Marcel Dupré 100th anniversary concert

On Thursday, March 7, 2024 we had a special concert by Grammy-nominated organist Stephen Tharp, marking the 100th anniversary of a recital given at Christ’s Christ by the French organ virtuoso Marcel Dupré.

Dupré was one of the 20 th century’s greatest organists. In concert series in the 1920s, he played all of Bach’s organ works from memory, and his US tours at that time left audiences spellbound. On March 7, 1924, during one of those tours, he played here on a newly installed organ built by Wangerin Co. of Milwaukee.

To commemorate this historic event, we were excited to welcome an award-winning musician of our own time, Stephen Tharp. An international concert organist, composer and recording artist, Stephen served as the official organist for Pope Benedict’s visit to New York in 2008, and is currently artist-in-residence at St James’s Church, Madison Avenue.

Stephen’s program for our concert included works by Dupré (including a piece played in this very church on March 7, 1924), works by Bach and Mendelssohn that Dupré performed when touring the US, and a set of chorale preludes by Jeanne Demessieux, one of Dupré’s students. Mirroring the 1924 program, the concert concluded with an improvisation on a submitted theme.

For questions, please contact edegraf@ccrye.org.

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(You may view or download the full program, with notes and bio, here)

Program

  • Marcel Dupré (1886-1971)

    • Carillon, from “Sept Pièces,” Op. 27

  • Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

    • Allein Gott, in der Höh‘ sei Ehr‘, BWV 662

  • Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

    • Organ Sonata No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 65, No. 2

      • Grave-Adagio

      • Allegro maestoso e vivace

      • Fuga: Allegro moderato

  • Marcel Dupré

    • Berceuse, from “Suite Bretonne,” Op. 21

  • Marcel Dupré

    • Prelude and Fugue in g minor, Op. 7, no. 3

    ———————— Intermission ————————

  • Marcel Dupré

    • Crucifixion, from “Symphonie Passion,” Op. 23

  • Jeanne Demessieux

    • from Twelve Chorale Preludes, Op. 12

      • Domine Jesu

      • Rorate Caeli

      • Attende Domine

  • Improvisation on a submitted theme.