MEYERBEER's Les Huguenots, played on Moline parlor organ

Giacomo Meyerbeer (1791-1864) spent five years composing his opera "Les Huguenots" before it premiered at the Paris Opera in 1836. His previous opera, "Robert le Diable," essentially codified what became French Grand Opera: a lavish production sprawling over five acts, virtuoso bel canto singing, two soprano leads, and a central ballet relevant to the plot. Les Huguenots was an immediate and lasting success. Jenny Lind, a famous soprano known as "the Swedish Nightingale," was well known for her interpretations of the roles of Alice in "Robert" and Valentine in "Les Huguenots." In 1851, after her retirement from the opera stage and during her American concert tour, she donated money to the Swedish Lutheran community in Andover, Illinois, where a chapel was built in her honor. The reed organ now used in the Jenny Lind Chapel was built c. 1891 by the Moline Organ Company in Moline, Illinois—a company whose administration, work force and target market were largely Swedish immigrants. This organ was recently restored by Reed Organ Society member David Nestander. The "Selections from Les Huguenots" heard here were arranged "for cabinet organ" in 1879 by Louis Meyer (d. 1897), a composer, arranger and conductor who worked in Philadephia, New Orleans and St. Louis. He may have been born in Europe since we know he performed in Richard Wagner's orchestra in Zurich, Switzerland. Meyer set music from several operas and oratorios for reed organ, and these arrangements were published by the F. A. North & Co. firm of Philadelphia. The North firm was an agent for the Wilcox & White Organ Company of Meriden, Connecticut, so a Wilcox & White parlor organ was illustrated on the sheet music cover. The music begins with a dramatic statement of "Ein' feste Burg," the Lutheran hymn tune sprinkled throughout the opera, here establishing the Protestant character of the bass Marcel. The second page contains the "Bathers' Chorus," as the princess' ladies-in-waiting disport themselves in the river at Chenonceau. After the page turn, we hear the beginning of Valentine's extended and conflicted love duet with the tenor Raoul. Finally, we hear the great ensemble number from Act IV, wherein the Catholic nobles plan the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre. Performed by Michael Hendron, recorded 17 October 2011, just after the Reed Organ Society's Moline Organ Fest.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Giacomo
• Meyerbeer
• Louis
• Meyer
• Huguenots
• Jenny
• Lind
• Andover
• Moline
• parlor
• organ
• reed
• harmonium
• Michael
• Hen

[fernandochiarelli]

really fantastic; perfect, and i loved the brazilian flag in the back

[Mustel1887]

Actually it was the Swedish flag. Andover is still a largely Swedish Lutheran community. Thank you for your compliments!

[sfatlarge]

Very beautiful!

[rodneyjantzi]

Fantastic! Thanks for going back to Andover to record these wonderful videos!

[vicw1224]

Fabulous! Love the piece and the acoustics of that space are amazing, Did you run into Jenny's ghost???

[RegPor1943]

What wonderful sound! I love Huguenots and all its tunes. When I was much younger I used to sing "O beau pays" in private moments... ;-)

Thank you.

Reg

[Musique3579]

Magnificent sounding in that beautiful Church! I would take a fine Reed Organ any day to any electronic. Real sound, wind, vibrating reeds amplified by the combination wind chest/soundboard.

[Elaguine81]

Splendid... Merci Michael...