Greetings!

On Feb. 18, I went to listen to Arthur LaMirande's recital at All
Saints Church (Park Slope). I have been waiting for an opportunity to
hear him live for some time, as Mr. LaMirande and I have been in
communication for several years at this point.

The organ at All Saints is not a concert instrument by far: 2
manuals, about 25 ranks (maker unknown but suspected Delaware), and
in the words of the artist, with "the most clumsy and cumbersome
combination action system I've ever seen in my life". In his
foreword, All Saints organist Roger Castellani, even mentioned the
combination system as a source of woes. Mr. LaMirande, however,
attempted a full concert program, the execution of which was a
witness to his ingenuity. In my opinion, the organ also possesses
some really good voices and projects well into the room. The program
was as follows:

1. Cesar Franck: Prelude, Fugue and Variation
2. Louis Vierne: Triptyque
3. Vernon Murgatroyd: Meditation on the Gregorian chant for the Feast
of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary
4. Bernard Piche': Hymn of Prais to the Blessed Marguerite Bourgeois
Intermission
5. J.S. Bach: Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland (from the Leipzig Chorales)
Wachtet Auf, ruft uns die Stimme (from the Schuebler Chorales)
6. Franz Schmidt: Two Chorale-Preludes
7. Jean Langlais: Trois Meditations sur la Sainte Trinite'
8. Bernard Piche': Postlude de Noel

Franck started and went on in a rather pedestrian fashion, and was
marred by the necessity to change stops manually mid-sentence. This
interrupted the flow of music on occasion.

With Vierne, Mr. LaMirande had presented thoughtful and masterful
playing. I very much enjoyed the Matines and Communion, and the
poignant Stele pour en enfant defunt brought me to tears.

Vernon Murgatroyd's Meditation was harmonically interesting and
pleasurable to listen to in the hands of Mr. LaMirande, who champions
the music of Canadian composers among others.

Canadian Bernard Piche's Hymn was brilliant, redolent of the French
school (he had studied with Tournemire) and a great concert piece.
Again, the challenges experienced in Franck with the unwieldy
combination action were inaudible this time. Mr. LaMirande played
with intellectual and spiritual passion, and strong execution.

The momentum of the first part of the recital was lost after the
intermission. Bach's Nun komm had too much rubato. Wachet Auf was on
the slow and softer side, and Mr. LaMirande's insistence on playing
the repeating line in the right hand using two different
registrations worked against him as he needed to flip switches back
and forth while playing the introduction. Music did not flow but went
in fits and starts. One of the concertgoers who nodded off during the
introduction woke up with a start once the cantus firmus came in,
which I suppose was true to the hymn's purpose!

After Bach, however, Mr. LaMirande again settled into a comfortable
zone with Schmidt, Langlais and another Piche' piece (in my opinion
not as effective as the first one). I thoroughly enjoyed getting
acquainted with so much new music, played with authority by Mr.
LaMirande.

Last week I have had the pleasure of lunch with the artist. If there
was one word I could characterize him with it would be "intense".
Possessed of an explosive character, knowing him and attending his
recitals is not for the faint-of-heart or casual listeners. Mr.
LaMirande can be bitter, negative, vindictive, and a number of other
unflattering adjectives. But at the same time, I admire his musical
depth and am glad he is around to play music that reaches the soul.

Please visit Mr. LaMirande's homepage at:
http://www.concertartist.info/bio/LAM001.html

Have a great week,

Lana