Dame Gillian Weir, DBE

Organ Master Series Volume 3

Priory CD 753 is the third volume of the Organ Master Series was recorded on the Phelps/Casavant organ of Deer Park United Church(external link), Toronto, and the Lawrence Phelps & Associates Organ of St. Luke's Episcopal Church(external link), Ft. Collins, Colorado. A tribute to the mastery of the late great American organbuilder Lawrence Phelps (to whom, in a unique partnership of builder and performer, Gillian Weir was married for 26 years), these three volumes of the Organ Master Series reveal the magnitude, scope and detail of Phelps' tonal design. In this third volume, Gillian Weir deftly displays Bach's genius in counterpoint, drawing upon the superb polyphonic clarity present in these organs. The discs are accompanied by an extensive program booklet packed with 30 pages of information.

Reviews

An appropriate subtitle for this recording would be The Joy of Bach. While recordings of J.S. Bach's organ music abound these days (many of them very fine), there is only one Dame Gillian Weir. She is without peer in her ability to do everything right and make it all sound so effortless, spontaneous, and joyful. The program includes the six “Schübler” Chorales, the Pastorale in F, the Canonic Variations on “Vom Himmel hoch,” and the Chorale Partita on “O Gott, du frommer Gott.” The center of the program is the complete Clavierübung, Part III. Dame Gillian elects to present the four Duetti first, followed by the Manualiter Chorales. She then plays the Greater Chorales, framed by the Prelude and Fugue in E-flat. She suggests that in this ordering of the pieces, distinct moods are created and a constant “clashing of keys” is avoided. It also makes theological sense: the manualiter preludes reflect the aims of the Lesser Catechism, for the young in a domestic setting, while “the magnificent outburst of the Prelude in E-flat opens the doors to a great church and an adult understanding.” In all the repertoire here presented, Gillian Weir plays with infectious energy, deftness, and well-defined articulation. She has taught students in masterclasses that much of Bach's music is permeated with dance rhythms, and requires special attention to phrasing and gesture. This is clearly evident in her own playing. Although her tempos are usually brisk, she never plays with empty virtuosity; everything she does serves the spirit and substance of the music. Thus, to take a few examples from the Greater Chorales, the “Allein Gott” trio sparkles, leaps, and dances in praise to the Almighty. There is an effervescent sparkle in the Baptism hymn, “Christ, unser Herr,” and a sense of weightlessness in the leaping patterns of “Jesus Christus, unser Heiland.” But in “Aus tiefer Not'” we are cast into a spirit of heaviness, yearning, and pathos. In Dame Gillian's hands, the music itself is a sermon.

This is the third volume of the Organ Master Series, in which Gillian Weir plays on instruments built or designed by her late husband, Lawrence Phelps (1923-99). She chose these two instruments for their ability to render Bach's music with the requisite polyphonic transparency. She says, “[Bach's] medium... must have polyphonic clarity, a clarity that arises from perfect internal balance: a treble-to-bass balance echoing that of a fine choir or orchestra, and an equitable balance between the organ's different families of stops and between its divisions. The ear is then led through the music's intricacies and hears all its intimacies.” Indeed these instruments live up to that expectation, and in so doing, not only render Bach's music clearly but also the fineness of Dame Gillian Weir's playing. The American Organist, October 2004

“Gillian Weir celebrates the twenty-fifth anniversary of the installation of her late husband's (Lawrence Phelps) organ at Hexham Abbey in Britain with a recording that displays her impeccable technique and amazingly solid, vibrant rhythm to splendid advantage. The repertoire matches perfectly the clean, extremely transparent voicing of Phelps' two-manual masterpiece.” The Diapason, May 2004

“Dame Gillian is at the peak of her very considerable powers. Over and above the prodigious technical accomplishment, her compelling artistry — the quality of which is recognisable in each item, small or large — makes for a highly enriching experience, straight from the heart and second to none for those who seek JSB's refreshment of the Spirit.” Organists' Review, May 2004

“156 Minutes of Organ Bliss as Dame Gillian Weir's Acclaimed Series Continues in Welcome Style: The area of Bach organ recordings is terribly overcrowded these days, with strong ‘complete’ editions from Bowyer, Herrick, Koopman et al, but I urge all readers to squeeze just those few extra millimeters of shelving to accomodate this third volume of Dame Gillian Weir's highly acclaimed series. As with the first two volumes, she has chosen instruments designed by her late husband, the North American organbuilder and musician Lawrence Phelps (1923-1999). The honours are split fairly evenly between the three-manual built in 1970 for Toronto and the 1974 two-manual in Colorado.

Her playing during these two and a half hours of organic bliss really is beyond all praise. From the unfussy Schübler Chorale Prelude on Wachet Auf! at the start of disc 1, until the sparkling eighth variation on O Gott du frommer Gott, on disc 2, we are whisked along through the Clavier-Übung III.

Weir pays scrupulous attention to the text, at the same time bringing a poetic tenderness to even the most convoluted counterpoint. A combination of colourful registrations, steady wind and a wonderful sense of line and forward direction make a thrilling tour de force. Nothing sound contrived. Judicious tempi allow one to relish the most delicious of Bach's harmonic progressions.

The accompanying documentation, including a highly readable commentary, must be Priory's most sumptuosly appointed booklet to date. The sound is close-miked but not intrusive. Volume 4 (St Thomas's, Leipzig) promises to be even more attractive.” Malcolm Riley, Gramophone, June 2004

“This is the latest release from Priory in its series of discs documenting the organs of Lawrence Phelps, and played by his widow, Gillian Weir. The more I hear of this series, the more I find them to be a priceless store of treasures, bearing witness to one of the world's finest players, in the years of her greatest maturity. One often hears polite Bach-playing, decent Bach-playing, correct Bach-playing, but Weir reveals another level of musicianship altogether. The playing is powerful, individual, expressive and thought-through. On this disc are to be found some of the most audacious pieces ever written by Bach: the Canonic Variations on ‘Vom Himmel hoch’, the Clavierübung III and the Schübler Chorales. They are matched by audacious playing that is neither old-fashioned in its approach nor overly correct. There is clarity and rhythmic drive from start to finish, through the lesser-known delights of the four Duetti to the familiar majesty of the Prelude and Fugue in E flat (the St Anne). The colours of the organ are used with imagination and taste, and only ever at the service of the music. A desert-island release, if ever there were one.” William Whitehead, BBC Music Magazine, April 2004

“Piquant, rhythmically buoyant and superbly colored accounts of 36 chorale preludes and other pieces played on organs in Toronto and Colorado by the doyenne of Bach organists” 5-stars. Jeremy Nicholas, Classic FM, March 2004

“There hasn't been a wealth of Bach organ recordings made in recent years, and I have been hungry for a fine set of newly recorded performances. With Gillian Weir's new recording, my hunger is gone. While listening to her performances, I can't get the “Papa Bach” designation out of my mind. Weir gives us a Bach with outstretched arms waiting to envelop humankind in his security and enlightenment. All we have to do is step forward.” Don Satz, musicweb.uk.net

“A chance to hear two outstanding instruments played by a real master: It is difficult to think of a better tribute to the work of a gifted organ builder than these discs. Under the ministrations of one of the world's most highly regarded organists these two wonderful organs are generously displayed in music which ranks among the greatest even written for organ and in recordings of exceptional quality. Indeed Priory, which has long since shown itself to be a consistently high achiever in terms of recorded organ sound, has surpassed even itself here. The organs are recorded with clarity and depth, the acoustic differences between these two venues cleverly suppressed so that there is no significant shift of ambience as we move between Toronto and Colorado. By the time Gillian Weir has led us through all six of the Schübler Chorales we feel we have an intimate knowledge of the Deer Park Church's Phelps/Casavant, while the Partita O Gott, du frommer Gott serves a similar function for the rather more majestic Lawrence Phelps instrument at Fort Collins. Priory provides us with such lavish documentation (encompassing words from such diverse sources as Pablo Casals, Goethe, C.P.E. Bach, Helmut Walcha, Dame Gillian herself and the ever-meticulous David Gammie)... As for the playing itself, admirers of Gillian Weir's Bach playing will find here everything they could ask for, and more.” Marc Rochester, International Record Review, February 2004

“The playing is enchanting and effortless” Sydney Organ Journal, February 2004

Reflections From the Inside

I wanted to write a little review of this new volume. I'm not a real music critic; the real reviews will appear in magazines and journals in a few months as editors and commentators get a copy, listen, write and put their thoughts to press. Since I help with the web site, I can write my thoughts and post them right away, so I can cheat a little bit and get the first review out.

I received a copy of this new disc the other day in the mail. I was lucky to have one early and I use it for setting up the web site. A number of people have been very eager to get this disc for several reasons, one being it had been two years since the previous Organ Master Series Volume 2 from Hexham came out, so it had been awhile, and the other is its general significance to those of us who worked building organs with Larry and have been friends with Phelps and Weir for many years. One must also pause to thank those good friends who work hard behind the scenes, making these recordings available, and those parishioners, donors and organists who have kept a vibrant music culture alive in their churches.

Upon viewing the program, I was unsure of what to think. The Bach market is crowded in general, and his organ works have been recorded by many organists; some are fine albums. I was not very familiar with the Clavier-Übung; the Schübler chorales I knew, and the E-flat Prelude and Fugue- these are popular. Chorales and Pastorales? If one wants to show off an organ, shouldn't one fill it up with big Preludes and Fugues, or Toccatas and Fugues? Why these works?

As I began to listen, the answer quickly revealed itself: it's the polyphony, with all it's subtle beauty and intricacy. This is music. The extensive booklet tells much about Bach, what he wrote and why he wrote it. This music was written later in his life when his skills at weaving melodies into pictures were developed and mature. It was the apogee of his own art, or of any other composer, as history would tell. This is simply the best music to highlight the wonderful clarity and balance that Phelps worked so hard to put into these instruments. It is the kind of music that actually requires the balanced stops and divisions, where mechanical key action makes a difference. It brings to the forefront the result from years of effort in obsessing about details that some dismiss as unimportant.

The performance is magical too- Gillian Weir knows well the beauty and intricacy of this music; she's played on as many instruments as anyone, and from that base of experience chose these two organs. Her gifted interpretation takes notes and pipes, sprinkles them with rhythm and produces music that delights the ear and warms the heart.

If I had to sum up what this volume is, it is best said that it is truly a tri-fold testament to the mature genius of composer, builder, and performer Steve Thomas, November 2003

Track Listings

Priory Records(external link) PRCD 753 AB

Disc	Track	Music			Organ
1	1	The Six “Schübler” Chorale Preludes	Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme	BWV 645	Toronto
	2		Wo soll ich Fliehen hin	BWV 646
	3		Wer ner den lieben Gott lässt walten	BWV 647
	4		Meine Seele erhebt den Herren	BWV 648
	5		Ach blieb bei uns, HerrJesu Christ	BWV 649
	6		Kommst du nun, Jesu, vom Himmel berunter	BWV 650
	7	Pastorale in F major		BWV 590
	8	Canonic Variations on “Vom Himmel hoch”	Variation I	BWV 769	Ft. Collins
	9		Variation II
	10		Variation III
	11		Variation IV
	12		Variation V
	13	The Four Duetti from Clavier-Übung III	Duetto I in E minor	BWV 802
	14		Duetto II in F major	BWV 803
	15		Duetto III in G major	BWV 804
	16		Duetto IV in A minor	BWV 805
	17	The manualiter Chorales from Clavier-Übung III	Kyrie, Gott Vater in Ewigkeit	BWV 672
	18		Christie, aller Welt Trost	BWV 673
	19		Kyrie, Gott heilger Geist	BWV 674
	20		Allein Gott in der Höh sie Ehr'	BWV 675
	21		Allein Gott in der Höh sie Ehr' - Fugetta	BWV 677
	22		Dies sind die heil' gen zehn Gebot'	BWV 679
	23		Wir glauben all' an einen Gott	BWV 681
	24		Vater unser in Himmelreich	BWV 683
	25		Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam	BWV 685
	26		Aus tiefer Not' schrei' ich zu dir	BWV 687
	27		Jesus Christus unser Heiland	BWV 689
2	1	Prelude in E flat		BWV 552/a	Toronto
	2	The Greater Chorales from Clavier-Übung III	Kyrie, Gott Vater in Ewigkeit	BWV 669
	3		Christie, aller Welt Trost	BWV 670
	4		Kyrie, Gott heilger Geist	BWV 671
	5		Allein Gott in der Höh sie Ehr'	BWV 676
	6		Dies sind die heil' gen zehn Gebot'	BWV 678
	7		Wir glauben all' an einen Gott	BWV 680
	8		Vater unser in Himmelreich	BWV 682
	9		Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam	BWV 684
	10		Aus tiefer Not' schrei' ich zu dir	BWV 686
	11		Jesus Christus unser Heiland	BWV 688
	12	Fugue in E flat		BWV 552/b
	13	Chorale Partita: “O Gott, du frommer Gott”	Chorale	BWV 767	Ft. Collins
	14		Variation I
	15		Variation II
	16		Variation III
	17		Variation IV
	18		Variation V
	19		Variation VI
	20		Variation VII
	21		Variation VIII

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