Saturday, 10 October, 9.30, p.m.
Funchal´s Cathedral
André Bandeira (organ)
Juvenile Choir: Zélia Ferreira Gomes, direction
Tonight's programme has two particularities: a repertoire linked by Marian themes; and the organ used to the full extent of its functions – as an accompanying instrument, as a soloist within the liturgy and, further, as a concert instrument. The concert opens with Louis-Nicolas Clérambault (1676-1749) - Suite du premier ton, a set of seven pieces, contrasting in both character and registration, intended to be used alternatim with chant in religious offices. In this case, the seven verses of the Suite in the First Tone are intercalated with the chant of the Magnificat. We thus have one of the chief styles of performance of Western Catholic liturgical music up to the Motu Proprio of Pius X, “Tra le sollicitude” (1903): alternatim practice (between organ and chant). The Prelude and Fugue in A minor BWV 543 would have been written when Bach was still working in Weimar. The influence of the “stylus phantasticus” from the North of Germany is obvious, especially in the Prelude, on account of its virtuosic, almost improvisatory passages. The fugue is more rhythmic and dance-like in character, being in 6/8 time. The chorale Meine Seele erhebt den Herren BWV 648 (“My soul doth magnify the Lord”) is the fourth in the collection of Sechs Choräle von verschiedener Art, better known as the Six Schübler Chorales, it having been Johann Georg Schübler that edited and published the collection. The chorale melody, given in the chant and which stands out in this version for organ, is from the Lutheran version of the Magnificat. With the Ave Maria op. 19b by Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904), we leave the baroque and enter into the typical musical language of the romantic period of the 19th century. Dvořák, together with Bedřich Smetana, was one of the greatest composers of the region of Bohemia, being recognized above all for his New World Symphony. The Prière à Notre-Dame (Prayer to Our Lady) is the third movement of the Suite Gothique op. 25 by Léon Boëllmann. Published in 1895, this Suite is one of the most famous pieces in the entire organ literature. Written in ABBA form, this movement has as its basis an accompanied melody that evolves through various modulations. The melody evokes a prayer that might have been sung in a church built in Gothic style; thus its introspective and intimate quality. Flor Peeters (1903-86) was one of the most prolific composers of the 20th century, one of the most respected teachers and pedagogues, one of the best and most feted organists of his time (more than 1200 concerts throughout the world) and one of the greatest artistic personalities of Belgium. However, Peeters's music remains relatively unknown. The sequence Flos Carmeli has been used by the Carmelites as the sequence for the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel since 1663. Flor Peeters set the text to music in 1958, for organ and two equal voices (probably to be performed by Carmelite nuns). Written in 1931 and dedicated to his great friend, the organist and composer Charles Tournemire (1870-1939), the Toccata, Fugue et Hymne sur 'Ave maris stella' Op. 28 (“Hail, Star of the Sea”) is Peeters's most performed organ work. The entire piece derives from the Gregorian chant melody, with figuration that evokes the waves of the sea.
André Bandeira
Louis-Nicolas Clérambault (1676-1749)
Suite du premier ton (alternating with the Magnificat in the first tone)
Grand plein jeu
Fugue
Duo
Trio
Basse et dessus de trompete
Dialogue sur les grands jeux
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Prelude and Fugue in A minor BWV 543
Chorale prelude Meine Seele erhebet den Herrn BWV 648
Antonin Dvořák (1841-1904)
Ave Maria, Op.19b
Léon Boëllmann (1862-1897)
Prière à Notre-Dame (Suite Gothique, Op. 25)
Flor Peeters (1903-1986)
Flos Carmeli, Op. 89a
Toccata, Fugue and Hymn on Ave maris stella Op. 28
Participants
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Began his musical studies on the sacred music course of the Diocese of Oporto, where he studied organ with Rosa Amorim and piano with Rui Pintão. Wishing to deepen his knowledge of the organ literature, he studied organ with Paulo Alvim at the Oporto Conservatoire. In 2008, he finished the licentiate in music at the University of Aveiro, where he studied organ under the direction of Domingos Peixoto and, later, with Edite Rocha, graduating from the organ class with the highest clasisfication. In 2013 he finished his masters in performance, dedicated to the organ works of Flor Peeters. He also had the opportunity to take organ masterclasses with Michael Bernreuther, Jesús Gonzálo Lopez, Stefan Baier, Louis Robilliard, Johannes Lendgren and Louis Rogg. As a soloist he has given concerts throughout northern and central Portugal, notable concerts as part of the Young Organists' Season in Aveiro, the International Organ Festival of Lisbon, the “Organ Echoes” cycle in Coimbra and the Organ and Sacred Music Cycle of Oporto. He has taught at the Regional Music Conservatory of Viseu and the Music Conservatory of Aveiro. Since 2010 he has been professor of organ at the Oporto Conservatoire. He is organist at the Church of Cedofeita (Oporto). |
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The choir is currently made up of 40 young people, from between 13 and 29 years of age. Since its foundation, the choir has taken part in numerous sociocultural activities, notably the Madeira Junior Song Festival, as well as television and radio programmes. In 1995, the “International Year of the Family”, they sang and recorded in Madeira the “Hymn of the Family” at the request of the RegionalCentre for Social Security. They recorded their first CD in 1995, together with the musical ensemble of the GCEA. In June 1996 they represented Portugal in the Cantonigrós International Choir Festival (Spain). In 1999 they participated in a double CD with the musical ensembles of the GCEA published by the Regional Secretariat for Education and their first CD, “Christmas Songs from Madeira”, published by the DRAC. In April 2000 they participated in the CD “Christmas Songs from Madeira II”, published by the Regional Secretariat for Education. In May 2001 they represented Portugal in the 24th International Festival of Children's and Youth Choirs of Celje, Slovenia. As part of the 500th Anniversary of the City of Funchal, they took aprt in the opera Orquídea Branca, with a libretto by João Aguiar and a score by Jorge Salgueiro in 2008 in the Baltazar Dias Theatre. The choir's artistic director since its foundation has been Zélia Ferreira Gomes. |
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Holds a doctorate in work sciences, in the area of social psychology, from the University of Cadiz, Spain, a masters in primary musical education, a licentiate in school administration and management from the Higher Institute of Educational Sciences in Odivelas, professional service qualifications from the University of Madeira (teachers' training centre), and a higher diploma from the Madeira Conservatoire. From 2008 to 2011 she taught vocal technique on the licentiate course in musical education at the Higher Institute of Musical Education in Odivelas. Since 1990 she has been singing and choral singing teacher and Artistic Director of the Children's, Youth and EVRP choirs at DSEAM; in 2001 she was appointed Artistic Director of the Madeira Chamber Choir; from 1990 2000 she was Artistic Director of the Choral Group of Estreito de Câmara de Lobos; from 1998-2002 she taught singing at the Madeira Conservatoire (CEPAM) and was Artistic Director of the CEPAM Youth Choir. She has given numerous concerts at RAM, in Porto Santo, mainland Portugal, Spain and Slovenia. |
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