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The Music of Dan Locklair
Marilyn Keiser, organist
Casavant Freres organ of St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Indianapolis, Indiana
Dan Locklair is one of America's most widely performed composers. His music has been performed at Presidential inaugurations and funerals, and he was named Composer of the Year by the American Guild of Organists. Marilyn Keiser has long been a champion of his organ music and presents here the definitive performances of his most popular works.
Rubrics (A Liturgical Suite for Organ) [1988]
1. "[The ancient praise-shout,] 'Hallelujah,' has been restored..."
2. "Silence may be kept"
3. "...and thanksgivings may follow."
4. "The Peace may be exchanged."
5. "The people respond - Amen!"
Salem Sonata for organ [2003]
I. ("…to thee our cordial thankfulness…")
II. ("Hallowed be thy name…")
III. ("…We owe Thee thankfulness and praise…")
IV. ("…Let His work your pleasure be…")
PHOENIX Processional (Solo Organ Version) [1996]
(from PHOENIX Fanfare and Processional) [1979/85]
Celebration (Variations for Organ) [2003]
The Ćolian Sonata for organ [2002]
I. Aus tiefer not (Out of the Depths I Cry to Thee)
II. Shalom (Peace)
III. Laudate Dominum (O Praise the Lord)
In Mystery and Wonder (The Casavant Diptych) [2004]
I. Aria (“God moves in a mysterious way…”)
II. Toccata (“…His wonders to perform…”)
Two of our most distinguished AAM colleagues appear here in a most welcome survey of Dan Locklair's organ music. Marilyn Keiser has long been a champion of his work, and an affinity for his output is in her blood.
The program opens with what is perhaps Dan's best-known organ work, the 1988 Rubrics: A Liturgical Suite for Organ, premiered in 1989 by another AAM colleague, Mary Preston. Excerpts from this collection and the full suite have been featured in previous reviews, but this is surely the definitive recording. The very idea is clever: five short movements based on phrases from the rubrics in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. The fourth section, "The Peace may be exchanged," evokes the intent of this liturgical act much more faithfully than does the act itself in many services I have attended, where it sadly devolves into a quasi coffee hour. Might it be possible for this piece, lasting 3:17, to be played on some occasion before the Exchange of the Peace in order to set a more authentic tone? The final rubric, "The people respond-Amen!" could well serve as the listener's reaction to the entire work. While not being expressly programmatic, these movements do catch the spirit of each of the respective points in the liturgy.
The Salem Sonata that follows was written for the newly restored 1800 Tannenberg organ in Salem, North Carolina (see the review of Jack Mitchener's program on this instrument in the January 2010 issue of The Journal). It, too, has short phrases as movement titles, these taken from various sources. Each of the four sections evokes, respectively, words of thankfulness, "Hallowed be thy name, "praise, and pleasure in God's work. The dedication honors, among others, Dan's wife Paula" whose vision and dedication to the [restoration] project made it a reality."The brilliant Phoenix Processional (solo organ version) was derived from a larger work for brass sextet and organ, Phoenix Fanfare and Processional. This piece would be especially effective if played at the entrance of the principals at any celebratory occasion.
The largest work on the disc is Celebration, a set of variations inspired by the Scripture verse "... thanksgiving, and the voice of melody" (Isaiah 51:3). Based on a transposed Lydian mode, this piece progresses through-composed until the actual theme of the variations is stated near the end. The entire work is luminative, imaginative, and compelling. Next is the AEolian Sonata of 2002, which makes more use of striking dissonances than do other items on the program, especially in the opening movement, Out of the Depths. A contrast follows in the meditative movement Shalom, leading to the triumphant concluding Laudate Dominum. The liner notes explain that the use of titles in three languages "symbolically [pays] tribute to the outpouring of support that Americans have felt from peace-loving people throughout the world."
The program closes with The Casavant Diptych: In Mystery and Wonder. The evocative Aria ("God moves in a mysterious way") builds to an excited climax, then subsides into warm sounds that convey the wisdom of accepting God's mysterious way. The concluding Toccata continues the thought, "His wonders to perform." The wonders of God's works are brilliantly celebrated here.
Marilyn's playing is, as always, technically secure, rhythmically vital, and artistically informed. Having this exemplary artist perform music that she loves is a priceless treasure! The 2007 Casavant at St. Paul's Church, Indianapolis, is an ideal vehicle for all of Dan's work. Roger W. Sherman's recording, editing, and mastering have produced a disc of most admirable sound and effect. The liner contains program notes, information and a stoplist for the organ, biographies, and technical notes.
—Victor Hill, The Journal of the Association of Anglican Musicians (October 2010)
"This is truly beautiful music, and one could not ask for a finer rendering of it than Keiser's. The sound quality is excellent..."
This seems to be the sixth CD of Locklair's music to have been published, although individual works of his have appeared on numerous other releases on a number of labels. Two discs of his orchestral music have been reviewed on MusicWeb International in recent years, here and here. The CD opens as it ends, with superb music and musicianship. The title of Rubrics: a Liturgical Suite comes from the Common Book of Prayer, the service instructions (rubrics) of which inspired Locklair when he was commissioned to write the work in 1988. This is reported to be "one of the most frequently played organ works by an American composer" - movements were performed both at Ronald Reagan's funeral and Barack Obama's inauguration. It is certainly an imaginative, striking work, with a particularly breathtaking finale. Locklair's website gives the timing as 11'00, so at 14'00, Keiser is presumably taking this rather more slowly than Locklair envisaged. Unfortunately, there is a noticeable technical 'blip' in the third movement. The Salem Sonata was a private commission to celebrate the restoration - reassembling, in fact - of a Moravian Church organ originally built in Salem in 1800. The four short movements all bear a Biblical subtitle, and all possess an appropriate degree of dignity and pomp. Another wonderfully tuneful, memorable work. Celebrations - Variations for Organ was inspired by a phrase in the Book of Isaiah: "... thanksgiving, and the voice of melody". The original theme itself does not appear until near the end, when it bursts joyfully onto the scene. A thoughtful and stirring piece, with a glorious ending worthy of Widor, very beautifully played by Keiser. Along with the Salem Sonata and Celebrations, In Mystery and Wonder ( The Casavant Diptych) was composed in 2003. It was a commission by the Canadian organ builders, Casavant Frčres, and according to Locklair's liner-notes, numerous first performances of one or both movements of this work were given around the world on the same November weekend in 2004. To allow a wide range of organists to participate in the premiere, which marked the 125th anniversary of Casavant, the first part of the Diptych, an Aria, is relatively easy to play, with the following Toccata being much more technically demanding. Consequently, both sections may be performed separately. For all its relative simplicity and serenity, the Aria, subtitled 'God Moves in a Mysterious Way ...', is a powerful, moving piece. The Toccata, on the other hand, is a noisy, virtuosic scherzo, aptly subtitled '...His Wonders to Perform'! PHOENIX Processional dates back to 1996 as a stand-alone organ piece, but it has another existence as part of a work entitled PHOENIX Fanfare and Processional, which began life in 1980 as a bare three-minute Fanfare for brass sextet, and which in 1985 melded with the new Processional for the amended forces of organ, brass quartet and percussion. Locklair describes it as a popular recital and ceremonial piece, and it is easy to hear why - though very simple, the Processional is a rousing work. The three-movement Aeolian Sonata is dedicated to the spirit of Americans in the wake of '9/11'. It is uplifting and magnificent, appropriately making use of the old Aeolian mode and the notes A and E. The first movement, 'Aus tiefer Not', is pretty much a relentless sequence of huge chords with some melodic flourishes in between, ending with some window-rattling ultra-deep sounds. The second movement, 'Shalom', is a fittingly tranquil affair to follow. The final movement is a boisterous toccata, entitled 'Laudate Dominum'. Locklair's website gives the timing as 12'00, so at 14'34 Keiser is once again taking this rather more slowly than Locklair intended. Nevertheless, as elsewhere on this disc, Keiser's technique and insight are beyond doubt. Unfortunately, the recording of the Sonata is almost spoiled by a very obvious editing join half-way through the second movement. The CD case is made of card, with a standard plastic tray for the disc. The booklet slides in between two layers of card, the front cover itself, featuring Locklair in a typical pipe-in-mouth pose, and the inside cover, showing a close-up of the organ pipes against a stained-glass window. The booklet itself is a paragon - full notes by Locklair on all the pieces, biographies of composer and organist, a full-page colour photo of the organ and the inside of the church, a description and full specification of the organ, and technical data regarding equipment used for the recording. Much thought has obviously gone into the recording process, and the result is a first-class, very natural sound. Dan Locklair has written a fair amount of organ music yet to be recorded. On the evidence of this disc, a follow-up CD by Loft Recordings would be doing lovers of sublime organ music a good deed.
—Music Web International
Three stars
A former American Guild of Organists Composer of the Year, Dan Locklair's welcome profile on disc continues apace with this compendium of six popular concert works, three of which are making their first appearances on disc. Long-time champion of Locklair's imaginative, immediately digestible music, Marilyn Keiser returns to Rubrics: A Liturgical Suite with fresh insights and deeper conviction than on her 1993 account for Pro Organo, bringing similirr qualities to the ripely celebratory 'Salem' Sonata, the 9/1l-dedicated 'Aeolian' Sonata and, In Mystery and Wonder, a cleverly constructed diptych marking the l25th anniversary of Canadian organ builder Casavant. Built in 2007, their defierous twin-organ Op.3856 proves an eloquent vehicle for Locklair's attractive and varied musical voice.
—Choir and Organ
Dan Locklair is one of America’s most successful composers, enjoying an international reputation for his large compositional portfolio that includes symphonic and chamber works, an opera, a ballet, and numerous solo instrumental, vocal, organ, and choral works. He was named Distinguished Composer by the American Guild of Organists in 1996. His inimitable, infectious style is quintessentially American, with it economy of structure, jaunty rhythms, and stylish motifs. Marilyn Keiser has long been a worthy champion of Locklair’s organ music. Thus, this is a most welcome recording, made on a marvelous large Casavant conceived in the Anglican tradition. Its multitude of colors, wide dynamic range, power, and clarity render it an ideal instrument for Locklair’s music.
Keiser opens with Rubrics: A Liturgical Suite for Organ (1988), which has enjoyed immense popularity and remains one of the most widely played of 20th-century American organ works. Its five contrasting movements capture the essence of Locklair’s style. This work was heard at both the funeral of President Ronald Reagan and as part of the 2009 Martin Luther King Jr. service during the inauguration of President Barack Obama.
The Salem Sonata (2003) was composed for the celebration of the completion of the restoration of the 1800 David Tannenberg organ. Its four movements, alternately joyful and reflective, convey Locklair’s characteristically optimistic spirit. In this performance, Dr. Keiser uses the full resources of the Casavant, rather than limiting registrations to imitate the much more intimate Tannenberg.
The Aeolian Sonata (2002) was written to celebrate the famed Aeolian organ of Duke University Chapel. It further pays tribute to “the spirit of the American people in the aftermath of the September 2001 terrorist attacks.” The first movement, titled “Aus tiefer Not” (“Out of the Depths”), is dark and highly dissonant. In the second movement, “Shalom,” musical rays of hope shine through the preceding darkness, providing warmth and comfort. The third movement, “Laudate Dominum,” is a triumphant paean that compels the listener to a joyful dance in the knowledge that good has prevailed over evil. Haig Mardirosian has hailed this work as “a refreshing delight . . . which literally screams for the appraisal of masterpiece . . . Dan Locklair has achieved a summit.”
Locklair’s Phoenix Processional originated in 1979 as a larger work for organ, brass quartet, and percussion, commissioned for the February 1980 reopening and dedication of James Memorial Chapel of Union Seminary. Locklair made the organ solo version in 1996. While embodying Locklair’s unique style, this work also reflects the spirit of pomp and ceremony of the great English processionals. Celebration (Variations for Organ) was completed in 2003. It is inspired by Isaiah 51:3: “. . . thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.” Interestingly, the variations precede the theme, which appears only near the conclusion. The work is based on the Lydian mode, with strong emphasis on the raised fourth scale degree.
Locklair’s In Mystery and Wonder was widely performed on November 13, 2004, in celebration of the 125th anniversary of Casavant Frčres, by whom the work was commissioned. Its first movement (Aria) is meditative, in contrast with the ebullient Toccata, which sports extended virtuosic pedal solos and rhythmic flair. With the exception of Phoenix and Celebration, every movement in the aforementioned works is prefaced and inspired by a scriptural passage, liturgical rubric, or religious utterance. Thus, although these works are often encountered in a recital context, they are entirely appropriate for use in various liturgical situations. The splashes of color, exuberance, freshness, originality, and superior craftsmanship generate tremendous appeal that make Locklair’s organ works an integral part of 20th-century literature for the instrument.
Marilyn Keiser performs Locklair’s music with passion, imagination, precision, energy, and understanding. This recording should become a classic.
—The American Organist
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Program Notes
Rubrics (A Liturgical Suite for Organ) was a 1988 commission from the Organ Artists Series of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for their tenth anniversary year celebration. The extra-musical impetus and subsequent titles for each movement of Rubrics are found in the instructions (rubrics) to the services for The Book of Common Prayer (September 1979 edition). Rubrics was given its World Premiere in Pittsburgh on April 16, 1989 by organist, Mary Preston.
Peter Hardwick, writing in The Diapason, has called Rubrics “one of the most frequently played organ works by an American composer.” Movements from Rubrics were not only heard at the Washington National Cathedral funeral service of President Ronald Reagan in 2004, but also as a part of the January 2009 Martin Luther King Jr. service in the same venue during the Presidential Inauguration of President Barack Obama.
Salem Sonata for organ is in four movements and was composed during late August and September of 2003 on commission from Mr. & Mrs. Mark Welshimer. Salem Sonata celebrates the 2004 completed restoration of the historic 1800 David Tannenberg pipe organ that was originally installed and dedicated in 1800 in the Moravian Church (now known as Home Moravian Church) in Salem, North Carolina. Last used in Home Church on January 30, 1910, the organ was then disassembled and stored, and eventually loaned to the living history Moravian community and museum of Old Salem in Winston-Salem, NC, where it was under the watchful eye of then Curator, Paula Welshimer.
Meticulously restored in a period of over five years by the distinguished firm of Taylor & Boody Organbuilders, the rededication of the organ - which included the World Premiere of Salem Sonata - occurred on March 19, 2004 in a concert by organist, Peter Sykes. The dedication of Salem Sonata reads as follows:
Commissioned by Mark and Rosanne Welshimer in celebration of the
2004 restoration of the 1800 Tannenberg organ at Old Salem (Winston-Salem, NC)
and in honor of Paula Welshimer Locklair,
whose vision and dedication to the project made it a reality
PHOENIX Processional for solo organ comes from a larger composition entitled PHOENIX Fanfare and Processional for organ, brass quartet and percussion. The original three minute PHOENIX Fanfare was commissioned in 1979 by Union Theological Seminary in New York City for the February 1980 reopening and dedication of Union's renovated James Memorial Chapel. It was conceived of as an antiphonal composition, with the original brass sextet placed at the rear of the Chapel and the organ and percussion at the front of the Chapel. In August of 1985, the scoring of PHOENIX Fanfare was reduced to brass quartet and joined with a newly composed processional to become PHOENIX Fanfare and Processional. It was first performed at the September, 1985, Opening Convocation of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Since then it has been used as both a popular recital piece and as a ceremonial processional composition, including use for many years as the commencement piece for The Juilliard School in New York City. The organ solo version of PHOENIX Processional was done by Dan Locklair in 1996 and it is that version which is heard on this recording.
Celebration (Variations for Organ) was commissioned in honor of the 20th anniversary of J. Patrick Murphy as Director of Music Ministry at First Presbyterian Church, Greensboro, North Carolina. First performed by Mr. Murphy at First Presbyterian on 11 May 2003, Celebration was composed during the late autumn of 2002 and completed on 7 January 2003 and is inspired by the scripture"…thanksgiving, and the voice of melody" (Isaiah 51:3).
Though variations traditionally begin with a statement of the theme, the original theme on which Celebration is based does not appear until near the end of the piece. The variations are not sectional but, instead, are ongoing. A transposed Lydian mode (C D E F-sharp G A B C) serves as the primary melodic and harmonic basis of the piece. F-sharp is an especially significant pitch in the composition due to its distinctive character as the raised fourth scale degree in the transposed Lydian mode.
The Ćolian Sonata for organ was commissioned by Duke University Chapel for a recital on June 2, 2002 by Chapel Organist, David Arcus, celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the Chapel's Ćolian pipe organ (1932-2002). The piece was composed between late January and March 2002. The word "Aeolus", meaning the Greek god of the winds, is at the heart of the name of the American organ builder, the Ćolian Organ Company, which built this original Duke Chapel organ (their last before merging with the E.M. Skinner Organ Co.). Aeolian is also the name of one of the ancient Greek modes which, later in history, became one of the original church modes (i.e. A – A on the white notes of the keyboard). The Aeolian mode, as well as the pitches "A" and "E", are important compositional building blocks for The Ćolian Sonata.
In three movements, The Ćolian Sonata musically celebrates the heritage and continued use of the historic Ćolian organ in Duke Chapel. Extra-musically, it pays tribute to the spirit of the American people in the aftermath of the 2001 September 11 terrorist attacks. The title for each movement is in a different language, symbolically paying tribute to the outpouring of support that Americans have felt from peace-loving people throughout the world. In a spiritual way, the music of each movement is a reflection on its title, with these words being indicative of a healing nation.
In his June 2003 review of The Ćolian Sonata in The Diapason, Haig Mardirosian writes:
"...What a refreshing delight therefore, to notice a score which literally screams for the appraisal of masterpiece…. If great art is about universals, then Dan Locklair has achieved a summit. Locklair's sonata is that good."
Composed late in 2003, In Mystery and Wonder (The Casavant Diptych) for organ was commissioned by Casavant Frčres, Limitée, of Saint-Hyacinthe (Quebec), Canada, in honor of this distinguished pipe organ builder's 125th anniversary. Multiple premieres of one or both movements of the piece were performed by a host of organists worldwide on Casavant organs during the November 13, 2004 anniversary weekend. Symbolism, as the basis for all musical materials, abounds in both movements and especially in the use of "C" and "F" note codes for "Casavant Frčres" (as well as in the unplanned "mystery" that yielded 125 measures of music in the first movement!). Since one of the main melodic ideas from the first movement, Aria, appears in the second movement, Toccata, the composition is cyclic. In order for the Casavant anniversary to be celebrated by the widest range of organists possible, a requirement for this commission was that the first movement be technically modest, with the second movement being more technically demanding. Thus, as an option to the entire two-movement composition being played in worship services and/or recitals, each movement may also be played separately. The subtitle of each movement comes from the 18th century English hymn by William Cowper, God Moves in a Mysterious Way.
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