Saturday 18 October, 9.30, p.m. 
Funchal´s Cathedral 

Rui Paiva, organ 
Ensemble Vocal da Academia de Música de Santa Cecília 
António Gonçalves, direction 

The organ assumed different morphologies very early. Beginning with the small portative organ, which could be carried in processions and corteges especially during the 14th century, then moving to the positive, already with a reasonable sound production, the instrument underwent a complex organological development. Alongside this evolution, the instrument’s cultural and social functions were also adapted to the needs of each time and geographical space. The association of the organ with the liturgy and the church building is undeniable, occurring from the 13th century onwards, moving from an exception to becoming its exclusive habitat. In accordance with the religious reforms of later centuries, with their practical consequences for the liturgy, the instrument came to acquire characteristics related to its geographical origin. In Europe there were different families of organs, differing in their organological characteristics, so that one may distinguish instruments of Iberian, German, Italian and English origin, as is the case with the instrument used in this concert.

The first part of the programme is dedicated to the baroque. Starting from French dance of strict metre, we will hear the first of the seven cantatas from the oratorio Membra Jesu nostri patientis sanctissima, written in 1680 by Buxtehude for 5-part choir. Considered the first Lutheran cantata, its texts are taken from the Old Testament and allude to seven different parts of the crucified body of Christ. From this volume of cantatas we shall hear that which refers to the feet (Ad pedes), in a keyboard reduction based on the version for chamber orchestra.
The baroque keyboard repertoire, with the exception of works that require pedalboard, is not specific to harpsichord or organ. Whether as a solo instrument or basso continuo in the context of chamber music, there is a freedom available to the performer in the choice of instrument. There is naturally a different sensibility involved in their playing, given the organological differences between a plucked chordophone (the harpsichord) and the keyed aerophone (the organ) and the consequences of these differences, in that, in the latter, the organist may make the sound last as long as is desired.

The Sonata for keyboard in C minor by Seixas, published in 1980 by Santiago Kastner in the Gulbenkian Fundation’s series Portugaliae Musica, bgins with a fugato for two voices on a theme of four notes incessantly repeated throughout its 45 bars, but which rapidly gives way to other melodic developments and a simple harmonic structure, alternating between the tonic and the dominant, with brief harmonic sequences.

Moving to the second half of the programme, and following the bridge made between the Marian hymn composed by the organist João Vaz, we arrive at the English repertoire. We shall hear two organ pieces by the late romantic composer Elgar, contrasted in character, from his Vesper Voluntaries. Then, in more contemporary style, we hear Toccata in Seven, composed by John Rutter in 1974. Making use of a title comes from a genre of some five centuries’ history, frequently associated with keyboard virtuosity, the composer uses an irregular metre, in seven beats per bar, varying the distribution of the rhythmic groups (3-2-2 and 2-2-3), thus alternating the accentuation during the course of three sections of distinct characters. John Rutter is equally renowned for his innumerable sacred works for choir and organ, so traditional in English composition, of which we shall hear two of the best-known. Finally, and festively, we hear two works by Malcolm Archer, organist, conductor and teacher at Winchester.

João Pedro Afonso

Jean-Philippe Rameau (1682-1764) / arr. Yves Rechsteiner (1969)
Rigaudon

Dieterich Buxtehude (ca.1637-1707)
Cantata "Ad pedes", from the oratorio Membra Jesu Nostri, BuxWV 75
Prelude, Fugue and Chaconne in C major, BuxWV 137

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525 - 1594)
Surge, illuminare

Carlos Seixas (1704-1742)
Sonata in C minor

João Rodrigues Esteves (ca. 1690/1700-ca. 1755)
Regina Coeli

João Vaz (1963)
Ave Maria

Edward Elgar (1857-1934)
Vesper Voluntaries, Op.14
III - Andantino
VII - Allegretto pensoso
Ave verum, Op. 2, No.1

John Rutter (1945)
Toccata in Seven
A Gaelic Blessing
The Lord bless you and keep you

Malcolm Archer (1952)
Festival Finale
Rejoice, the Lord is King

Participants

António Gonçalves

António Gonçalves began his musical studies at the Gregorian Institute in Lisbon, and later graduated in choral direction at the Higher School of Music in Lisbon, under the direction of Roberto Pérez and Vasco Pearce de Azevedo, and in Gregorian chant under Maria Helena Pires de Matos. He is currently director of the Camerata Vocal of Torres Vedras, and is a member of the Gregorian Choir of Lisbon and the Choir of the Gulbenkian Foundation. He teaches choir training at the St Cecilia Music Academy. With these ensembles he has given concerts in Portugal, Spain, France, Holland, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Italy and Austria.

Notes about the Organ

Funchal´s Cathedral

At Funchal Cathedral, the presence of an organ can be documented from the very beginning of the 16th century. In 1739 King João V gave the Cathedral a new organ made in Lisbon by the organ builder Francisco do Rego Matos. In 1740 the Chapter had this instrument placed in the original gallery, placed in a recess above the former sacristy, situated to the left of the sanctuary (Ferreira 1963: 18-19). No longer in working order, this organ was dismantled in 1925 and eleven years later given to the Igreja do Colégio. In its place the Cathedral Chapter decided to buy the organ that belonged at that time to the Anglican Church. The minutes of the Chapter meeting of 5 January 1937 mentions “that by order of His Most Illustrious and Most Reverend Lord, the Bishop had bought the present organ belonging to the Anglican Church, the price of which was thirty-four contos and five hundred escudos (34,500 escudos), added to which the cost of transport, reassembly, etc.”, and that it was placed in the choir gallery at the main entrance of the Cathedral. This instrument, much altered since then, was built in England in 1884, having been ordered by an English doctor who resided in Madeira and also played the organ. At a certain point, this doctor had decided to give it to the Anglican Church.

The organ had resulted from the collaboration of various builders, though T. A Samuel (Organ Builder, Montague Road, Dalston-London) was responsible in 1884 for assembly in situ. The pipes – or, rather, some of them – were made by the firm Charles S. Robson (1861), the windchests by Wilson Gunnerson, the manual by the firm S. W. Browne and some of the metal pipes were the work of the company A. Speneir (1884).

Originally using tracker action, some thirty years ago the instrument was considerably altered, with changes made to the mechanism and the addition of a number of reed stops en chamade. These modifications have completely altered the organ’s character, without making any kind of improvement from a musical point of view. As a result of this, and with the intention of endowing the Cathedral with an instrument appropriate for liturgical purposes and for concert work, major restoration to the instrument was undertaken and completed in 1995/96 by Dinarte Machado.

I Manual (C-g’’’)
Open Diapason 8’
Flöte 8’
Holz Bourdon 8’
Principal 4’
Waldflöte 4’
Nazard 2 2/3’
Super Octave 2’
Mixture 1 1/3’ de 4 filas
Dulçaína
Trompette 8’

II Manual (C-g’’’)
Voix Celeste 8’
Gamba 8’
Gedeckt 8’
Principal 4’
Spitzflöte 4’
Octave 2’
Simbala 1’ de 4 filas
Krummhorn 8’
Tremblant

Pedal (C-g’’’)
Subbass 16’
Open Diapason 16’
Octave 8’
Bombarde 16’
Trompette 8’

Couplers
I/II
I/Pedal
II/Pedal