The Philadelphia Orchestra’s Digital Stage will offer the free streaming premiere of The Philadelphia Orchestra’s Organ Concert, presented by St. Bartholomew’s Conservancy, at St. Bartholomew’s Church, New York, on May 24, 2022.  The concert of compositions for organ and orchestra from Bach to Saint-Saëns to Amy Beach was conducted by David Robertson, with organist Paolo Bordignon, and countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo, and featured St. Bartholomew’s monumental 12,422 pipe organ, the largest in New York City, and among the largest in the world.  The concert supported St. Bartholomew’s Conservancy’s restoration mission of St. Bartholomew’s Church, a National Historic Landmark.

Recorded live, the concert’s premiere stream will be offered free to all for seven days, June 30 – July 7. Free digital tickets can be reserved at www.philorch.org/st-bartholomew-organ-concert.

The concert program features repertoire for organ and orchestra from the 16th – 20th centuries – works by the French and Belgian composers Gigout (a pupil of Saint-Saëns), Jongen, Fauré (“Pie Jesu” from Requiem, with Mr. Costanzo), Duruflé (a master impressionist composer for the organ whose musical training spanned the Rouen Cathedral to Notre-Dame), Saint-Saëns (the finale of his Symphony No. 3, “Organ”); Gabrieli’s late 16th century Canzon in Double Echo; and Leopold Stokowski’s orchestration of the Bach’s “Little” Fugue in G minor; and by Handel, Eternal Source of Light Divine (with Mr. Costanzo).  The program also features the world premiere arrangement for organ and orchestra of a late work by American composer Amy Beach (Mrs. H. H. A. Beach), a St. Bartholomew’s parishioner, Prelude on an Old Folk Tune (“The Fair Hills of Eire, O!”), originally composed for solo organ.  

The concert’s Stagebill program, featuring notes on the program, information about The Philadelphia Orchestra, collaborating artists, St. Bartholomew’s Conservancy, and more, can be downloaded as a pdf at: Stagebill Program

With this concert by The Philadelphia Orchestra, the spirit of Leopold Stokowski returned to New York.  In 1905, St. Bartholomew’s Church, located at the time on Madison Avenue, brought the then unknown conductor from Europe to New York to become its Organist and Choirmaster. Stokowski’s arrival in the City inaugurated decades of noteworthy changes in musical performance.

The Waldorf Astoria New York is the concert’s lead corporate sponsor, The Joseph & Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation is the lead foundation sponsor, and the streaming production is generously underwritten by Barbara Tober.

ST. BARTHOLOMEW’S ORGAN
St. Bartholomew’s 12,422 pipe Aeolian-Skinner organ, installed in the walls and throughout the building, with its “Celestial Division” housed in the recently restored Great Dome, is a superb example of the American Classic Organ.  It is the largest in New York City and among the largest in the world.  A full history of the instrument is available at https://stbarts.org/music/the-organs/.  

THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA
https://www.philorch.org/your-philorch/meet-your-orchestra/

DAVID ROBERTSON, CONDUCTOR
http://conductordavidrobertson.com/

PAOLO BORDIGNON, ORGANIST
https://www.paolobordignon.com/about

ANTHONY ROTH COSTANZO, COUNTERTENOR
https://anthonyrothcostanzo.com/About 

ST. BARTHOLOMEW’S CONSERVANCY
https://www.stbconservancy.org/

THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA
David Robertson, Conductor
Paolo Bordignon, Organist
Anthony Roth Costanzo, Countertenor

Gigout            Grand choeur dialogué
Jongen            Toccata from Symphonie concertante 
Bach / Stokowski    “Little” Fugue in G minor 
Fauré            “Pie Jesu” from Requiem – Anthony Roth Costanzo
Duruflé        Scherzo 
Gabrieli        Canzon in Double Echo 
Beach             Prelude on an Old Folk Tune (“The Fair Hills of Eire, O!”)
            [arr. Jim Gray, World Premiere]
Handel            Eternal Source of Light Divine – Anthony Roth Costanzo
Saint-Saëns        Finale from Symphony No. 3, “Organ”

Anthony Roth Costanzo appears courtesy of The Metropolitan Opera.

Recorded May 24, 2022, St. Bartholomew’s Church, New York

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