Symphony for Organ No. 5 (Widor)
Encyclopedia
The Symphony for Organ
No. 5 in F minor
, Op. 42, No. 1, was composed by Charles-Marie Widor
in 1879
. It lasts for about thirty-five minutes. Its Toccata is the best known of all of Widor's compositions.
at wedding ceremonies.
The melody of the composition is based upon an arrangement of arpeggios which form phrases, initially in F, moving in fifths through to C major, G major, etc. Each bar consists of one phrase. The melody is complemented by syncopated chords, forming an accented rhythm. The phrases are contextualised by a descending bassline beginning with the 7th tone of each phrase key. For example, where the phrase consists of an arpeggio in C major, the bassline begins with a B flat. This arrangement is surprisingly simple, yet creates a unique dynamic, unrivalled by any former or subsequent composition. It is theoretically an easy piece to learn, but requires an element of discipline, as the composition changes key with every phrase.
Organ Symphony
This page lists the best known Symphonies for solo Organ and Symphonies for Orchestra and Organ. Organ concertos are not listed here.- Edward Shippen Barnes :...
No. 5 in F minor
F minor
F minor is a minor scale based on F, consisting of the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. The harmonic minor raises the E to E. Its key signature has four flats ....
, Op. 42, No. 1, was composed by Charles-Marie Widor
Charles-Marie Widor
Charles-Marie Jean Albert Widor was a French organist, composer and teacher.-Life:Widor was born in Lyon, to a family of organ builders, and initially studied music there with his father, François-Charles Widor, titular organist of Saint-François-de-Sales from 1838 to 1889...
in 1879
1879 in music
- Events :* December 31 - Gilbert & Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance debuts in New York City* Engelbert Humperdinck becomes the first winner of the Mendelssohn Award awarded by the Mendelssohn Stiftung of Berlin....
. It lasts for about thirty-five minutes. Its Toccata is the best known of all of Widor's compositions.
Structure
The piece has five movements:- Allegro vivace
- Allegro cantabile
- Andantino quasi allegretto
- Adagio
- Toccata
Final movement
The fifth movement is often referred to as just Widor's Toccata because it is his most famous piece. It is very joyful and exuberant and lasts around six minutes. Its fame in part comes from its use as recessional musicWedding music
Wedding music applies music played at wedding celebrations, including the ceremony and any festivities before or after the event. The music can be performed live by musicians and/or vocalists or use pre-recorded songs, depending on the format of the event, traditions associated with the...
at wedding ceremonies.
The melody of the composition is based upon an arrangement of arpeggios which form phrases, initially in F, moving in fifths through to C major, G major, etc. Each bar consists of one phrase. The melody is complemented by syncopated chords, forming an accented rhythm. The phrases are contextualised by a descending bassline beginning with the 7th tone of each phrase key. For example, where the phrase consists of an arpeggio in C major, the bassline begins with a B flat. This arrangement is surprisingly simple, yet creates a unique dynamic, unrivalled by any former or subsequent composition. It is theoretically an easy piece to learn, but requires an element of discipline, as the composition changes key with every phrase.
Usage at Royal weddings
- Antony Armstrong-JonesAntony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of SnowdonAntony Charles Robert Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon, GCVO, RDI is an English photographer and film maker. He was married to Princess Margaret, younger daughter of King George VI and younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II....
and Princess MargaretPrincess Margaret, Countess of SnowdonPrincess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon was the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II and the younger daughter of King George VI....
on 6 May 1960 at Westminster AbbeyWestminster AbbeyThe Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,... - Prince Edward, Duke of KentPrince Edward, Duke of KentThe Duke of Kent graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst on 29 July 1955 as a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Scots Greys, the beginning of a military career that would last over 20 years. He was promoted to captain on 29 July 1961. The Duke of Kent saw service in Hong Kong from 1962–63...
and Katharine Worsley on 8 June 1961 at York MinsterYork MinsterYork Minster is a Gothic cathedral in York, England and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe alongside Cologne Cathedral. The minster is the seat of the Archbishop of York, the second-highest office of the Church of England, and is the cathedral for the Diocese of York; it is run by... - Princess Anne and Mark PhillipsMark Phillips-Ancestry:-Issue:-Sources:...
at Westminter Abbey on 14 November 1973 - Prince EdwardPrince Edward, Earl of WessexPrince Edward, Earl of Wessex KG GCVO is the third son and fourth child of Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh...
and Sophie Rhys-Jones on 19 June 1999 at St. George's Chapel, Windsor CastleSt. George's Chapel, Windsor CastleSt George's Chapel is the place of worship at Windsor Castle in England, United Kingdom. It is both a royal peculiar and the chapel of the Order of the Garter... - Prince William and Catherine Middleton on 29 April 2011 at Westminster Abbey
- Princess Martha Louise of NorwayPrincess Märtha Louise of NorwayPrincess Märtha Louise of Norway is the only daughter of King Harald V and Queen Sonja. She is fourth in the line of succession to the Norwegian throne, after her brother and his two children.-Early life:...
and Mr. Ari BehnAri BehnAri Mikael Behn is a Norwegian author, and is best known as the husband of Princess Märtha Louise of Norway. He has written two novels, a collection of short stories and a book about his wedding...
at Nidaros CathedralNidaros CathedralNidaros Cathedral is a Church of Norway cathedral located in the city of Trondheim in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It was the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Nidaros from its establishment in 1152 until its abolition in 1537. Since the Reformation, it has been the cathedral of the...
in TrondheimTrondheimTrondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
.
External links
- Soul Music - Radio 4BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
programme in March 2006 - Conclusion of the Third Movement played by Marcel DupréMarcel DupréMarcel Dupré , was a French organist, pianist, composer, and pedagogue.-Biography:Marcel Dupré was born in Rouen . Born into a musical family, he was a child prodigy. His father Albert Dupré was organist in Rouen and a friend of Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, who built an organ in the family house when...
on the Alexandra PalaceAlexandra PalaceAlexandra Palace is a building in North London, England. It stands in Alexandra Park, in an area between Hornsey, Muswell Hill and Wood Green...
organ, 7 March 1930 (direct link to MP3 file).
Video clips
- Performed by Marie-Claire AlainMarie-Claire AlainMarie-Claire Alain is a French organist and organ teacher best known for her prolific recording career. She is particularly known for her ability to perform substantial works entirely from memory.-Background and education:...
at St. Etienne de CaenAbbaye-aux-HommesThe Abbaye aux Hommes is a former abbey church in the French city of Caen, Normandy. Dedicated to Saint Stephen , it is considered, along with the neighbouring Abbaye aux Dames , to be one of the most notable Romanesque buildings in Normandy. Like all the major abbeys in Normandy, it was Benedictine... - Performed by Frederick Hohmann at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart (Newark, New Jersey)
- Performed by Ch. M. Widor at the Église Saint-Sulpice, Paris