Healey Willan plays the organ - Hymn and Improvisation

[Improvisata]

majestic organ sound indeed, but rather slow. Nice to hear.

[xenophore]

My favorite Western hymn

[dlees22]

Dr. Willan was one of my heroes growing up. My choirmaster, T.Leslie Morris, was a dear friend of "The Doc's"; and my music teacher at school sang in the Gallery Choir. I sang at St. Thomas's Huron Street for years with Walter MacNutt, one of Willan's students. I received an award at Choir School from Willan. We always chatted when we met, and my formation was with his choral and harmonic flavours./ I always claimed to be weaned 'in the grand manner' as an organist. What an influence!! dls

[mstrungify]

I grew up at SMM listening to this glorious music every Sunday, as my mother sang in the gallery choir and my father was cantor in the ritual choir. I remember Dr. Willan in his waistcoat and spats... having tea in the long room after mass... pretending to crack his nose as he snapped his watch case shut.... Thanks for posting this - it really takes me back.

[MsViolaB]

@mstrungify I was not raised in that congregation, but my parents had friends in the choir, and we attended services and special performances often. One, memorable to me, was going back to the choir area afterwards, meeting up with the friends, and a lovely little old man, my height ( I was 11yo at the time), wearing a "comfortable" old flannel shirt: "and did you enjoy the performance, my dear?". Later, I asked my mother who the old man was! Wasn't MY jaw on the floor at the response!

[1953billy]

The instrument is Canadian,,,a 1909 Breckels and Matthews...updated with tonal additons by Alan Jackson, Casavant's Toronto agent in Willan's memory after his death.

[kjell484]

Born in Barnsley UK, i was raised in the Anglo-Catholic tradition. When we came to Canada, my brother and I were both Confirmed at SMM's. It is with quiet but absolute confidence that I say that people places and things can take everything from me but they will never rob me of my liturgical heritage, the love i have for my heritage as an Anglo-Catholic and, most important, my faith in the God of my understanding.

[125wake]

@kjell484

Where about in Barnsley? I am of the Ango Catholic Tradition too! I am to be the new curate of Dodworth in July of next year.

[ewokmusic]

good improvisation at the 2nd half of this hymn...though it sounded like no melody line, but with lots of potential for own improvisation eg modulation to another key with the counter melody to be added...i will work on this on my own!!

PRAISE GOD for such beautiful playing...ALLELULIA

[georgebur]

Great composer, great musician . Thanks for the posting.

[studentjohn36]

Willan referred to this organ as "the old girl"

[joikingforgodot]

Hymn tempi have gotten progressively faster in most places since Willan's death in 1968 -- probably a good thing if the words are going to make sense and the average person in the pews is going to make it through the phrases without a big gasp for air in the middle. The improvisation at the end is the best part. And it's so nice to hear an instrument played without screaming mixtures!

[giovdan]

Thanks, what a great musician!

[socwoods]

what a gem! I have not been to SMM in many years. I am sure the choirs are still excellent there.

[cdmcconnell]

@socwoods They are!

[NihilNominis]

This makes me feel so much better! I always feel as if I'm screwing up when the congregation are jumping ahead of or behind me. But I know Willan's doing it perfectly...

[Fozzymaple]

I have to agree this is really, really slow. I wonder if it was hard for the singers at this slow tempo.

[lastcorpsestanding]

I sang at SMM for four years, and it's not the tempo that's the real problem. The church uses a LOT of incense, and its the smoke that causes all the trouble. SMM choirs are used to the stately speed of hymns.

[fluteceleste]

wow, he tatkes it really slow! but majestic. organ sounds quite dark, must be an early Casavant.

[md95065]

Actually it isn't a Casavant - it was (and still is) a 3 manual instrument built in 1907 by a firm called Breckels and Mathews ...

[coutureorganist]

@fluteceleste

[coutureorganist]

@coutureorganist its not a casavant. its an english instrument and a bit of a mixed character. the acoustic is amazing there!! :)