Symphony for Organ No. 5 (Widor)
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The Symphony for Organ No. 5 in F minor, Op. 42, No. 1, was composed by Charles-Marie Widor in 1879. It lasts for about thirty-five minutes. Its Toccata is the best known of all of Widor's compositions.
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[edit] Structure
The piece has five movements:
- Allegro vivace
- Allegro cantabile
- Andantino quasi allegretto
- Adagio
- Toccata
[edit] Final movement
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The fifth movement is often referred to as just Widor's Toccata because it is his most famous piece. It is very joyful and exuberant and lasts around six minutes. Its fame in part comes from its use as recessional music at wedding ceremonies. The melody of the composition is based upon an arrangement of arpeggios which form phrases, initially in F, moving in fifths through to C major, G major, etc. Each bar consists of one phrase. The melody is complemented by syncopated chords, forming an accented rhythm. The phrases are contextualised by a descending bassline beginning with the 7th tone of each phrase key. For example, where the phrase consists of an arpeggio in C major, the bassline begins with a B flat. This arrangement is surprisingly simple, yet creates a unique dynamic, unrivalled by any former or subsequent composition. It is theoretically an easy piece to learn, but requires an element of discipline, as the composition changes key with every phrase.
[edit] Usage at Royal weddings
- Antony Armstrong-Jones and Princess Margaret on 6 May 1960 at Westminster Abbey
- Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Katharine Worsley on 8 June 1961 at York Minster[1]
- Princess Anne and Mark Phillips at Westminster Abbey on 14 November 1973
- Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones on 19 June 1999 at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle
- Prince William and Catherine Middleton on 29 April 2011 at Westminster Abbey
- Princess Martha Louise of Norway and Mr. Ari Behn at Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim.
[edit] References
- ^ "Charles-Marie Widor (1844-1937)". http://www.guildmusic.com/reviews/rev7305z.htm. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
[edit] External links
- Symphony for Organ No. 5 in F minor: Free scores at the International Music Score Library Project.
- Soul Music - Radio 4 programme in March 2006
- Conclusion of the Third Movement played by Marcel Dupré on the Alexandra Palace organ, 7 March 1930 (direct link to MP3 file).
[edit] Video clips
- Performed by Marie-Claire Alain at St. Etienne de Caen
- Performed by Frederick Hohmann at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart (Newark, New Jersey)
- Performed by Ch. M. Widor at the Église Saint-Sulpice, Paris
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