This concert reveals the organ in a feminine light, combining fervour, lyricism, and modernity. Reimagined dances, meditative chorales, festive explosions, and suspended harmonies create a journey spanning nearly two centuries. It is a vibrant panorama where the organ is at times solemn, luminous, contemplative, or dance-like. The Toccata “Habakkuk’s Vision” by Karen Beaumont (born in 1965) opens the concert with virtuosic flourish. Inspired by the prophetic vision of Habakkuk, the piece combines rhythmic intensity and dramatic energy. Beaumont, an American organist and composer, uses a solid writing style that blends power with contrapuntal clarity. Her piece Pavane et Gaillarde II expands this universe with a reference to ancient dances, revisited with a modern touch. We proceed with Ethel Smyth (1858–1944), a leading figure in the British suffragist movement and a composer of strong character. Her Choral prelude and Canon on O Gott, du frommer Gott follow the Lutheran chorale tradition, combining contrapuntal rigor with warm expressiveness. The organ takes on tones of gravity and inner strength with Elsa Barraine (1910-1999), an important French composer who trained at the Paris Conservatory under Paul Dukas. In her Prelude and fugue in G minor she demonstrates a power that is both controlled and emotional. The music moves forward like a march – solid, sometimes somber, but always heading toward the light. There is a change of mood with Cécile Chaminade (1857-1944). Renowned for her piano pieces and melodies, her works for organ reveal a sensitive, elegant, and melodious style of writing. The Offertoire au Christ Roi displays a radiant fervour; the Pastorale No. 1 brings a pastoral, bucolic breath, while the Prelude Op. 78 illustrates the melodic and harmonic refinement characteristic of the composer. The journey continues to the present day with Canadian Sarah Davachi, born in 1987. In Harmonies in Green, she explores textures, resonance, and slow harmonies. Time stands still, as harmonic colours blend into a meditative continuum, opening our ear to the richness of timbre. Finally, Emma Lou Diemer (1927–2024), an important figure in twentieth-century American music, concludes the program with Fiesta, a vibrant and rhythmic piece. A mix of energy, vivid harmonic colours, and an impulsive pulse, it brings the concert to a festive and luminous close.
— Sylvie Pérez —
23 October
Igreja de São João Evangelista, Funchal
Thursday, 9.30 pm
Sylvie Pérez, organ
Karen Beaumont (1965)
¬ Toccata «Habakkuk’s Vision»
¬ Pavane et gaillarde II
Ethel Smyth (1858-1944)
¬ Choral prelude «O Gott du frommer Gott»
¬ Canon on «O Gott du frommer Gott»
Elsa Barraine (1910-1999)
¬ Prelude and fugue in G minor
Cécile Chaminade (1857-1944)
¬ Offertoire au Christ Roi
¬ Pastorale n° 1
¬ Prélude op. 78
Sarah Davachi (1987)
¬ Harmonies in green
Emma Lou Diemer (1927-2024)
¬ Fiesta
