Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-04-08
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Daily Talks With Thinking Philadephans Subjects They
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composer. but these works. like many of his
compositions in other fields. are little dry
''Still another is Julius Rcubke. a son of
the famous organ builder, Adolph Reubkc.
who built some of tn" finest organs in Ger
many. Julius, although actually pianist.
composed one organ number entitled The
Ninety fourth Psalm which today occupies
high place in contemporaneous organ liter
ature.
''Of the later composers for the instru
mcnt high place must be given to Max
Reger. who wrote vOl,,minously for the
organ and in his native country his works
nre played n great deal. although they are
not widely known outside of Germany. OK
rept to students of the literature of the
organ. Roger. like many Of the Germans,
has allowed his mastery of counterpoint to
overcome his musical feeling at times. and
his music suffers thereby.
English and Russian
'"rhe early English school was repre-
sented by Henry Smart and his followers.
scholarly and often dry. The best of the
later composers are Wostcnhomc. Hollins
and Icmarc. the latter now municipal or
ganist at Portland. Me. Their music is
rather inclined to the romantic style and is
not at all like that of Bach. There is coun
terpoint. OF course. but much Of the work
Is free style. and it is very melodious.
Faulkcs is another important British COM
poser for the organ, and he usually writes
In the real organ style. Both Wolstenhome
and HOllns arc blind as Is also Vierne. one
OF the great modern French organ players
and composers
''The Russians have done little with organ
music, despite the fact that their composers
have done such significant work in other
lines of composition. This is probably due
10 the fact that many, II not most Of the
Russian churches. have no organs, the sing
ing being without accomplishment. In this
field the Russian composers have been at the
very head of the list. Tschakowsky. Arcn-
sky. RachmaninOff and many others having
composed some wonderful Il cappella music
for their Church.
American Composition
'Outsidr Of France and possibly Ger
many the American composers for the organ
nre now producing music for the instrument
ns representative as that Of any other coun-
try. Philadelphia is one of the great organ
cenlers OF the country, and we have here
Kollo Maitland. ii. Alexander Matthew's
doing excellent work in composition as we'll
as in performances
"Others in the United States who are
doing exec lent work are Edward Shippen
Barnes and Clarence Dickinson, whose sym.
phony and Storm King symphony. re-
spertivcly, are among the best known nnd
most representative of modern organ COM
positions, and Tcrtius Noble, of New York,
Among the leading organ composers of
the country are three of foreign birth hut
| who have been residents of the United States
during most OF their creative careers These
| nrG iletro Aon. born in Italy, who has n
| style OF composition entirely individual
Gaston Dethier, born in Belgium, like 30
| many great organ composers, and Wilh,lm
| Middleschultc, of Chicago, born in Germany
| AS concert instrument the organ has
developed wonderfully in the last few years