'Nigerian Prayer' of Fela Sowande performed by organist George Matthew, Jr. in Brattleboro, Vermont Nov. 5

[Fela Sowande]

The Commons issue #125 (Wednesday, November 2, 2011).

Windham County, Vermont

“The first decade: Estey Organ Museum celebrates 10th anniversary with concert by George Matthew Jr.

BRATTLEBORO—On Nov. 5, 2001, Ned Phoenix held a meeting at First Baptist Church to talk about preserving the legacy of the Estey Organ Company, and asked if anyone was interested in starting a museum. Exactly 10 years later, on Saturday, Nov. 5, at 2 p.m., the Estey Organ Museum will present a concert by organist and carillonneur George Matthew Jr. to celebrate the museum’s first decade.

“Matthew will perform what organizers describe as 'an exciting, unique concert of works' on the Estey organ at First Baptist Church on Main Street. Admission by donation ($15 suggested) will support the museum’s continued work.

“Offertory for Grand Organ by François Couperin will open the concert and 'put the organ through its paces,' organizers say. Allegro & Scherzo from the Suite for a Musical Clock, one of Beethoven’s few works for organ, 'sparkles all over the flute stops,' they add. Matthew will also offer recently discovered pieces by Russian composers, works by Americans Eric De Lamarter, Seth Bingham, and Robert Crandell, and a Nigerian Prayer by African-British composer Fela Sowande. The concert will end with Dudley Buck’s march built on A Mighty Fortress.”

Prof. Dominique-René de Lerma, http://www.CasaMusicaledeLerma.com, has written a manuscript on the life and works of Fela Sowande (1905-1987) which can be reached via the Fela Sowande page at AfriClassical.com: http://africarts.org/Artists/Sowande.htm

The manuscript includes a listing for: “Prayer; Oba a ba ke, for organ. New York: Ricordi, 1958.”