Jean the Englishman
I hear there will be a symposium* on the music of Jean Langlais, to be held this October in Detroit. The American Guild of Organists and St. John's Episcopal Church will be the hosts. Tom Sheets will be in the thick of it, he who formerly directed the Choral Union here in Ann Arbor (followed by the incumbent, Jerry Blackstone).
Since Langlais was blind nearly all his life, you might think of him as a less hip version of Ray Charles, but my first thought, sadly, was of the blind clerics of Egypt, who achieve a respected place in their world by memorizing the entire Koran. Sheik Omar Abdel Rahmen is a notorious example. In the organ world, the equivalent feat is performing the complete organ works of Bach from memory. (But not all in one day.)
As blind organists have no choice but to memorize, it brings to mind the common observation that we are strengthened through adversity. Suffering builds character, hunger is only the sensation of fat leaving your body, etc., etc., yet we strive after a life of ease and we avoid illness like the plague, and somehow that also seems right.
If a blind kid has musical talent, it only makes sense for him to pursue it. The solo instruments, e.g. piano and organ, are the usual choices, since following a conductor is problematic. OTOH blind singers have no problem with choral performing; they do what all singers do, which is follow the breathing of their fellow singers. (Conductors and performers alike would do well if they understood this principle: the sound does not follow the baton; the sound follows the breathing and the breathing follows the baton -- sometimes belatedly.)
Among other blind organists we have Louis Vierne. For the recessional of our wedding, the wifeösphere and I chose the finale from his First Organ Symphony, a hard-driving monster that deserves to be famous. (Here's an organist with an unfortunate name playing it at lightning speed; click on track 5.) Well, bless my boots -- it turns out a Danish royal wedding used the same piece (scroll to the bottom). I guess those royals have class after all. Oh wait, I see the Widor Toccata is also on the list. Vulgar slobs!
Here's the fun, fascinating fact du jour: Vierne died with his organ shoes on. And here's a rare online example of Langlais' music.
*Only one! Otherwise, there would be symposia.
Since Langlais was blind nearly all his life, you might think of him as a less hip version of Ray Charles, but my first thought, sadly, was of the blind clerics of Egypt, who achieve a respected place in their world by memorizing the entire Koran. Sheik Omar Abdel Rahmen is a notorious example. In the organ world, the equivalent feat is performing the complete organ works of Bach from memory. (But not all in one day.)
As blind organists have no choice but to memorize, it brings to mind the common observation that we are strengthened through adversity. Suffering builds character, hunger is only the sensation of fat leaving your body, etc., etc., yet we strive after a life of ease and we avoid illness like the plague, and somehow that also seems right.
If a blind kid has musical talent, it only makes sense for him to pursue it. The solo instruments, e.g. piano and organ, are the usual choices, since following a conductor is problematic. OTOH blind singers have no problem with choral performing; they do what all singers do, which is follow the breathing of their fellow singers. (Conductors and performers alike would do well if they understood this principle: the sound does not follow the baton; the sound follows the breathing and the breathing follows the baton -- sometimes belatedly.)
Among other blind organists we have Louis Vierne. For the recessional of our wedding, the wifeösphere and I chose the finale from his First Organ Symphony, a hard-driving monster that deserves to be famous. (Here's an organist with an unfortunate name playing it at lightning speed; click on track 5.) Well, bless my boots -- it turns out a Danish royal wedding used the same piece (scroll to the bottom). I guess those royals have class after all. Oh wait, I see the Widor Toccata is also on the list. Vulgar slobs!
Here's the fun, fascinating fact du jour: Vierne died with his organ shoes on. And here's a rare online example of Langlais' music.
*Only one! Otherwise, there would be symposia.
Umie the Umlaut says, "ask your doctor about the Fredösphere!"
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