The Swan

Charles A Stebbins (1874-1958), American organist, studied with Harrison Wild, Wilhelm Middelschulte, and Gaston Dethier and held church positions in Ohio and Illinois.

His most remembered work is "In Summer" which I uploaded several weeks ago to mark the arrival of the summer season.

Like "In Summer," "The Swan" is an evocative, late romantic moment filled with atmospheric colors and moods.

It was published by G. Schirmer in 1916, and bears the dedication: "To my dear friend Gaston M. Dethier."

Gaston Marie Dethier (1875-1958) was born in Liège into a musical family that included his father Emile, an organist, and brother Edouard, a violinist. At a very early age he was appointed organist of two churches in Liège.

He came to the United States in 1894 and eventually became an American citizen. He was the organist of the Church of St. Francis Xavier from 1894 until 1907, at which time the position was filled by Pietro Yon.

Dethier taught at Juilliard from 1907-1945, where there is to this day a scholarship awarded in his name. He also composed much organ music which is highly idomatic to the organ, but evocative of his era and is played only infrequently today. His "Variations on Adeste fideles" has remained popular, largely through the efforts of Virgil Fox who recorded it and used to play it frequently around Christmas.

"The Swan" was inspired by "The Dying Swan", a verse by the great English poet, Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-1892).

Stebbins quotes a large section of the poem on a preliminary page in the score, and I've given the entire poem in the First Comment.

"The Swan" is sad and expressive, and it is to a large degree intended to break the heart, as do all "swan pieces."

A long time ago I uploaded "Swan Song" by Harry Farjeon, and I invite my listeners to experience it here:

https://www.contrebombarde.com/concerthall/music/27185

It is truly shattering.

The score is attached below, as well as photos of Alfred, Lord Tennyson and Gaston Dethier.