Sprituality and Jean Guillou
Sarah gave us a splendid meditation on Finding Christ in the Gospel. Taking the 99 names of Allah she produced a much longer list of names for Jesus! We chose a picture and were able to draw our own picture. I chose Leonardo and icon of the Last supper and worked on St Teresa of Avila's "Christ has no body now but yours, no hands, no feet but yours. Yours are the feet with which he walks, yours are the eyes with which he sees, Yours are the hands with which he blesses all the world" and linked this to "I am the Bread of Life". My picture featured hands, bread, chalice, feet and eyes.
A most useful exercise. Served at Mass and then to Jean Guillou's much heralded recital in the cathedral. I applaud his virtuosity and imagination and John East enjoyed it but I preferred last Sunday's music. Hyperion is a work about fire by Guillou. Many fiery effects but too loud and too long. The Vierne Symphony No.2 was again lots of reeds and my tinnitus didn't help. Some lovely flute effects but a very odd sounding cello solo. The cantabile got very loud. And where was the romantic expressiveness? The improvisation started well based on a phrase from Britten's Sanctus from the Missa Brevis and then the Rite of Spring theme was woven into it. The Bernstein mambo theme from "West side story" was not over used except very loud and fast and the end was abrupt! Many organists present and a good audience but worth £10 and £5 for the series programme - I doubt it!
A most useful exercise. Served at Mass and then to Jean Guillou's much heralded recital in the cathedral. I applaud his virtuosity and imagination and John East enjoyed it but I preferred last Sunday's music. Hyperion is a work about fire by Guillou. Many fiery effects but too loud and too long. The Vierne Symphony No.2 was again lots of reeds and my tinnitus didn't help. Some lovely flute effects but a very odd sounding cello solo. The cantabile got very loud. And where was the romantic expressiveness? The improvisation started well based on a phrase from Britten's Sanctus from the Missa Brevis and then the Rite of Spring theme was woven into it. The Bernstein mambo theme from "West side story" was not over used except very loud and fast and the end was abrupt! Many organists present and a good audience but worth £10 and £5 for the series programme - I doubt it!
Comments
The art exercise also intrigues me. I love the St. Teresa prayer, which I got to know through the Ogden setting you mentioned.
Somehow your report of Guillou doesn't surprise me too much! I never have cared for his playing of traditional repertoire; too imaginative for me. And although I have a great interest in contemporary music, few of his compositions interest me much. He recorded Hyperion at St. Eustache (a very loud organ), and I find it almost unlistenable; it must be really fierce at Westminster Cathedral! I'm usually impressed with his improvisations, however. I guess this one didn't really get off the ground. Too bad, as the themes seem to have been well chosen. (I heard him once improvise on Adoro te devote which was really not the best choice for him...)