Notre Dame pipe organ
once played by WVU prof
When the organists at Notre Dame Cathedral heaved a sigh of relief and shed tears as they learned the magnificent pipe organ in Paris survived the devastating fire April 15 they probably did not know of a late kindred spirit from Morgantown.
He performed a concert on that pipe organ in 1975. Thousands of people attended, including some from the Mountain State.
Clyde English, a world-renowned organist, was a faculty member at what was then the WVU School of Music. From 1945 until he retired in1980, he taught here. Now, music is part of the 50-year-old College of Creative Arts.
His recital at Notre Dame was designed for a French audience, but was intended to represent America as well, as the program included several pieces by American composers.
Three, more familiar to his audience, were by Bach. “Homage to Perotin” by Myron Roberts is in honor of Perotin the Great or Perotin Magnus of the 12th century.
“Prelude & Fugue in E Flat” by Bach has a theme loosely resembling the hymn “O God, Our Help in Ages Past.” Bach’s followup was “O Mensch, bewein dein Sunde gross.” One English translation simply says, “O man, bewail thy sins so great.” It is a highly ornamental chorale that English is said to have played exactly like his teacher, Marcel Dupre. in France, would have played it. Other pieces included:
“A Gothic Prelude” is a late Romantic composition inviting many colorful effects.
“Hornpipe,” better known as “Mr. Purcells Wedding March,” by Bernhard Leonardy.
“Come Autumn Time,” by Leo Sowerby, is a lively piece of 20th century church music.
“Christmas Advent: von Himmel noch,” by Martin Luther, is a rousing toccata based on the hymn “From Heaven Above to Earth I Come on High.”
English designed the CCA’s pipe organ, but it doesn’t have the 8,000 pipes like the ones that survived the Notre Dame inferno.
When English died at age 96, four of his past students presented a memorial concert in his honor. Well done: Mary Mozelle, Peter DuBois, Beverly Clark and Robert Zay.
But it is a given that the music in Notre Dame will no longer sound like it did. Those of us who enjoyed such stunning concerts are truly blessed.
Jerry Kessel
Morgantown
