The prolific composer, conductor, organist and teacher Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) started his career as a church organist in Paris. His first job was at St. Merry, in the Marais district. From 1858, Saint-Saëns was organist at the church of La Madeleine, with its monumental Cavaillé-Coll pipe organ, and where an Alexandre harmonium still stands in the nave. In his 19 years there, he composed his serious organ works and numerous choral pieces. This Ave Maria in E major dates to 1859, and was included in the composer’s collection of Vingt Motets, published in 1885. The accompaniment for the second section features treble triplets, with the final note of each triplet sustained in an unusual counterpoint to the singer’s melody. The music is now available in the 2003 volume “Motets for One Voice by Franck, Gounod, and Saint-Saëns,” edited by Richard Benefield, published by A-R Editions, Inc., a valuable resource for keyboard players with singing friends. Performed here by Heather Garland, mezzo-soprano, accompanied by Michael Hendron, playing a W. W. Kimball chapel-model reed organ. The organ was Kimball’s No. 144912, dating to the early 1890s, with three ranks of reeds. Recorded during Sunday Morning Worship in the Swedenborgian Church of San Francisco, 22 May 2022.
16 сен 2024
