Jan Zwart - Modern Organ Music

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Deze pagina bevat de volledige tekst van een artikel van Eric C. Hemery uit The Organ: a quarterly review for its makers, its players & its lovers, uit 1938/39.

The Modern Organ Music of the Netherlands - I

The contribution paid to-day by Holland to the modern literature of the organ is, unfortunately, most inadequately realised by organists and music lovers in this country, and in penning this article I hope to help bring about in some measure, however small, a reciprocation of the interest taken by a great number of Dutch musicians in our own organ music 1, which would not only be more courteous than the present indifference exhibited, but also productive of the usual benefits resulting from any such artistic intercourse; furthermore, acquaintance with this music may be alone justified by its undeniable merit.    It is to be feared that scientific progress (?) has been allowed to domineer rather than to aid a great many crafts in some countries, including England and America. Such is not the case -at any rate to any undesirable degree- in Holland: many magnificent examples of the great seventeenth and eighteenth century school of Dutch organ builders 2 to be seen and heard to-day all over the Netherlands have, therefore, escaped the bugbear of over-modernisation. Renovations, re-builds, and repairs have been carried out in such a way as to ensure preservation of the wonderful old pipework and voicing. But it must be admitted that many large organs in Holland to-day fall rather short of perfection when viewed from the points of mechanical efficiency and console comfort; yet what joy there is in playing on one of these marvellous old instruments built in a bygone age by artists for art's sake, and in the realisation of the seeming existence of a very soul within the frequently beautiful exterior case. Mere words cannot describe my feelings on hearing one of these old masterpieces of their creator's art played by a master player. At the same time, however, I do not wish to convey the impression that modern organs do not exist in Holland: such is far from the case. Standaart of Rotterdam, De Koff of Utrecht, and Van Leeuwen of Leiderdorp are some of the leading present-day Dutch builders responsible for many fine specimens of their craft incorporating such modern ideas as tend to aid the player, and in which may be observed most commendable efforts to carry on the fine old traditions of the earlier school.

Jan Zwart at the Organ of the Great Church, Zwolle

It is, therefore, not to be denied that the true message of many Dutch composers cannot be amply and sympathetically reflected in some of our modern English -and, I fear, in many cases, soulless, over-mechanised, and blatantly voiced- organs. The patient, sympathising, and gentle nature of the Dutch amply pictured in so much of their music, can be easily crushed and overridden by performance on an unmusical instrument, and interpretation lacking thought and discretion. There happily exists in England to-day many splendid organs built by modern masters of the craft, and let us sincerely hope that the passing of but a few years will see an entire monopoly of such productions, and the exit of the detestable high pressure mechanical "marvel."
   Comparison of an English organ of 1938 with one of a century older will render apparent the unquestionable and real progress in organ construction in this country throughout one hundred years; but, like comparison of two Dutch instruments will instantly show the high standard of tonal layout and design reached well before 1838. For example, here are the specifications of two instruments by Dutch builders, the first (a) being that of the splendid instrument built by Strumphler in 1796 for the Reformed Lutheran Evangelical Church at Amsterdam, and the second (b) that of Adema's great organ for St. Willibrord's Church, Amsterdam, erected in 1923 :-

   According to the records, this instrument was delivered on June 1st, 1796, for the sum of eighteen thousand and seven guilders, the building thereof having occupied three years.
   Observe in both cases the efficiency and completeness of all departments, notably the pedal organs. Perusal of many similar specifications would reveal a marked absence of unnecessary experimental procedure, which trait is also to be readily observed in the works of the Dutch organ composers.
   This music is essentially national, portraying as it does the calm serenity of the peaceful and picturesque Netherlands, and the firm and frank spirit characteristic of the Dutchman. Symbolical of this was the music of Sweelinck, Di Lassus, Willaert, Josquin de Près, and many other masters of the great Northern school of the polyphonic period, whose great influences have so splendidly survived the centuries. This strongly ingrained national element pervades the Netherlands' music in a way unparalleled in England, and has been fostered and brought to the fore by the untiring efforts of a group of organ composers, at the head of which stands the name of one man, whose great work for the music of his native land can be likened in many respects to that of Glinka's achievements for Russian music. Are we then content to remain in ignorance of the earnest and gifted efforts of a national school of organ composers separated from us by a mere North Sea? Is such an attitude productive of catholicity in recital programmes, the present lack of which is the undoubted reason for the lukewarm interest exhibited in organ music by many musicians? I am constantly pleading with organists to explore the lesser known regions when adding to their music cupboards. Holland is only one of many lands producing organ music well worthy of attention from all church musicians and recitalists; Belgium, Spain, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Hungary, - many are the sources of works that could well enrich the repertoire of every organist. Germany, France and America seem to command the greatest attention from the English organist's interest (somewhat meagre, I fear) in foreign music for his instrument. This is due, no doubt, in some measure to the size and importance of these countries, in which respects they certainly overshadow their lesser neighbours; but we are musicians, not politicians and slaves to diplomacy, and we can afford to forget the "big powers" for a page or two.
   Let us firstly take the works of the greater Dutch organ composers, and those generally most representative of the national organ literature; a great deal of this is founded on the church chorales -old and traditional Dutch- and national folk song. We can, nevertheless, include much that owes its origin to neither of these sources, yet remains essentially Dutch. I have already spoken of one who has worked earnestly and successfully for the musical art of his country and have likened his achievements to those of Glinka in Russia; such a man was Jan Zwart (1877-1937), a performer and composer of the first rank whose death on July 13th, 1937, has occasioned a great loss to the Dutch musical world ³. To celebrate Zwart's jubilee as an organist and composer a special concert was held -and broadcast by the N.C.R.V.- on October 1st, 1933, in the Reformed Lutheran Evangelical Church at Amsterdam, where he was organist from 1898 till the time of his death. On the committee for honouring this great organist and musician were such names as Dr. de Vlugt, Burgomaster of Amsterdam, Mr. W.C. Wendelaar, Burgomaster of Alkmaar, Professor Dr. J.W. Pont of Bussum, Professor Dr. A.H. de Hartog of Amsterdam, Jo Vincent ⁴ and many other personages eminent in the life of their country. A special folder was issued containing the names of the committee, photographs of Zwart and his organ (the specification of which has been given on a previous page), and an appreciation of the master's work, from which I quote a little here (English translation):

"On the first of October (1933) Mr. Jan Zwart hopes to commemorate his forty years as organist and composer. As an organ executant and musician Jan Zwart not only occupies a foremost place in the country, but his great merit also lies in his magnificent rendering of the church services, choir training, and composition of anthems and hymns. By the means of his great research and writings, he has enriched in many ways the history of Dutch organ and organ music development. Extraordinarily great are the appreciation and attendances at his regular organ recitals in Amsterdam and in many other towns all over the country. His weekly broadcast recitals on the wonderful instrument ⁵ in his church attract the attention of the whole country, as well as that of abroad. The master's playing conveys to us a sense of sincere beauty and dignity: he does, indeed, glorify and serve God by his art."

To read the whole of this folder is to be filled with immense respect for this fine Dutch gentleman, and still greater wonder that his name is practically unknown in this country!
   Jan Zwart specially composed for this great occasion Music on the Psalms of David, and was presented with a beautifully bound copy of this work, which is in two books, published for the Bureau de Nederlandsche Orgelmuziek, by Messrs. Alsbach & Doyer of Amsterdam ⁶. (It may be mentioned here that the Bureau is a kind of Organists' Association for Reformed or Protestant Church Organists; there exists a separate institution for Catholic organists.) Book I. is named, very appropriately, Sombere Muziek on Psalm 103, verse 8; the melody of this psalm opens as follows:


which is anticipated in the beautiful little Introduction, of which I give the opening:-


The main movement starting on the great small open, thus:-


works up to a tremendous climax on a dominant pedal shake, and dies away in a manner suggestive of the spent passions of one lamenting a great sorrow. The persistent dotted rhythm in the opening is maintained right to the very end of the composition, the clever management of which lends a stern dignity in keeping with the pervading atmosphere of solemnity. This piece closes with the chorale for manuals only, to be delicately played on enclosed 8ft. and 4ft. flutes, the bass supplying the dotted rhythm.
Book II. contains four Psalm Preludes, three of which are for manuals only. The prelude on Psalm 47 deserves special notice, insomuch as it is very heroic in style, and ends with the chorale in magnificently broad harmony to be played on full organ. An exquisite effect is produced in the last of these Psalm preludes, Toccatine; this is to be played staccato on 8ft. and 2ft. flutes, the top notes of the right hand giving out the melody. Here is the opening:-


One of Jan Zwart's finest works is the great Fantasie on Luther's Eine feste burg. The frequent performances of this splendid work by the composer when broadcasting are occasions which I shall never forget. Here are the first few bars of the grand introduction:-


After this follow a fughetta and three original and refreshing variations.

 ¹ Hendrik de Vries, formerly at St. Laurens' Church, Rotterdam, which possessed the largest organ in Holland until 1923, and the teacher of Jan Zwart, frequently included in his recitals works by Bairstow, Ireland, Bridge, Hollins, Wolstenholme, Wesley, &c.
 ² Such as Galtuszoon, who in 1633 completed the famous organ of St. Jan, Hertogenbosch; Christian Muller, builder of Haarlem Cathedral's magnificent instrument in 1738; and Strumpler, responsible for the organ at Amsterdam's Reformed Lutheran Church in 1796.
 ³ See obituary notice in Musical Times for August, 1937, for which the writer was responsible. Notwithstanding Zwart's fame and popularity throughout the Netherlands, and the wonderful work he has accomplished for the causes of Dutch church and organ music, he has received no attention from contributors to Britain's musical press.
 ⁴ This famous Dutch soprano sang at the jubilee concert.
 ⁵ These recitals, in which Dutch music -including, of course, his own- figured greatly, were often of an hour and a half's duration.
 ⁶ This firm publishes all Zwart's organ music, and is the principal musical warehouse of the Netherlands; the address is Kalverstraat 176, Amsterdam, C.


The Modern Organ Music of the Netherlands - II

   In the first part of this article (which appeared in the January number) Jan Zwart's large scale organ works were dealt with. So now we pass on to his lesser, but no less beautiful, works, in which the composer's treatment of chorales is similar to that of Karg-Elert in his "chorale-improvisations," the style of course being quite distinct. These include Three Organ Songs and Four Sacred Songs, which are undoubtedly the outcome of extempore playing, being afterwards written down and polished up. No. 4 of the latter group is a wholly delightful treatment of the well-known tune Eventide to Abide with me.
   The first of Five Chorale-preludes is a perfectly written trio on Vater unser (the chorale used by Mendelssohn in his sixth sonata), with the melody in the inner part and the accompanying counterpoints derived therefrom and used largely in inversion. Grace and elegance flow through No. 2 (O Heil'ge Geest daal op ons neer) in original style:-


In the third prelude, O Sacred Head and O Lamb of God are beautifully worked out together: unpleasant clashes there are none and the harmony is exquisite. Nos. 4 and 5 are based on Dutch melodies, as is No. 2. I think that these five lovely pieces in one book form the best guilder's worth I know.
   The movements of the Christmas suites -there are two- are based on many chorales familiar to English organists. The Praeludium of Suite No. 2 on O come all ye faithful, from which here is a quotation, is particularly striking:-


   Music for Passiontide and Easter also possesses many themes familiar in the Anglican church. The Passion music includes a beautiful canon on O Sacred Head, which is both musically and spiritually sincere. It begins thus:-


The ending seems to say "All is over: I rest in peace."


   Three Old Dutch Folk Songs are full of vitality and melodic interest, and make splendid recital items. The first, in E flat, is based on a beautiful and energetic old tune. Here is the opening phrase:-


   Other composers have treated this melody in divers ways, but Zwart gets right to the spirit of it like this:-


   Zwart has also published charming compositions for the combinations of voice, violin and organ; and voice, violin and piano. There are also anthems and a delightful Christmas Cantata for children's voices ⁷.
   Attention is next claimed by Hendrik Andriessen, a composer with a very individual style; shades of Franck are sometimes in evidence, but as similarity of idiom, not imitation of style. Born in 1892, Andriessen studied at the Amsterdam Conservatorium, where he is now principal professor of composition. He also holds the post of director of the Utrecht Conservatorium and organist of the Roman Catholic Cathedral in that city. This distinguished organist has phenomenal powers of improvisation, as indeed had Zwart, and have many of the great Dutch organists. It is a branch of their art which is developed, studied and practised until a state of perfection is reached such as has not been known in England since the death of Wesley.
   Curiously enough, Andriessen's output of organ music is not great in quantity, but it certainly is in merit ⁸. Let us review his works chronologically, starting in 1917, when the Toccata was written. This opens with a grand choeur in which a sustained chord ff is supported by a giant, as it were, stalking down the pedal board five steps at a time:-


after which the theme and toccata figure (the latter prevailing as left-hand part) make more or less peaceful entry; following an interesting middle section pp, tempo primo is resumed, and the pace gets hotter and hotter until an immense climax is reached, and the final and twentieth page is covered with huge chords. Like Bach's early concert works,-such as the Toccatas and Fugues in G minor and C major, and the Prelude in D, this piece is full of splendid organ effects, and sounds fiendishly difficult to play, but really is not; it simply calls for sound pianoforte technique. The whole thing is very suggestive, I think, of a great wind sweeping the flats of Holland and driving all the little windmills to their utmost. Next come the two Chorales, composed about 1920. The first, in F sharp minor, has an attractive, but rather sad, theme, which is announced straight away on soft swell over a tonic pedal, and treated thereafter in a variety of ways-canon, diminution, augmentation-working up gradually to the final exposition in a glorious burst of sound with the chorale in pedal octaves, and staccato chords on full great, the melodic line of which is derived from the theme:-

The second of these Chorales, in D minor, is truly music pour le grand orgue, as the French title page puts it. The impressive opening is a splendid example of a device much used by this composer,-long sustained notes and chords counterbalancing chromatic contrapuntal movement:-

Ample opportunity is afforded throughout this piece for the use of solo stops. The dynamic energy generated in the concluding grand chceur is immense :-

No more important organ music appeared until 1927, when the da Chiesa appeared, a work which has gained great popularity with D'Uidb organists ; it consists of theme, five finely written variations, and a sweeping finale in toccata style, concluding with a final presentation of the theme 4 !a grand chceur. The theme, which starts thus:- ,

requires handling with great care as a bass, but it is no trouble io Andriessen, who writes a beautiful little movement on it. The workim* ship throughout is that of one who has completely mastered the technique of writing for the organ. Two years later, in 1929, was published the Passacaglia, Trie theme, which in no way conforms with the rules of writing passacagHa and is the soul of brevity and simplicity, is as follows :-

On this square and stodgy handful of notes, Andriessen builds up a beautiful piece of music, rich in emotion and animation: it is a brilliant example of "how much can be done with how little." Towards the close a poco animato movement leads up to one of the composer's tremendous climaxes through the following changes of time: 12-8, 8-8, 12-8, 7-8, 9-8, 12-8, 8-8, 12-8. This consistent reciprocation with swiftly gliding chromatic chords as a decoration of a simple harmonic basis over the long pedal notes, produces an effect of a great and uncontrollable force, which is at last harnessed in broad diatonic chords striding to a halt on the dominant major; a repetition, pp, of the first voice to accompany the theme at the opening leads into a most expressive and lovely ppp ending. This splendid piece is unquestionably Hendrik Andriessen's finest accomplishment in organ music ⁸. For the past eight years this composer has contributed nothing of importance to organ literature, and I for one hope that a worthy successor to the Passacaglia will appear before too long. It seems that other mediums have been monopolising his pen, - orchestral symphonies, chamber and pianoforte music, etc.; this is, of course, all to the good, for will it not be justifiable to expect in the next organ work an even greater mark of maturity and ample evidence of the irreproachable musicianship of Holland's greatest living organ composer?
   In 1935, B. Van den Sigtenhorst Meyer, a writer of interesting piano and chamber music, made a contribution to contemporary organ literature in the form of a Passacaglia and Fugue, Opus 36 (Alsbach, Amsterdam). The character of this composition is atonal, and the writing -especially in the Passacaglia- pianistic; clever use is made of upward resolving discords and relative devices; the Fugue is well worked out, and is guaranteed to hold the listener's interest. Acquirement of greater familiarity with the idiosyncrasies of organ writing should result in interesting products from the pen of this musician.
   Another Passacaglia and Fugue of virtuoso character and on a much larger scale than that discussed above, is quite the finest work of George Stam, who is a comparatively young composer, and was a pupil of Cornelis de Wolf, to whom the work is dedicated in company with Sem Dresden, another of Stam's teachers. In the Passacaglia the composer breaks away from the conventional sequence and type of variations common to this form, and the unity of the whole resultant from his clever blending and dovetailing of the variations is a praiseworthy accomplishment. One variation which presents the theme in manual chords over a semiquaver pedal part of fiery and energetic leaps, twists, and turns is extremely effective: on the next page a rushing arpeggio manual figure in double thirds is supported by the theme in the pedal. The splendid concluding variation of chromatic harmonies with the theme in the treble and the pedal slowly and majestically stumping up the board note by note from bottom to top D, is preceded by one in which the third beat of each bar in the pedal theme is decorated by a double shake.
   The short Fugue is packed with interest, from the first to the last note. The subject


makes its last entry in stretto between alto and tenor, whilst the treble and jass discuss the Passacaglia in canon. This energetic movement is suddenly arrested by an interrupted cadence, and a grand choeur brings the work to a striking close ⁹.

Feike Asma, a pupil of the late Jan Zwart, and organist of the great church at Leiden, has recently made his first contribution to Messrs. Alsbach's catalogue under the title, Five Melody Variations. These, dedicated to Zwart, are founded on some very old and rather lovely Dutch national tunes, and deserve close attention. The influence of the master, Zwart, is perhaps a little too plain; even so, the individuality of this young composer decidedly asserts itself. The first piece, Waarheen Pelgrims, consists of three variations: the first in chromatic vein (pp), the second over a flowing semiquaver manual bass, and the third Allegro (ff). No. 2, Ik wensch te zijn als Jezus, is particularly lovely. An andante espressivo pp opening is followed by a charming little movement in which the melody is soloed against imitative material in duet form on a quiet 8ft. flute. Here are the first few bars:-


A repetition of the first section brings this piece to a close.
   The third and longest of the Five Melody Variations is based on Als ge in nood gezeten (which melody has also been beautifully worked by Jan Zwart in No. I of Three Organ Songs). Feike Asma's allegretto opening presents the melody, harmonised and accompanied by a gaily tinkling triplet figure in the left hand. Upon this follows a poco tranquillo movement similar in construction to the second section of No. 2, from which Example 19 is taken. The third movement, Vivace, is in toccatine style and is directed to be played on 8ft. and 2ft. flutes. A delicate Lento movement in F major, with the melody given out on a soft flute against a background of swell strings precedes the vivace finale, which sweeps con fuoco towards a fine chromatic climax: not for one bar does the interest flag in this composition, which is worth the price of the book alone.
   The fourth piece is a single movement chorale prelude type of arrangement of the Dutch tune to The Lord is my Shepherd (De Heer is mijn Herder), very devotional in spirit, and somewhat reminiscent of Bacb's incomparable Jesu, joy of man's desiring, inasmuch as the solo is accompanied by gently gliding harmonies in triple time; beautiful use is made too, of the appoggiatura. This is the little gem of the five. The following example shows the first entry of the chorale as a solo :-


The fifth and last of these interesting pieces is the excuse for a good "blow out," such directions as Allegro f, con brio ff, più Allegro, con fuoco fff, constituting an exciting and stimulating mixed grill served up as variations on Jesus neemt de zondaars aan. Feike Asma has made a fine start, and I shall be eager to see this young man's next publication.
   An Amsterdam violinist, Cornelis Kint, has essayed in the realm of pipe and pedal, and his Fantasia on Luther's Ein feste Burg makes a splendid recital item ¹⁰. It is a little longer than, and quite different in style, from the fine work of Jan Zwart inspired by that famous old chorale. After a ff Adagio Introduction in G minor -which ought to be marked animato- Cornelius Kint settles down into a pleasing Allegro giocoso movement in major mode formed on fragments of the chorale melody and moving through a gradual decrescendo into a charming Andantino in 6-8 time and E flat, with the melody soloed in the tenor. Next follows a loud and animated movement modulating to the dominant of the vigorous Fugue in D preceding the Chorale Finale. The composer takes for his subject the first line of the hymn, and works it to advantage; an effective stretto and tonic pedal are introduced, and the fugue strides into the chorale, in which the minim represents the measured beat. The chorale is played on the manual in large and big chords over a gracefully flowing pedal part, and a short coda of five bars provides a conclusive ending to a most interesting work. It is to be regretted that space forbids quotation.
   It is hoped to deal later with other composers of importance in the Netherlands organ world: such as Cornelis de Wolf, a brilliant executant who died in 1936, and to whom Andriessen dedicated his Passacaglia; Cornelius Kee, a great improviser; and Jacques Bonset, who has even tapped our own Henry Purcell for thematic material.


 ⁷ This cantata, the performance of which occupies less than a quarter of an hour, consists of chorales, solos, a lovely trio (Glory to God in the Highest), and a duet (By the Crib). It is just the thing for the junior section of the choir, and the writer has obtained a translation and performed it with success in his church at Christmas, 1938. He has never witnessed boys so heartily enjoy singing sacred music as was apparent from the enthusiastic manner in which they tackled this work from the first practice!
 ⁸ All Andriessen's music is to be obtained from Messrs. Alsbach & Doyer, Kalverstraat, Amsterdam, C,
 ⁹ This work is also published by Alsbach.
 ¹⁰ Alsbach, Amsterdam