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November 2003
Two New Composer Sites
 Thierry Pallesco,
a professor of music at the University of Poitiers,
France, and a composer of music for the organ writes to
share his site with us: http://members.aol.com/thierrypallesco/accueil.htm. M. Pallesco was born in Paris (France) in
1956. After completing his piano studies at the
Conservatoire National de Région de Versailles in the
class of Madeleine Chacun - he later became one of her
assistants - he studied the organ at the École Nationale
de Musique d'Orsay with André Isoir (gold medal in 1980),
then with Rolande Falcinelli at the Conservatoire
National Supérieur de Musique de Paris where he received
first prizes in harmony (in 1980, in the class of Roger
Boutry), in counterpoint (in 1981, in the class of Jean-Paul
Holstein), and in fugue (in 1982, in the class of Michel
Merlet), and then his prize in organ. In 1984, he was a
finalist of the composition competition of the Amis de l'Orgue.
Since then, his music has been published in France and
Germany. At the present time, he teaches harmony
in the department of musicology at the University of
Poitiers. He has been organist of the Cathédrale Saint-Spire-de-Corbeil-Essonnes
(in the Paris area). He now plays in Poitiers (Saint-Paul
Church).
 Bernard J. D.
Heyes is the composer of eight organ symphonies. Visit www.heyes.fslife.co.uk for descriptions, free mp3 extracts and CD
recordings of all eight symphonies; also, biographical
notes, discussion of musical influences and full list of
other works, including music for piano, flute, clarinet,
trombone, harp, voice, choir, and other works for organ.
Bernard Heyes has achieved the distinction of being
the only person ever to compose and record eight organ
symphonies.
Two at MPR
 Minnesota
Public Radio has a new take on contemporary music. MPR's
new "American Mavericks" series explores
contemporary music. "In some ways as daring as the
composers it brings to life, the show departs from the
standard classical-radio recipe, using sound effects from
train whistles to ocean waves to shrieking cats. It plays
rock and art music in the same episode. It deftly moves
music from background to foreground and back again. It
tells complicated stories with a breezy, youthful
irreverence underpinned by airtight research and writing,
courtesy of Village Voice music critic Kyle Gann."
www.musicmavericks.org.
Michael Barone 35th
Anniversary: Last year was the 20th Anniversary of Pipedreams
produced by MPR and hosted by award-wining host Michael
Barone. What many don't know is that this versatile radio
personality has even more experience to deepen his weekly
broadcasts for the pipe organ: http://music.mpr.org/programs/
newreleases/anniversary_35.shtml. Michael Barone is the much-loved voice of the
Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and The New Releases
broadcasts in addition to Pipedreams. This
special anniversary Web-page allows viewers to post a
"virtual toast" and reminiscences about their
listening experiences.
Regina et Ecclesia
Anglicana
In the November 2002 AGOnLine,
we reported on the ceremony, music and pagentry of the
Golden Jubilee celebration of HRH Queen Elizabeth II in
early June of that year. In June of this year, a more
reflective service was celebrated in commemoration of the
actual Coronation Day. The BBC News Web site once again
has many photos, and archived Real Player video coverage
(one-and-a-half hours) of this solemn yet joyous service http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2954996.stm. Also available is archived video of the
Coronation on June 2, 1953.
The Queen invited 34 people
who were born on Coronation Day, and also former scholars
of Westminster School who heralded her arrival in the
Abbey with cries of "Vivat Regina Elizabetha."
As in 1953, the first hymn was "All People That On
Earth Do Dwell." The choir sang from Psalm 84,
"Behold, O God Our Defender," to music composed
by Herbert Howells for the Coronation, in addition to
performing the Te Deum, which was also sung 50
years ago. There were new elements added to the
service, however. As well as music by Bach,
Purcell, and Vaughan Williams, there was a new anthem
composed by Jonathan Harvey and specially commissioned by
Dr Wesley Carr, Dean of Westminster. Dr Carr said
that after enjoying the pageantry of the Golden Jubilee,
the Queen wanted a "quieter, more reflective"
way to mark the anniversary of the Coronation. In the
bidding, Dr Carr reminded the congregation of how the
tradition of coronations at Westminster Abbey stretches
back to 1066 and the crowning of first Harold and
then William the Conqueror. He explained that the service
is based around four commitments made by the Queen in
1953 - to God, to the service of others, to
responsibility, and to showing respect for her people -
and invited the congregation to share in those
commitments. Dr Carr said: "One of the main aims of
the anniversary service was to use aspects of the
Coronation as building blocks. In 1953, the Queen made
some very heavy commitments of duty and service to the
nation. It seemed to me appropriate that we reversed the
situation now, and committed ourselves with her to the
same ideals."
Finally, the printed Order of
Service for the Coronation commemoration, including the
regal music prepared for the occasion, may be found here
on the Web site of Westminster Abbey: www.westminster-abbey.org/services/special/
orderofservice/100603_orderofservice.pdf
Archbishop of
Canterbury
The Enthronement of the 104th Archbishop of
Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, took place in Canterbury
Cathedral on February 27th, 2003. With the growth of
the worldwide Anglican Communion over the past 200
years, and the developing ecumenical links of the Church
of England, the actual Enthronement of the Archbishop has
become an event of international importance. The
Enthronement ceremony was in many ways more eclectic from
the more traditional liturgical and musical celebration
for HRH the Queen. Unfortunately, there is no archived
video available of the ceremony, but the Order of Service
may be downloaded here: www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/events/
Enthronement%20of%20RW%202003.pdf
The Organ Forum
 The Organ Forum is a new, Web-based resource for
exchanging information on the King of Instruments. It
is divided into well defined groups and topics, so that
you can concentrate on those subjects that interest you
the most. Threaded messages make following conversations
easy. You can even receive e-mail notifications when new
messages are added to conversations of your choice. What's
more, the contents are fully searchable, allowing
you to locate information quickly and easily. Visit
The Organ Forum at www.organforum.com.
IOF Update
 Peter Rodwell, president of the International
Organ Foundation writes to inform of us a significant
improvement to the IOF Web site: a fully searchable
database format for the contents of the site. The most
important new feature is that the organ catalogue is now
database-driven - this means you can search the entire
catalogue using specific criteria: three-manual
mechanical-action organs in California built by Peter
Rodwell, for example. There are now many more organ
photos, thanks to the generosity of organ builders who
have kindly given their permission to use photos from
their own Web sites.
Also added are two more
catalogues, both of which are in their embryonic state: a
catalogue of organ recordings and a directory of organ-builders.
In all three cases there are form pages that allow
users to submit new entries online. The URL is: www.intorg.org.
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