Category Archives: Themes

St. Alban’s International Organ Competition

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The St. Alban’s International Organ Festival has included a competition in both interpretation and improvisation since 1963. Previous winners of the improvisation prize include: Martin Baker, David Briggs, Naji Hakim, Jos van der Kooy, André Isoir, and Guy Bovet. The complete list of improvisation and interpretation winners is available here.

The next competition will be held July 8-18, 2015. The competition is open to organists born after July 20, 1982. The guidelines for the improvisation competition (including initial themes) can be found here. Complete information about the competition may be found at the competition website:
http://www.organfestival.com/St_Albans_International_Organ_Festival/Competitions.html

O Filii et Filiae

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OFiliiEtFiliae
This melody dates to the Fifteenth century and was very popular in France. The original nine verse Latin hymn was written by Jean Tisserand, OFM (d. 1494). It was assigned to the celebration of Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament on Easter Sunday. While the triple alleluia was only to be sung at the beginning and ending, it has become a persistent refrain after each verse in most modern hymnals. The irregularity of the word stress may also have contributed to the great variety of rhythmic variations in the tune.

See a list of other chant themes here.
See a list of other hymn tunes here.

Videos:
François-Henri Houbart – Improvised Sortie on ‘O Filii et Filiae’ – La Madeleine, Paris
Jonathan Y. Tan – Postlude on ‘O Filii et Filiae’ – Grace Episcopal Church, Cincinnati
Bert Rebergen – Entree Improvisation “O Filii et Filiae” – St. Lambertus Castrop-Rauxel

America

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America
Known in the United States by the lyrics “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” or in the United Kingdom as “God Save the Queen” (or “King” as appropriate), the origin of this melody are uncertain, but the earliest attribution is to John Bull in 1619. Traditionally, the first performance was thought to have been in 1745, when it was sung in support of King George II. The lyrics for the US were written by Samuel Francis Smith in 1831. The melody has appeared in the compositions of many classical composers including Beethoven, Clementi, Haydn, Liszt, Strauss, Debussy, Reger, and Ives.

Videos:
Xaver Varnus – Improvisation on Submitted Themes – Canterbury Cathedral
includes “Good King Wenceslas,” the Hungarian National Anthem, and “God save the Queen”
Gabriela Montero – “God Save the Queen” – Aldeburgh (piano)

Valet will ich dir geben – St. Theodulph

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StTheodulph.ValetWillIch
A hymn commonly associated with Palm Sunday and the words ‘All Glory, Laud and Honor,’ this chorale was one of the themes for the final round of the NCOI competition in Boston in 2014.

See a list of other popular hymn and chorale themes here.

Videos:
Rafael Ferreyra – Fantasia improvisation on ‘Valet will ich dir geben’ – San Juan Bautista, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Jesu dulcis memoria

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JesuDulcisMemoriaSm

Jesu dulcis memoria is a hymn often attributed to St Bernard of Clairvaux. The original poem, depending on the manuscript, ranges from forty-two to fifty-three stanzas. Three sections of it are used as hymns in the Liturgy of the Hours of the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus: “Iesu dulcis memoria” (Vespers), “Iesu rex admirabilis” (Office of Readings), “Iesu decus angelicum” (Lauds).

Several English hymns sung today are based on translations of Jesu dulcis memoria. These include “Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts” (1858 translation by Ray Palmer) and “Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee” (1849 translation by Edward Caswall).

Veni Sancte Spiritus

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VeniSancteSpiritus

Veni Sancte Spiritus is a sequence prescribed in the Roman Liturgy for the Masses of Pentecost and its octave, excluding the following Sunday. It is usually attributed to either the thirteenth-century Pope Innocent III or to the Archbishop of Canterbury Stephen Langton. Veni Sancte Spiritus is one of only four medieval sequences which were preserved by the Council of Trent in the Missale Romanum published in 1570.

The chant is in the Dorian mode.

See a list of other popular chant themes here.


Video:
Pierre Cochereau – Choir of Notre Dame sings ‘Veni Sancte Spiritus’ – Paris
Clint Kraus – Improvisation on Veni Sancte Spiritus – St. James Cathedral, Seattle, WA

Frère Jacques

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FrereJacquesSm

Frère Jacques, frère Jacques,
Dormez-vous? Dormez-vous?
Sonnez les matines! Sonnez les matines!
Ding, daing, dong. Ding, daing, dong.

Frère Jacques is a French nursery melody. In English, it is sometimes called “Are You Sleeping?,” or “Brother John”. The tune is one of the most basic repeating canons along with the melody of “Three Blind Mice”. It bears a resemblance to the piece Toccate d’intavolatura, No.14, Capriccio Fra Jacopino sopra L’Aria Di Ruggiero composed by Girolamo Frescobaldi, which was first published around 1615. “Fra Jacopino” is one potential Italian translation for “Frère Jacques”. The exact origins of the melody are unknown.

See a list of other potential traditional song themes here.

Videos:
Anders Bondeman – Improvisation Frere Jacques – Stockholm City Hall Organ
Xaver Varnus – Variations on Frère Jacques – Dominican Church, Budapest
Andrea Kumpe, Max Pöllner & Christian Kohler – Six Handed Improvisation on Frère Jacques – Pfarrkirche St. Nikolaus, Immenstadt

La Folía

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LaFoliaSmLa Folía is one of the oldest European musical themes. Several sources report that Jean-Baptiste Lully was the first composer to formalize the standard chord progression and melodic line, though it’s origins are probably much earlier. With a standard chord progression and common melody line, it has been the theme for many sets of variations and may have first developed as a compositional or improvisational method for creating melodies in the minor mode.

See a list of other free themes here.

Video:
Gunnar Idenstam – Improvisation on La Folia – Oscar´s Church, Stockholm, Sweden