Susan Ferré

Events

  • César Franck at 200
    808 Howell St
    July 6, 2022 @ 8:00 am
    What do we know about the performance practice of the organ music of César Franck? Is there one correct interpretation? Both Labounsky and  Ferré have studied the complete organ works of César Franck with Jean Langlais at Sainte-Clotilde during the 1960s and provide first-hand accounts of his performance practice. Langlais was part of a continuum of interpretation through his teachers at INJA in Paris, his study with Marchal, and later with Tournemire. This style of interpretation was directly opposed to the Dupré’s style. In what ways did they differ? Was there a common denominator in interpretation in this style? How did the organs affect the interpretation? Other issues include tempi, repeated notes, registration, acoustics, adapting to American organs, levels of musical and technical difficulty, editions, recordings, and errata in the scores. Participants will receive handouts with historical background, errata, and how Franck composed.
  • Our Study With Jean Langlais
    808 Howell St
    July 7, 2022 @ 9:00 am
    Labounsky studied organ and improvisation with Jean Langlais from 1962-1964 under a Fulbright grant and subsequently recorded his entire opus of organ music. She also wrote a biography of the composer “Jean Langlais: the Man and His Music” as well as a video of his life based on the. Ferré studied with Langlais in Paris in the summer of 1964, and again on a Fulbright Scholarship in 1968-69. Both artists were guides of Langlais during his American tours in 1964 and 1967, respectively and both studied with Dupré.  As contrasted with understanding Franck’s style of interpretation through a continuum of interpretation, these two artists have first-hand knowledge of Langlais’ style and life from study with him. Both artists studied with him at the Schola Cantorum in Paris as well as at Sainte-Clotilde. Detailed handouts will be given to the participants.

Susan Ferré
About

Susan Ferré directs a non-profit, Music in the Great North Woods, sponsoring concerts such as the Big Moose Bach Fest, free of charge, in the North Country, and creating scholarships for young organists. She is the Organist/ Director of Music at St. Barnabas Episcopal in Berlin, NH. Numerous performances have included concerts at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, more than 50 concerts in Europe, others in Scandinavia, Brazil, Canada, and throughout the United States.  She has served the faculties of Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, WA, the University of North Texas, and the University of Paris at Vincennes. For 25 years, Ferré directed the Texas Baroque Ensemble, and for 14 years the Early Music Weekend of concerts and lectures at the Festival-Institute at Round Top, Texas. Ferré holds degrees from Texas Christian University, the Eastman School of Music, is a Fulbright Scholar, recipient of the Diplome d’Orgue et Improvisation from the Schola Cantorum in Paris, and received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of North Texas, where she was honored with a Distinguished Alumna award in 2001.  In 2015 Ferré was made an Honorary Alumna of the Perkins School of Theology for her many years’ coaching early music in the Master of Sacred Music program. Ferré studied with Jean Langlais between 1964 and 1974, serving as his guide in 1967. She also studied with Marcel Dupré in the summer of 1969 and with Maurice Duruflé, preparing concerts for Notre Dame Cathedral.