St. Bartholomew's Conservancy Announces Digital Streaming Event Of The Philadelphia Orchestra

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.