Ave Maris Stella: Gerard Gillen in Dublin

Gerard Gillen, Titular Organist of St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral, Dublin, Ireland since 1976, plays the organ there, which dates from the 1880’s and the work of John White, who worked in Dublin, but had been trained in France. With a façade dating from a rebuild by William Hill around 1900, the organ has had subsequent work done to it by Henry Willis & Co. in the 1930’s and J. W. Walker’s in 1971 and 1995. Played by many noted recitalists, the organ [presently 41 stops on three manuals and pedal] is claimed to be one of Ireland’s finest late-19th century Romantic organs.

Gillen, who studied in Antwerp and earned the Prix d’Excellence in the class of Flor Peeters himself presents a program of Peeters and Franck, related by common friendship with Tournemire and sharing, in some ways, a similar aesthetic, as well as Franco-Belgian heritage.

PEETERS:
Wachet auf!
O Gott, du frommer Gott
Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern
Toccata, Fugue et Hymne sur Ave Maris Stella
Largo
Final

FRANCK: Prelude, Fugue & Variation
Pièce Héroïque
Grande Pièce Symphonique