Communion, Op. 71, No. 6

Arthur William Foote (5 March 1853 in Salem, Massachusetts – 8 April 1937 in Boston, Massachusetts) was a member of the "Boston Six." The other five were George Whitefield Chadwick, Amy Beach, Edward MacDowell, John Knowles Paine, and Horatio Parker. The modern tendency is to view Foote’s music as “Romantic” and “European” in light of the later generation of American composers. A Harvard graduate and the first noted American classical composer to be trained entirely in the U.S., in some sense he is to music what American poets were to literature before Walt Whitman. He was an early advocate of Brahms and Wagner and promoted performances of their music. Foote was an active music teacher and wrote a number of pedagogical works.

The Grove Music Encyclopedia says: “In his finest works Foote was a memorable composer. His style, firmly placed in the Romantic tradition, is characterized by lyrical melodies, expressive phrasing, and clear formal structure."

"Seven Pieces" were composed in 1910. Each of them is dedicated to a leading organist of the day. The pieces are mostly large scale works. This is particularly the case with the "Solemn March" and the blazing "Toccata."

"Communion" is a piece that falls more into the "church usage" category, although it could be included with other works on a recital program.

The work is dedicated: "To Walter J, Clemson." Clemson (???-1945). He was born in England and emigrated to America in 1885. He served as organist and choirmaster of St. Thomas Church, Taunton, Massachusetts for many years. He was known as a "gentleman of the old school."

The piece is attractive enough, but my main gripe with it is the registration directive found on the third page of the score - CRESCENDO PEDAL! The lazy, indifferent approach. Don't bother to control the stops, just open the crescendo pedal...

The score and photos of Foote and of Baldwin are attached below, as well as period photos of the churches they served.

Tomorrow: "Toccata"