Healey Willan plays the organ - Hymn and Improvisation

Healey Willan (1880-1968), the great Anglo-Canadian church musician plays the organ of St Mary Magdalene, Toronto at the age of 86.

Hymn: Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones
[Lasst uns erfreuen]
followed by an
Improvised Postlude.

Recorded during a service in 1966.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Healey
• Willan
• Lasst
• uns
• erfreuen
• Improvised
• Postlude
• improvisation
• organ
• church
• music
• hymn

[fluteceleste]

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

[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.

[Improvisata]

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

[xenophore]

My favorite Western hymn

[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.

[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

[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!

[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.

[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.

[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.