baroque or earlier organ masses (epistle & gospel organs speaking to each other)
  • mdibblee
    Posts: 4
    I'm new to your list. For years I've been trying to locate some of the recordings my organ teacher had (LPs) ca 1980s. They were duo-organ masses with no speaking, just music, using the gospel & epistle organs in various churches, in Italy, Poland, & other places, similar to Mass of the Parishes [Couperin Messe des Paroisses] but w/o any speaking. Might anyone know of recordings of these early 2-organ masses? I remember well one such recording in which the two organs -- across from each other -- were "speaking" to each other in 4-chord phrases (measures) & the acoustic of the room provided an amazing "third voice" where the two sets of chords (epistle & gospel) were "combined". Any help would be appreciated.

    Please respond to dibblee@hevanet.com.
    Thanks.
  • G
    Posts: 1,401
    I am unable to help but can you or anyone else tell me what "epistle organs" or "gospel organs" are? (I tried googling before I asked this, I'm not a complete sloth...)
    I have been in only one church, to my recollection, with two posatifs in the front of the sanctuary, just inside the altar rail, one on either side, but they are fairly recent additions.
    At one time was it common to have organ to support each side of a choir when it really was "in choir"?

    (Save the Liturgy, Save the World)
  • JL
    Posts: 171
    G, I think mdibblee is referring to what you describe, organs on the "Epistle" and "Gospel" sides of the church (like the "cantoris" and "decani" division in an Anglican cathedral choir.) The cathedral in Braga (home of the--surprise!--Bragan rite) has two such, but they are in the loft.

    I can't think of any recordings, or indeed of any printed scores of said masses (though it might be time for another leisurely romp through the M 2's at my local university library), but I'd be interested to learn more. Perhaps they might be performed in a church with consoles in the loft and in the chancel (not necessarily separate organs, but through the magic of registration...) I'll keep my eyes open.
  • mdibblee
    Posts: 4
    Hello, this is mdibblee, back again after a month hiatus. My teacher had a recording on LP of one such mass. I believe it would have been Italian or possibly Polish or other eastern European genre, early to late baroque. The music took the place of the spoken liturgy. There was no spoken, the dialogue was between the two instruments north-south. In a generous space the two speaking instruments blended their dialogue, which was very simple in content -- typically 4 sequential chords so that in the middle of the space (where the microphones were placed) one heard the dissonances from the sounds of N vs S. It was the space that made the difference & the recording itself, which placed electronic "ears" to capture the mystery. It is this recording that I'd like to find again. My teacher was the late Douglas L. Butler (d. 1980).
  • mdibblee
    Posts: 4
    back again. Still haven't found what I'm looking for. One of the pc. I've known to exist is the Scheidt Echo played on two opposing (Epistle & Gospel) organs.
  • Protasius
    Posts: 468
    There is also an Echo fantasy by Sweelinck.
    And there is a toccata for two organs by Aurelio Bonelli, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vJPR7NsZrM
    Perhaps the pieces you heard are simply an organ transcription of eight-voice motets or canzonas (there are a couple of these by various composers, H. L. Hassler, C. Merulo, &c.).
  • BruceL
    Posts: 1,072
    The most famous example of this in North America is the cathedral in Mexico City. Guy Bovet did some recordings years ago on both organs to raise money for their restoration. They are both quite large and sound...okay, mostly on account of their disrepair.
  • mdibblee
    Posts: 4
    The Aurelio Bonelli duo could have been played on two instruments. Very nice. Thank you for uploading.
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,611
    http://www.allmusic.com/album/release/music-for-two-organs-from-the-18th-and-19th-centuries-mr0002725392

    Any possibility this is it?
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