University Organist Mark Steinbach presented "Celebrating Messiaen at 100," an organ concert, in Sayles Hall on Saturday evening. The concert featured five works of Oliver Messiaen, a noted 20th century composer, and was jointly sponsored by the Department of Music and the Office of the Chaplains and Religious Life.
The program, chosen by Steinbach himself, was meant to reflect the breadth of Messiaen's interests and influences which included "world music, Catholicism, additive rhythms, improvisation and humanism and birdsong," Steinbach said in a statement.
"No matter what music you love to listen to, from Bach to jazz to progressive rock, you will find Messiaen fascinating," Steinbach added in the statement.
Steinbach also teaches in the Department of Music, so it's no surprise that he admires Messiaen for both his musical compositions and his academic life.
"I particularly find Messiaen worthy of emulation," Steinbach wrote in an e-mail to The Herald. "He was able to live a life combining his academic pursuits of teaching and research while also working as a performing musician."
Steinbach's last performance on campus was during Halloween's traditional midnight organ concert. Saturday's audience, however, was a far cry from the masked and painted college students lying on the floor during the Halloween performance. Instead, this weekend's audience predominantly consisted of silvered and sweatered adults.
This performance was similar, however, to the midnight organ concert in the consistently high quality of the music. Like the last concert, the students that were in the audience were highly appreciative.
"I thought it was really great," Liam Sullivan '11 said.
"The last movement was pretty uplifting" Sophie Lebrecht GS said of "Prayer from Christ ascending towards His Father."
Steinbach once again used the 105-year-old Hutchings-Votey organ to its utmost advantage, laying out swathes of sound with contrasting colors and textures.
This skill was particularly appropriate because Messiaen had synesthesia. For Messiaen, different tones and melodies evoked colors, in addition to musical qualities. Similarly, Steinbach was able to evoke spatial qualities during his execution of the first movement of L'Ascension. During this piece, the organ trembled downward, creating a tangible contrast. The music grew slower and slower, until it stopped on a barely audible note. Suddenly, like a sparkling flash descending from the sky, spritely tones danced in from above. One could hardly believe such disparate sounds emerged from the same instrument.
The lighting in Sayles Hall was too bright, missing an opportunity to set a dramatic mood for the concert. The audience was bathed in light, as was Steinbach and the organ. The music, however, almost seemed to drape itself over the room, coloring the mood and the tone of the lighting while Steinbach played. At the end of the first piece, it was as though a veil were suddenly lifted, the room returning from its temporary transformation.
