Wednesday 16th March 2016
12.30 Lunchtime Concert Anthony Cairns, organ Director of Music Christ Church (United Reformed), Leatherhead |
Sponsors: 2016 Season Sponsor: Patricia Morgan Optician Supported by: Leatherhead Concert & Arts Society 
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Programme
J S Bach - Through the Church Year
Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 582
From the “Schübler” Chorales
Advent
No. 1: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 645: Sleepers, wake! A voice is calling
From “Das Orgelbüchlein”
Advent
No. 1: Nun komm der Heiden Heiland, BWV 599: Now comes the gentiles’ salvation
Christmas
No. 8: Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her, BWV 606: From heaven above to earth I come
New Year
No. 15: Helft mir, Gottes Güte preisen, BWV 613: Help me to value God’s great gifts
Lent
No. 38: Durch Adams Fall ist ganz verderbt, BWV 637: Through Adam’s fall is all destroyed
No. 40: Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ, BWV 639: I cry to thee, Lord Jesus Christ
Easter
No. 30: Erstanden ist der heil’ge Christ, BWV 628: Arisen is the holy Christ
No. 32: Heut triumphiret Gottes Sohn, BWV 630: Today has triumphed God’s own Son
No. 31: Erschienen ist der herrliche Tag, BWV 629: The glorious day has now appeared
From “The Eighteen”
Pentecost
No. 17: Komm Gott Schöpfer heil’ge Geist, BWV 667: Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire
Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C, BWV 564
Programme Notes:
JS Bach was born on 21 March 1685. Most of his organ music survives only in copies made by his pupils. The Passacaglia and Fugue were probably written in his twenties. The first half of the 15-note theme of the Passacaglia (which also provides the fugue subject) is identical with a passacaglia bass use by André Raison. Although this majestic work sounds wonderful on a large organ, it is possible that it was intended for pedal harpsichord.
Schübler published six extended chorales by Bach in about 1748, transcribed from cantata movements. No. 1 is Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, “Sleepers, wake! A voice is calling”, in which the left-hand melody marked for a trumpet stop (in a rare indication of what stops to use) was sung by chorus tenors.
Das Orgelbüchlein was written between 1708 and 1717, while Bach was court organist to the Duke of Weimar. It survives in Bach’s manuscript as an incomplete project of 46 short preludes out of a planned 164, intended to cover the church year.
The Eighteen chorale preludes were published during Bach’s final years, and are also arranged in the order of the church year: No. 17 is based on the old Latin hymn Veni creator spiritus, “Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire”. In its two variations, the melody is heard first in the soprano and then in the pedals.
The Toccata Ped ex: C (or Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C) is another early work, showing influences from Buxtehude. Both the outer movements start with brief figures separated by silences, and one can imagine the gaps being filled by echoes when performed in a resonant building. The Toccata includes a long pedal solo, in the manner of his F-major toccata. The A minor Adagio is in the style of his chamber music for violin or flute, consisting of a long, song-like melody built in sequences. A link of expressive harmonies leads back to the key of C for the fugue, whose modest, throw-away ending implies a light choice of stops.
Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 582
From the “Schübler” Chorales
Advent
No. 1: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 645: Sleepers, wake! A voice is calling
From “Das Orgelbüchlein”
Advent
No. 1: Nun komm der Heiden Heiland, BWV 599: Now comes the gentiles’ salvation
Christmas
No. 8: Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her, BWV 606: From heaven above to earth I come
New Year
No. 15: Helft mir, Gottes Güte preisen, BWV 613: Help me to value God’s great gifts
Lent
No. 38: Durch Adams Fall ist ganz verderbt, BWV 637: Through Adam’s fall is all destroyed
No. 40: Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ, BWV 639: I cry to thee, Lord Jesus Christ
Easter
No. 30: Erstanden ist der heil’ge Christ, BWV 628: Arisen is the holy Christ
No. 32: Heut triumphiret Gottes Sohn, BWV 630: Today has triumphed God’s own Son
No. 31: Erschienen ist der herrliche Tag, BWV 629: The glorious day has now appeared
From “The Eighteen”
Pentecost
No. 17: Komm Gott Schöpfer heil’ge Geist, BWV 667: Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire
Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C, BWV 564
Programme Notes:
JS Bach was born on 21 March 1685. Most of his organ music survives only in copies made by his pupils. The Passacaglia and Fugue were probably written in his twenties. The first half of the 15-note theme of the Passacaglia (which also provides the fugue subject) is identical with a passacaglia bass use by André Raison. Although this majestic work sounds wonderful on a large organ, it is possible that it was intended for pedal harpsichord.
Schübler published six extended chorales by Bach in about 1748, transcribed from cantata movements. No. 1 is Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, “Sleepers, wake! A voice is calling”, in which the left-hand melody marked for a trumpet stop (in a rare indication of what stops to use) was sung by chorus tenors.
Das Orgelbüchlein was written between 1708 and 1717, while Bach was court organist to the Duke of Weimar. It survives in Bach’s manuscript as an incomplete project of 46 short preludes out of a planned 164, intended to cover the church year.
The Eighteen chorale preludes were published during Bach’s final years, and are also arranged in the order of the church year: No. 17 is based on the old Latin hymn Veni creator spiritus, “Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire”. In its two variations, the melody is heard first in the soprano and then in the pedals.
The Toccata Ped ex: C (or Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C) is another early work, showing influences from Buxtehude. Both the outer movements start with brief figures separated by silences, and one can imagine the gaps being filled by echoes when performed in a resonant building. The Toccata includes a long pedal solo, in the manner of his F-major toccata. The A minor Adagio is in the style of his chamber music for violin or flute, consisting of a long, song-like melody built in sequences. A link of expressive harmonies leads back to the key of C for the fugue, whose modest, throw-away ending implies a light choice of stops.
Anthony Cairns, organ
Anthony Cairns has been organist and choirmaster at Christ Church, Leatherhead, since 1965. He has appeared as soloist with the Surrey Philharmonic Orchestra in organ concertos by Handel and Poulenc. He studied piano teaching, cello, and choir training at the Royal College of Music and holds degrees in law (Cambridge, 1961) and music (London, 1977). Anthony became Head of Music at Esher College in 1977, and taught academic music at the Purcell School from 1987 until 1997. He was conductor of Leatherhead Choral Society from 1991 to 2000. In 2006 he formed the Leatherhead chamber choir AntiphoniA, with whom he has given 17 concerts.
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The Christ Church organ was built by Hill, Norman & Beard in 1970 with 16 stops, using some pipes from previous organs plus some neo-baroque sounds typical of the 1960's and '70's (Chimney Flute and Fifteenth on open-foot voicing, like the Royal Festival Hall organ). In 1995, HNB moved some loud stops from the Great to a new double case in the nave, 6 stops were added, and the tone was refined. In summer 2015 the nave organ was re-voiced to produce a more robust tone. |
The Hill Norman & Beard organ at Christ Church (United Reformed), Leatherhead
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Concert at Home:
Here are some links to online recordings of works that feature in Anthony Cairns' concert:
Here are some links to online recordings of works that feature in Anthony Cairns' concert:
Anthony Cairns opens today's purely Bach concert with the Passacaglia & Fugue in C minor, BWV 582.
There was quite a choice of recordings here, so let us hear a performance by Hans-AndréStamm,
on the 1724 Trost organ in the Stadtkirche at Waltershausen, Germany:
There was quite a choice of recordings here, so let us hear a performance by Hans-AndréStamm,
on the 1724 Trost organ in the Stadtkirche at Waltershausen, Germany:
This next recording may be the first time we have heard a Hauptwerk Virtual Organ in the Concert at Home series.
These amazing organ emulators play the sounds of celebrated instruments from around Europe, and some further afield.
Rob Stefanussen admits that he takes Bach's familiar Wachet Auf at a fair lick. Here he has chosen the Bovenkerk Hinsz organ package, which enables him to play one of the great Baroque instruments, from Kampen, Netherlands.
Whereas in older electronic organs an octave of pipes was sampled and the full range of sounds produced from there, with a Hauptwerk organ each pipe has been sampled - its start, its sound, its finish.
The video screens to the left and right of the keyboards display the stops in the same way as they appear on the original instrument.
These amazing organ emulators play the sounds of celebrated instruments from around Europe, and some further afield.
Rob Stefanussen admits that he takes Bach's familiar Wachet Auf at a fair lick. Here he has chosen the Bovenkerk Hinsz organ package, which enables him to play one of the great Baroque instruments, from Kampen, Netherlands.
Whereas in older electronic organs an octave of pipes was sampled and the full range of sounds produced from there, with a Hauptwerk organ each pipe has been sampled - its start, its sound, its finish.
The video screens to the left and right of the keyboards display the stops in the same way as they appear on the original instrument.
The first of our works from the Orgelbüchlein (Little Organ Book) is the advent chorale Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland.
Marie-Claire Alain first plays the chorale itself:
Marie-Claire Alain first plays the chorale itself:
Here are the other short works Anthony has selected from the Orgelbüchlein:
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You might think this is another emulation package as we do not get to see organ pipes nor any Church-like surroundings,
but in this recording of Komm Gott, Schöpfer heil’ge Geist Buck McDaniel is playing at the movable console of the
Holtkamp organ in St John the Evangelist Cathedral, Cleveland, Ohio.
but in this recording of Komm Gott, Schöpfer heil’ge Geist Buck McDaniel is playing at the movable console of the
Holtkamp organ in St John the Evangelist Cathedral, Cleveland, Ohio.
As we have already heard both the Prelude and Fugue BWV 544, let's hear the Fugue on its own, this time in a piano transcription, played here on a Steinway Grand by Thomas Labé:
For the Toccata, Adagio and Fugue BWV 564 we return to Hans-André Stamm, and the
magnificent Trost organ in the Stadtkirche, Walthershausen, Germany:
magnificent Trost organ in the Stadtkirche, Walthershausen, Germany:
We hope you have enjoyed your Concert at Home
