Community Event - Belleville - Toccata & Fugue in D Minor & Masterworks for Organ
On Sunday, November 17ᵗʰ at 4:30 PM, at St. Thomas' Anglican Church in Belleville, Matthieu Latreille and Francine Nguyen-Savaria will launch the 6th edition of “Music at Saint Thomas’” with an organ concert featuring the famous “Toccata and Fugue in D minor” by Johann Sebastian Bach and other masterpieces.
When we think of the pipe organ, the first piece of music that comes to our minds is often the “Toccata and Fugue.” Used in several movies, this work alone made the pipe organ famous for its solemn tones. Alongside from this famous toccata and fugue are several masterworks for the King of Instruments. The name of Johann Sebastian Bach cannot be dissociated from greatness when it comes to organ works, or anything classical music for that matter. Bach stands so high that his name was associated to an entire era: the baroque era. Baroque music is especially suited for St. Thomas' pipe organ, which has a neo-baroque aesthetic. Matthieu will open the concert with the famous “Toccata and Fugue in D minor” by Johann Sebastian Bach, along with other masterpieces from the great Kappelmeister.
France's age of gold for the pipe organ was at the turn of the 20ᵗʰ century, with symphonic and post-romantic music. Francine has a particular affection for the impressionist tones of this particular era and will present music from another giant of the organ world: French composer Louis Vierne, who was organist at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris from 1900 to 1937.
The husband and wife team is active on the Canadian concert scene, both as soloists and a duet. They will take turns on the bench to present these well-known and lesser known solo organ works.
The pipe organ of St. Thomas' Anglican Church is one of the finest in the area. The instrument was built by Gabriel Kney in 1977, to replace the large Casavant organ that had been destroyed with the church by fire in 1975. The instrument of 19 ranks (about 1,000 pipes) has 14 stops and its action is entirely mechanical. A live projection on a screen will allow the audience to see the organists performing.
Admission is by donation.