A kolozsvári Nagyboldogasszony templom orgonája
A kolozsvári Nagyboldogasszony templom orgonája
Hymnus A solis ortus cardine – Christmas
Laudatory Hymn
Nicolas de GRIGNY: A solis ortus cardine I–IV.
Nicolas de Grigny (1672-1703) was the organist of the Notre-Dame
Coronation Cathedral from Reims, following in the footsteps of his
father and grandfather. Earlier, between 1693 and 1695 he served as an
organist at the Saint Denis Cathedral in Paris. In 1695 he married
Marie-Magdeleine de France, with whom he had seven children. He died
young, at the age of 31. His main work is Premier livre d'orgue,
first published in 1699, and again in 1711. For a long time, this
second edition was the only known. The sole existing copy of the first
edition was not found until 1949, in the National Library of France.
The first part of this collection contains parts of the Holy Mass,
while the second adaptations of five hymns for Vespers and Lauds. One
of these is the adaptation of the hymn entitled A solis ortus
cardine, a composition attributed to Caelius Sedulius, in the
5th century.
Antiphona Sancta Maria cum Magnificat – Antiphon for
Vespers on Marian festivals
Johann Sebastian BACH: Fuga sopra Magnificat BWV 733
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), the offspring of an extended family
of musicians, is the most significant composer of the German Baroque
music. He started his career in 1703 as an organist in the cities of
Amstadt, Mühlhausen and Weimar, and as a concertmaster (Kapellmeister)
in Köthen and Leipzig. One of the main pillars of his legacy is the
rich organ literature that professionally is highly demanding, often
requiring virtuosity. Most of his organ works were written in Weimar
(for example the first part of the Orgenbüchlein, a collection
containing 44 choral preludes). Saint Thomas Church of Leipzig was his
workplace for the last 23 years of his life. The Sovereign appointed
him as Court Composer in 1736. In 1747 he received a de facto
invitation to the Prussian Court. It was there, that he became
familiarized with the fortepiano, a new musical instrument at
that time. He died of diabetes and a cerebral stroke. The fugue written
for the Magnificat (Mary's Song, Luke 1:46-55) evokes a
recitative tone, called tonus peregrinus. Unlike other reciting tones,
here the tone of the first verse differs from the second. The first
part of the actual theme shows up in the fugue's exposition, but it
fully evolves on the pedals only in the second part.
hymnus Veni Creator Spiritus – hymn for Vespers during the week
before Pentecost
Johann Sebastian BACH: Komm, Gott, Schöpfer, Heiliger Geist!
BWV 667
One of the greatest challenges and achievements of J. S. Bach's
lifework were his chorale arrangements, the main body of Protestant
congregational singing. The master arranged 188 chorales for four
voices, some having multiple versions. He also composed instrumental
chorale preludes, partitas, chorale fantasies and fugues, most of them
for the organ. The lyrics of the Veni Creator Spiritus hymn is
attributed to Rabanus Magnentius Maurus, the renowned 9th century
Frankish theologian. The poem follows the noblest tradition of the
Ambrosian (Milanese) hymn-lyrics. In his Komm, Gott, Schöpfer,
Heiliger Geist! chorale arrangement, Bach leaves the first two
lines of the four-division musical strophe untouched, but he re-writes
the third and fourth lines in order to confer a more "German" character
to it that the chorale tradition required.
hymnus Ave Maris stella – Hymn for Vespers on Marian festivals
Charles TOURNEMIRE: Fantaisie-Improvisation sur Ave maris stella
Charles Tournemire (1870-1939), born in Bordeaux, was César Franck's
youngest disciple. From 1898 until his death he had been the titular
organist of the St. Clotilde Basilica of Paris; he also taught chamber
music and organ improvisation at the Conservatoire of Paris. He
died in 1939 of unknown circumstances. He was considered a prominent
master of the art of improvisation. Tournemire's improvisations are
characterized by an enthusiasm of free soaring, unlike those of his
friend and colleague, Vierne, whose improvisations are more
"componistic". In 1930 five of Tournemire's major organ improvisations
were recorded on phonograph, and later transcribed by Maurice Duruflé. Ave
maris stella is one of the five opuses of improvisation on Marian
hymns. With its wallow in rich colour nuances, chromatic repetitions,
reverberation effects and César Franck-like romantic cantabiles,
he seems to follow 19th century French organ tradition.
introitus Puer natus est nobis – Introit to third Christmas
Mass
Olivier MESSIAEN: Puer natus est nobis (Livre du Saint
Sacrement V.)
Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992) was born in Avignon. He studied organ and
improvisations from Marcel Dupré, and composition and orchestration
from Paul Dukas. In 1931 he became the organist of the Holy Trinity
Church in Paris. In his compositions elements of numerology, of the
Gregorian cantus planus, of Indian rhythm and Javan gamelan
tonality can be traced alongside of Stravinsky's and Debussy's
influence. Being a professional ornithologist, Messiaen studied the
melody and rhythm of bird songs. In his organ composition, Puer
natus est nobis, dedicated to the sacraments, he cut the melody of
the Christmas Introit into two parts, then he filled it with furiously
alternating compact chords and rich harmonies, while the whole work is
woven through with the starting fifth ("Puer") reminiscent of
the dawn trumpet call.
hymnus Lucis Creator optime – Invitatory-hymn during ordinary
time
Jehan ALAIN: Variations sur Lucis Creator
Jehan Alain (1911-1940) was born in Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Music ran in
his family, his father was a composer and organist, and his brothers
also became musicians. Having studied under famous masters of the Conservatoire
of Paris, he won national grand prize in theory of harmony,
counterpoint and fugue practices. He was named the organist at the
Maisons-Laffitte in 1936. Alain's Litanies are today considered
standard pieces of the 20th century organ literature. He died at the
age of 29, leaving behind three children. The short first part of his
work uses Pope St. Gregory the Great's twilight hymn (Lucis Creator
optime) and presents the theme in chord setup. The first variation
is chorale-like: the slightly transformed cantus firmus is
accompanied by a string of quavers, while the pedal-part also divides.
The second variation is basically a fugue, which settles down, after a
tonal parade – behind the pedals' playing the theme as a "farewell" –
by the end of the composition.
hymnus A Patre Unigenite – Vespers Hymn for the Baptism of the
Lord
Hans Peter TÜRK: In baptismate Domini
Hans Peter Türk (b.1940) is a composer and a professor. He studied
composition with Sigismund Toduţă at the Music Academy of Cluj
(Romania), and became a professor of theory of harmony and composition
in the same school. In his orchestral, choral, organ and chamber music
works, Transylvanian themes rooted in the folklore or the German
literary tradition play a central role. He composed his work, In
baptismate Domini, by invitation, especially for this CD. Its title
refers to the liturgical use of the hymn A Patre unigenite, on
the day of the Lord's Baptism. Throughout the composition, in the midst
of the easily recognizable hymn melody, surprising ornamentations
appear as symbols for contemplation, exultation, quest or discovery.