The "Toccata Heard 'Round the World" Project
November 9, 2001
Lynnwood Farnam was born on January 13, 1885, and by a lucky coincidence January 13, 2002, which would have been his 117th birthday, falls on a Sunday. To celebrate this occasion, the Lynnwood Farnam Society is encouraging all organists and church musicians to play Farnam's Toccata on "O Filii et Filiae" (which can be purchased here) as a postlude after that day's Eucharist. There are already numerous churches, on three continents, which will participate in this event.
The Toccata is not a difficult work, and any church organist should be able to learn it. Furthermore, adaptations of the work to fit specific circumstances are welcome (antiphonal arrangements, transposition to a lower key for smaller-compass organs, etc.). The Montreal Organ Consort is even considering commissioning a free arrangement of the piece for 4 chamber organs. Those without access to a Church music program can program the Toccata on a recital played on that day, as it can be freely arranged for almost any instrument or combination.
Church musicians who are unable to program the Toccata for that Sunday may participate in other ways. They may program pieces dedicated to Farnam (for instance, Louis Vierne's 6ème Symphonie, Leo Sowerby's Symphony or Marcel Dupré's "Souvenir" from Op. 27), they may play Bach's Prelude and Fugue in E-flat major BWV 552 (the first theme of the fugue is carved on Farnam's bust), or they may program Alfred Whitehead's motet "Jesus, the very thought of Thee" or Healy Willan's motet "O King to Whom all things do live." Those motets were sung at a service at Christ Church Cathedral, Montreal, on November 23, 1931, the first anniversary of Farnam's death. The complete music list for that service is available in the Bronze Bust of Lynnwood Farnam section of this web site.
Everyone participating in this event is encouraged to notify the Lynnwood Farnam Society at lynnwoodfs@yahoo.ca in order that we may compile and publish a list of participating churches and concert venues.
More details about this project will be posted as they become available. But for now, whether you are a LFS member or not, mark January 13, 2002 in your calendars and tell all your friends and colleagues about this exciting project!
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Remembrance Day Service
Lest We Forget
November 9, 2001
On November 11, 2001 at 4:00 p.m., Christ Church Cathedral in Montreal (Sainte-Catherine Street, between University and Union) will be holding a solemn evensong service for Remembrance Day. The choir of Trebles and Men of the Cathedral will present music by Willan, Gibbons, Caustun and Anerio.
Of particular interest to the Society is that the choral music will include Willan's "O King to Whom" and the organ music will include Brahms' "O how Blessed," Bach's "Lord God now Open" and Bach's Fugue in E-flat major BWV 552.ii. These pieces were all performed at the memorial service held for Farnam at Christ Church Cathedral on Monday, November 23, 1931, the first anniversary of his death, and the Willan was composed specifically for the service and dedicated to Farnam. That was also the service at which the bronze bust of Farnam was dedicated. The complete music list for that service is available in the Bronze Bust of Lynnwood Farnam section of this web site.
For those unable to attend the Remembrace Day service it will be broadcast on Radio Ville Marie (91.3 FM Montreal, 100.3 FM Sherbrooke) live at 4:00 p.m. EST and then repeated the next morning at 5:00 a.m. EST. At these times it will be available worldwide on the Internet through Radio Ville Marie, and also through Christ Church Cathedral. The Willan motet will also be performed at the Cathedral's morning Eucharist that day at 10:00 a.m.. Farnam was the Director of Music at the Cathedral between 1908 and 1913, and volunteered to serve in the Canadian army during the First World War.
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