’s pieces, there is no indication that any of these pieces were intended for use separately in a religious context. There is certainly nothing miniature about Widor’s symphonic movements. The key structure of the five movements of the Symphony No 5 (F minor, F minor, A flat, C, F) are indicative of an overall key scheme. Although Widor himself may have played the famous Toccata as a separate piece (reputedly on Easter Day), it looks as if the Symphony was intended to be performed complete, as a recital work. Today you have the opportunity to judge for yourself by listening to the whole Symphony. The work opens with a lively Allegro movement, the main theme of which appears at the start in detached chords played softly on the swell. Three variations on the theme lead to a central section on great diapasons. Development of the main musical idea follows, culminating in a thrilling restatement on full organ. The second movement is best described as an intermezzo. The main theme is directed to be played on the oboe stop, with a gentle accompaniment in staccato semiquavers. After a slow-moving central section with strings and celeste predominating, the opening tune reappears, followed by a short coda. A dotted-rhythm pedal solo opens the Andantino which follows, and the pedals provide much of the rhythmic impulse thereafter, keeping up a restless ostinato figure. The fourth movement is in complete contrast to the Toccata which follows it and is a sedate Adagio, with the melody played on the pedals by a flute at four-foot pitch. The famous Toccata in reality consists of very simple harmonic material woven into a brilliantly effective piece, made famous by certain royal weddings. The staccato semiquavers in the right hand, the tune in long notes in the pedals, set off by the rhythmic chords in the left hand – each contributes something different to the overall effect.