Music at Trinity’s opening concert of the 2012-13 season will feature the proven artistry of three Santa Barbara musicians — flautist Suzanne Duffy, organist Roger Daggy and guest vocalist Temmo Korisheli — in recital at 3:30 p.m. Sunday at Trinity Episcopal Church, 1500 State St.
Admission is free, and all are welcome.
The lovely and intriguing program will include Johann Sebastian Bach’s Prelude in C-Major, BWV 547; Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach’s “Hamburg Sonata” in G-Major (1786); the bass aria “Lass, o Welt, mich aus Verachtung” from Bach’s cantata, Liebster Immanuel, Herzog der Frommen, BWV 123; Sigfrid Karg-Elert’s Sonata for Solo Flute, Opus 140 “Appassionata” (1917); “A Simple Song” from Leonard Bernstein’s Mass (1971); Jehan Alain’s Trois mouvements pour Flute et Orgue (1935); Maurice Durufle’s Prelude and Fugue on the name “Alain,” Opus 7 (1942); Philippe Gaubert’s Fantasie (1912); and, in recognition of this 100th anniversary year of the dedication of Trinity Episcopal Church, Louis Vierne’s Carillon of Westminster, Opus 54, No. 6.
I don’t consider it a stretch to assume your familiarity with the Bachs, père et fils, nor that you know enough about Bernstein and Duruflé to know you’re in for a treat. That leaves Karg-Elert, Alain, Gaubert and Vierne.
Karg-Elert (1877-1933), born Siegfried Theodor Karg, was a German composer of the early 20th century, whose compositions — mainly for organ and harmonium — enjoyed considerable popularity in his time. One biographer characterized his style as being “late-romantic with impressionistic and expressionistic tendencies.”
Alain (1911-40) was a French composer of great promise and substantial achievement whose 10-year career was cut short by the German invasion of June 1940. He composed choral music, including a Requiem mass, chamber music, songs and three volumes of piano music, but is chiefly remembered for his organ music. He died a hero’s death — a dispatch rider for the Eighth Motorized Armour Division of the French Army, he was out checking up on the German advance on June 20.
Rounding a curve, he came upon a German troop. Dismounting his motorcycle, he took the whole bunch on with his carbine, killing 16 before being killed himself. He was awarded the Croix de Guerre posthumously, and the Germans buried him with full military honors. (A similar, if less spectacular, fate befell the great French composer Alberic Magnard in 1914. Those Germans!)
Vierne (1870-1937) was a French organist and composer who was known as one of the greatest improvisers of his generation. He was principal organist at the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris, and a professor at the Paris Conservatory (numbering Lili Boulanger, Nadia Boulanger, and Marcel Dupré among his many well-known pupils). One writers says of his music: “His harmonic language was romantically rich, but not as sentimental or theatrical as that of his early mentor César Franck.”
— Gerald Carpenter covers the arts as a Noozhawk contributor. He can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk or @NoozhawkNews.
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