Lecture by Dr Gillian Ward Russell on Vierne's 24 Pieces in free Style

This second event of the year was the Association at its best - an eminent recitalist educating and entertaining a very ample gathering of members in a truly professional manner.

Rightly asserting that no consideration of any composer's music is complete without an understanding of his life's experiences, Gillian gave an enlightening account of Vieme's often very tragic life. Apart from his almost total blindness, several people very close and important to him, including his son, were taken from him by premature death. On the death of his father he found himself with the resposibilities of head of the family at the young age of 16 and some years later his marriage, whilst blissfully happy at the outset, would end in divorce.

The pieces, one in each of the major and minor keys, cover a range of moods and employ several interesting compositional techniques which Gillian explained before each of the selected pieces was played. These were taken from a recording by Colin Walsh on the Fr. Willis organ in Lincoln Cathedral, which in itself would have been enough for several of us to want to have this CD.

Gillian was warmly applauded at the end of the lecture and kindly let me have her lecture notes and permission to print them as an article in a later edition of the Journal.

Afterwards, members were content to talk matters over with Gillian and others over a welcome cup of tea.

RW.