Testimonium for Organ, op. 48 (1990)

Richard St. Clair (b. 1946) — Testimonium for Organ, op. 48 (1990)

“Testimonium for Organ”, op. 48 (1990) was written in honor of John Raymond Ferris (1926–2008) who served as University Organist and Choirmaster for the Memorial Church of Harvard University from 1958 to 1990. Taking its cue from Ferris’s great interest and skill in the presentation of serious, contrapuntal choral music, St. Clair’s composition is written in a trio style (three musical voices) throughout and is filled with imitation and other forms of contrapuntal elaboration. The trio texture is mirrored in the larger structure of the work: three sections of largely equal length, each set off by a brief pause.

American composer Richard St. Clair (b. 1946) was born in Jamestown, North Dakota and grew up in Grand Forks. He has spent most of his life in Cambridge, Massachusetts. St. Clair was educated in music composition at Harvard University (A.B., M.M., and Ph.D.) where his principal teachers were Roger Sessions, Leon Kirchner, Earl Kim, and David Del Tredici. He also studied piano with Paul Lundquist, Earnest Harris, and Leonard Shure. St. Clair’s output as a composer encompasses more than 150 works in many genres, including several operas, works for orchestra, band, chamber ensembles, and solo instruments. Inspired by an early engagement with choral singing, St. Clair has written especially prolifically for the voice both in choral and solo vocal works.