Hatsumi Miura Organ Recital / Concert Hall ATM, ART TOWER MITO

For reservations, please call 029-231-8000
Mail to: webstaff@arttowermito.or.jp

Hatsumi Miura Organ Recital
"Essence of Modern French Organ Music"

September 27 (Mon) 6:30 p.m. (seating starts at 6:00 p.m)
ATM Entrance Hall
A ¥2,500 / B ¥2,000 (All seats reserved)

Photo: Shinji Koiwai

Program
Langlais: Incantation pour un jour Saint
Langlais: Pasticcio
Alain: Variations on a thème by Clèment Jannequin
Premièr fantasie
Deuxieme fantasie
Messiaen: Apparition de l'eglise eternelle
Dupré: Cortege et litanie, op. 19-2
Widor: Andante sostenuto from Gothic symphony for organ, op. 70
Vierne: Menuet from Symphony for organ, No. 4, op. 32
Franck: Premier choral in E major

Mozart praised the organ thus: "Seen by the eye or heard by the ear, it is the king of all instruments." The golden age of the organ spanned the period from around 1600 to 1750. During that time, church organists vied with one each other to develop particular regional styles in a race for supremacy. Today, the pieces that make up the core of most organ concerts come from this era, including those by Bach and others. After then, though, musical styles shifted from polyphony to homophony, causing a substantial change in the rank of the organ among keyboard instruments as well as in the interest by people in churches and church music. Since the latter 18th century, people attempted to give the organ the coloration and dynamics of the ever-expanding orchestra. However, that also may have meant the decline of organ music.

It is symbolic that Schweitzer and others attempted to restore Baroque organ music in the 20th century. Thankfully, the revival of organ music occurred even earlier in France, where a new golden age was experienced from the mid-19th century onwards. An exception among major Romantic composers, Cesar Franck contributed to both organ and church music, and became the father of a new musical trend. Superficial performance techniques were removed, with abundant coloration and acute sense woven into music brimming with emotions.

Hatsumi Miura, a specialist in modern French organ music, has selected the "essence" of this trend when assembling the pieces making up the program of her recital. The first half of the program includes works by Alain, who typifies a clear-polished sensibility, as well as Langlais and Messiaen, whose works relate a religious impression in various forms. In contrast to the religious solemnity that pervades the first half, the second half of Miura's program might be characterized as hymns to humanity. She presents Dupre, Widor and Vierne with their adroit touch, and through the candid exhilaration of their pieces, gradually releases the tension pent up to that point without detracting from the majestic nature of organ music. As she concludes with Franck's chorale, then, one will undoubtedly experience the way that the glittering stars of music -- the organ works -- culminate in a grand musical individuality that combines both nobility and rich humanity.

Considering that all these pieces were all written within a half century of each other in a single country, one can easily characterize this period as another golden age of organ music.

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