Champions in Canada

…highlight performances from Montréal by winners of the 2008 Concours International d’Orgue du Canada, with commentary from CIOC artistic director John Grew.

Listen to the program

1 hr 58 min

59:00
59:00

Program Broadcast dates:

Week of November 09, 2009

Interview Audio:

In conversation with Michael Barone, CIOC Artistic Director John Grew…
… used in the final two rounds, and the winner’s concert, of the 2008 competition.
… reflection on the 21st century organ scene.

Links and Resources:

Printable program listings

Music played in the program

Hour 1

CHARLES-MARIE WIDOR: Allegro, 1st movement from Symphony Number 6 in g, Opus 42, number 2 –Frédéric Champion, winner 1st Prize and Audience Prize (1915; 1996 Casavant Frères/Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Montréal, Québec, Canada)

LOUIS VIERNE: Final, from Organ Symphony Number 3 in f#, Opus 28. GASTON LITAIZE: Lied, from Douze Pieces –Jens Korndörfer, winner 3rd Prize (1915; 1996 Casavant Frères/Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Montréal, Québec, Canada)

MAX REGER: Chorale-fantasy, Hallelujah, Gott zu loben, Opus 52, number 3 –Andrew Dewar, winner 2nd Prize and Messiaen Prize

MARCEL DUPRÉ: Allegro deciso, from Evocation, Opus 37 –Frédéric Champion (1891; 1924; 1991 Casavant Frères/Basilique Notre-Dame, Montréal, Québec, Canada)

Performances for the first hour were recorded on historic organs in Montréal at the Basilique Notre-Dame with its 1891; 1924; 1991 Casavant Frères and at the Church of Saint John the Baptist with its 1915; 1996 Casavant Frères.

Filler –LOUIS VIERNE (see above)

Hour 2

NICOLAS de GRIGNY: 2 versets of Ave maris stella –Jens Korndörfer, winner 3rd Prize (1891; 1924; 1991 Casavant Frères/Basilique Notre-Dame, Montréal, Québec, Canada)

FRANZ TUNDER: Chorale-fantasy, Komm, heiliger Geist, Herre Gott. J.S. BACH: Trio, Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr, BWV 664. J.S. BACH: Prelude & Fugue in G, BWV 550 –Els Biesemans, winner Bach Prize (1961 Beckerath/Église Immaculée-Conception, Montréal, Québec, Canada)

OLIVIER MESSIAEN: Le mystere de la Sainte Trinité, from Les corps glorieux. SIGFRID KARG-ELERT: Resonet in laudibus, from Cathedral Windows, Opus 106 –Andrew Dewar, winner 2nd Prize and Messiaen Prize (1915; 1996 Casavant Frères/Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Montréal, Québec, Canada)

MAURICE DURUFLÉ: Toccata, from Suite for Organ, Opus 5 –Frédéric Champion, winner 1st Prize and Audience Prize (1891; 1924; 1991 Casavant Frères/Basilique Notre-Dame, Montréal, Québec, Canada)

Filler –J.S. BACH BWV 664 (see above)

In its inaugural season, the triennial Canadian International Organ Competition welcomed an international slate of 15 semi-finalists to Montréal for a week of music making. Under the artistic leadership of John Grew, the panel of judges…which included Marie-Claire Alain, Gilles Cantagrel, James David Christie, Hans-Ola Ericsson, James Higdon, Tong-Soon Kwak, Mireille Lagacé, Ludger Lohman and Dame Gillian Weir…awarded $72,000 in prizes. Thanks to the CBC, Radio Canada, and McGill University Audio Services for providing recordings. Watch for details of the next Canadian Concours, October 5-16, 2011!

Recordings by several of the competition prizewinners are available:

Frédéric Champion - ATMA Classique 22604

Andrew Dewar - Edition Hera 2118

Els Biesemans - Etcetera 1299