Rhoden's int'l music festival rolls on

World-renowned organist wows audience

Marcia Rowe, Gleaner Writer

On Monday, the second leg of the First International Orrett Rhoden Music Festival of Jamaica came into town.

It brought with it a phenomenal three: a vocalist, Illo Humphrey, a pianist; Orett Rhoden, and an organist, Madame Claudine Pascal-Grisi.

A standing ovation was waiting for the three when the organ belched its final note.

Classical soprano singer, Pat Gooden was one of those who came out to partake in the inaugural classical festival. After the programme came to an end and she made her way out of the University of the West Indies Chapel, Mona, she shared her thoughts of the event.

"Well I certainly enjoyed it. It is a slightly different evening, particularly because of the singing; I wasn't expecting it to be all religious music, which was rather beautiful. And the contrast among he (Humphrey) and Orrett and the young lady was lovely. It was a different evening," she chuckled.

For a male member of the audience, who wants to remain nameless, it was "A high-level repertoire, from the piano, vocal and organ repertoire. It is a very serious repertoire - in its level of sophistication and importance in European classical culture. It is a privilege that this could take place in Jamaica," he said.

Perhaps influenced by the rich acoustics of the chapel as well as the majestic pipe organ, the evening could easily be declared organist Pascal-Grisi's evening.

Dressed in full black, the French organist commenced the classical entre with an attention-getting Messe Pour Les Paroisses composed by her countryman François Couperin.

Again she gave a transfixing solo performance of César Franck's Choral No 3 in A minor Quasi allegro (FWV 40).

Neither did the French organist disappoint the fair-sized audience with the meditative sounds of Germany-born Jehan Alain's Choral Dorien. Being the shortest selection of the evening did not reduce its power either.

The second show of the international festival ended with the fantastic organ solo performance of the popular Johann Sebastian Bach's Prelude and Fugue in C minor (BMV 546).

Pascal-Grisi was subsequently joined by Humphrey for another of Fanck's compositions, this time Panis Angelicus (Messe solenelle). It was beautiful.

Humphrey was a model of great vocal control and captivating facial expression as he sang from his heart. But his real and longest moment on stage was with Jean Langlais' Missa In Simplicitate Kyrie-Gloria-Credo-Sanctus et Benedictus - Agnus Dei. Written in five movements, the "Gregorian chant" inspired piece traversed a wide range of pitches and timbre. The only blotch was that, in patches, Humphrey's voice was overpowered by the bronze organ.

Surprisingly, Rhoden who also wore black performed only two selections: Johann Sebastian Bach's French Suite No 5 major (BWV 816 and Maurice Ravel's lengthy tilted Valses nobles et sentimentales (Moldéré /Assez lent / Modéré / Assez animé / Presque lent/ Assez vif / Moins vif / Lent).

But as expected, he gave a remarkable performance.

In his welcome, Rhoden asked the audience to help him obtain two Steinway pianos.

"I think it is necessary as a country appeal to the powers that be and spread the word," he implored his audience. His Excellency Marc-Olivier Gendry, Ambassador of France to Jamaica and patron of the three days festival, was presented with two of Illo Humphrey's books.