Hilse to Perform 12th Annual Organ Recital

The program will include: Sonata II by Paul Hindemith; three settings of Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend by J.S. Bach (BWV 632, 709, and 655); the Bach-Vivaldi Concerto in d minor, BWV 596; Robert Schumann’s Canon in b minor, opus 56, no. 5; Rosace from Esquisses Byzantines” by Henri Mulet; Variations on “Weinen, Klagen” by Franz Liszt; and a composition by Dr. Hilse, In memoriam Duke Ellington.

 

A native of New York City, Dr. Hilse earned his advanced degrees from Columbia University.  As a solo performer, he has appeared throughout the United States, Europe, and the Far East.  Ofspecial note are his five critically acclaimed solo organ recitals at New York's Alice Tully Hall, several complete renditions of Bach's The Art of the Fugue, and annual performances on the Klais Organ as part of the ”Bach at  Saint Peter’s” series—at Saint Peter’s Lutheran Church, New York City—since 1993.  Dr. Hilse has collaborated with many singers and instrumentalists, as well as with performance organizations such as the New York Virtuoso Singers, The Florilegium Chamber Choir, The Greenwich Village Singers, and the Alliance for American Song.

 

A prize-winning Fellow of the American Guild of Organists, he is currently on the faculty of the Manhattan School of Music.  Dr. Hilse's composition teachers have included Suzanne Bloch, Vincent Persichetti, Jack Beeson, Otto Luening, and Nadia Boulanger.  His compositions cover over 80 art songs; an a cappella Mass for SATB chorus (frequently performed at Saint Peter's); over 20 anthems; a setting of Sabbath morning texts; numerous compositions for solo organ; a piano suite; and various works for instrumental ensemble.  Awards have included the Joseph H. Beams prize of Columbia University and the 1974 Choral Composition prize of the Boston Chapter of the American Guild of Organists.  Among his commissioners have been the Alliance for American Song, Rush Swayze of The Florilegium Chamber Choir, the 1996 A.G.O. National Convention, the Berkshire Bach Society, The New York Treble Singers, and The Greenwich Village Singers.

 

A CD of his live 1995 performance of The Art of the Fugue at Saint Peter's Lutheran Church (released by the Berkshire Bach Society) a CD featuring his performances of music by various composers (released by J.A.V. Recordings), and a CD of works by Dave Soldier, including Dr. Hilse’s rendition of Soldier’s complete Hockets and Inventions, are all available.  

 

The annual Roger H. Ide Organ Recital is funded by a bequest from Dr. Roger Ide, Class of 1959, who served as the Wabash College organist while he was a student. The memory of that experience was such a pleasant one for Dr. Ide that he chose to perpetuate the music with a gift that makes it possible to enjoy organ recitals for years to come.

 

The concert is free and open to the public.