International Summer Organ Series opens in Tullamore to widespread acclaim

IN his role as Artistic Director of the Tullamore International Summer Organ Series (TISOS), Thomas Charles Marshall began with a wonderful organ recital by Carole O’ Connor and a superb choral performance from the Choir of St Anne’s Church, Dublin of which he is conductor.

In welcoming everyone to the first recital in the series Charles thanked his predecessor Professor Gerald Gillen who attended on the night.

Also thanked for continued support and generosity were the Trench Trust and Offaly County Council. Friends of the series who have been loyal supporters for twenty six years were also gratefully acknowledged.

So too was Bishop Tom Deenihan, Patron of the series and Fr Joseph Gallagher, Parish Priest of Tullamore for his warm welcome to the church.

The programme opened with Carole O’ Connor playing Hymne au Soleil by the French composer and organist Louis Vierne (1870-1937) followed by Médiation pour Orgue by another French composer Maurice Duruflé (1902-1986).

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The choir of St Anne’s church comprised of eleven voices on the night filled the Church of the Assumption with their glorious singing. They began with Joseph Rheinberger’s Abendlied Opus 69 No 3.

This was followed by three Renaissance composers. Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625) gave us Hosanna to the Son of David. Gibbons was an organist and composer and was one of the last great figures of the English polyphonic school. Ave Verum by William Byrd (1543-1623) was another superb piece.

Byrd, also English, is considered to be among the greatest of the English Renaissance composers. He had a profound influence on composers both from his native country and on the continent. Giovanni Gabrielli (1557-1612) was an Italian composer and organist. He was of the Venetian School at the time of the shift from Renaissance to Baroque idioms. We heard his Jubilate Deo fill our hearts.

Moving to more modern pieces, Carole O’ Connor played Chant héroique (Neuf pieces op 40) by Jean Langlais (1907-1991) a French composer who became blind at the age of two. In 1945 he became organist of the great St Clothilde in Paris, retaining the position until he was eighty years old.

The choir, under the baton of Charles Marshall ,gave us Beati Quorum via by Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924) before their final song which was A New Song by James MacMillan (1959-) who is a Scottish classical composer known for his spiritual and political works.

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The last pieces from Carole and organ were Le Jardin suspendu by Jehan Alain, a French composer who was killed in the battle of Saumur in the Second World War. The final music of the evening was another piece by Langlais , Hymne d’Action de grace , ‘Te Deum’. Audience reaction showed how much everyone appreciated the marvellous playing of the Frobenius organ by Carole O’Connor and the wonderful singing of St Anne’s choir.

Our next recital will be on Tuesday 8^th July at 8pm in the Church of the Assumption with Charles Marshall on organ and Bogdan Sofei on violin. Admission is €15/€10 which includes a post -concert glass of wine and a chance to chat with friends and performers. All welcome.