STETSON UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF MUSIC
AND
ARTISTS AND LECTURERS COMMITTEE
present
LADD THOMAS, Organ
March 6, 1987 8:00 P.M. Elizabeth Hall
Michael Praetorius ( 1571-1621)
Phantasy on the chorale "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God"
Praetorius was one of the most significant musicians of the
early 17th century. In addition to being a very-
accomplished organist, prolific composer, and author of
books on theory, performance/ and the construction of
instruments, he was constantly in demand as a teacher and
conductor.
Many compositions have been written based on "Ein* Feste
Burg;" however, few have offered such a profound expression
of the text and tune as this work of Praetorius. Divided
into five sections, each one stating one or more phases of
the chorale, the Phantasy is an excellent example of the
chorale motet form in which all voices fully participate in
presenting the chorale melody and in counterpointing it in
an imitatory, fugue-like manner.
In keeping with much of the practice of his day, Praetorius
did not publish this work in the form of an organ score. As
was the custom with choral music, each of the four voices
was printed separately. It was left to the organist to
transcribe the parts into a system of notation known as
"organ tablature," a combination of notes, letters, and
abbreviations. Thus, the music could be suitaably adapted
to the instrument on which it was to be performed. The
score used for this performance was prepared in modern
notation and edited by Heinrich Fleischer.
Louis Claude Daquin (1694-1772)
Noel sur les jeux d'anches sans tremblant
Daquin was the organist of St. Paul's in Paris until his
death in 1772. While at this position he composed many of
the now famous Noe'ls based on French folk tunes. These
universally popular tunes must have had a delightful appeal
to the people of France when they first heard them.
