Concerto for Organ and Strings: I. Saint Olaf's Sequence; II. Chant de Lumiere; III. Tango, 2002

Concerto for Organ and Strings: I. Saint Olaf's Sequence; II. Chant de Lumiere; III. Tango

This three-movement concerto for organ and strings was commissioned by Saint Olaf's Church, Minneapolis, Dr. Lynn Trapp, Music Director. It is engraved, though it is unclear if it has been published. Included in the file is a program from a concert at which it was first played (November 9, 2002). The program notes for the piece read as follows. This concerto began in 1999 as a commission from Rev. Richard and Dorothy Nelson for an elegy for string orchestra and organ for Pilgrim Congregational church in Duluth, Minnesota. The resulting work, Chant de Lumière, was first performed at Pilgrim church on April 11, 1999 by John vanella, organist, with Art Bumgardner conductor. It was Michael Barone of Minnesota Public Radio who first suggested adding "bookend" movements to transform Chant de Lumière, into a full concerto. With the imagination and support of Dr. Lynn Trapp, St. Olaf Church, Michael Barone and Minnesota Public Radio and the gracious permission of Rev. Richard Nelson and Pilgrim Church, the 'Minneapolis movements' were added to the 'Duluth movement' to comprise the new work. Written in celebration of the 2001 installation of the 67 rank Lively-Fulcher Pipe Organ at St. Olaf Catholic Church, the concerto receives its first performance on November 9, 2002 by Dr. Jonathan Biggers and the Chamber Orchestra of St. Olaf Church conducted by Ken Freed. The first movement, Saint Olaf's Sequence, is a set of variations on a medieval Norse tune (found in the Koralbok for den Norse Kirke, published in 1926). Pizzicato chords, quartal scales and a pedal cadenza built on melodic fragments of the Norse tune mark the introductory material. The complete Saint Olaf tune first appears in the strings as a chorale, taken up by the organ. Four variations follow with organ and strings in dialog. The movement concludes with sections of the introductory material. Chant de Lumière opens with a viola solo continued on an organ solo stop. The entrance of full strings leads to an organ trio that is later taken up by the strings. An agitated middle section culminates in a rising tremolando figure. The movement concludes with a serene quasi-impressionist meditation colored with raised fourths and fragments of the whole-tone scale. The final movement, a tango, is a rhythmic dance played détaché with moments of pizzicato, finger percussion and soli instruments. The central section introduces a more melancholy tango theme with variations, after which the lively Latin rhythms return. The work concludes with a brief toccato for organ with punctuation from the string orchestra. The composer wishes to thank Larry Long for computer engraving and Jeri-Lou Zike, Michael Folker and Sal Soria for invaluable suggestions.