Wagner - Finale to 'Das Rheingold' for Organ (arr. Lemare)

Richard Wagner - Finale to 'Das Rheingold' for Organ (arr. Edwin Lemare)

Long before the era of audio recording technologies such as Spotify, CDs, and vinyl records, attending concerts featuring symphony orchestras was a luxury afforded only to the wealthy and privileged few. The music-loving public had to rely mainly on piano solo and four-hands arrangements of symphonies and opera scenes to satisfy their appetite for orchestral music, which they could enjoy in their own homes. However, a lesser-known source of orchestral music experience for the general audience came from municipal organists in England and other countries who arranged popular works and performed them to reach a wider audience that couldn't afford to attend the original performances.

This is the backdrop upon which Edwin Lemare, English organ virtuoso and composer/arranger, would revolutionize organ transcriptions of symphonic works. He pushed the level of faithfulness to the orchestral score to an unprecedented degree, producing transcriptions that would be difficult for anyone but himself to perform. His transcriptions combined the complexity of orchestral technique with the colors of the organ brought out by Lemare's unique registration schemes and writing techniques which introduced a new fidelity to the translation of the idiom of strings, brass, and winds to that of the organ.

This transcription of the final scene from Richard Wagner's opera Das Rheingold, the introductory opera in the 4-act cycle "The Ring", is one of many transcriptions Lemare made of Wagner's works. In the opera's finale, the gods ascend upon a "rainbow bridge" that leads them to their newly created home, Valhalla. Wagner's masterful command of orchestral forces and vocal writing culminates in a magnificent tone painting using arpeggios to suggest the arch of the rainbow and a constant flow of leitmotifs summarizing the plot thus far and the story to come.

Compared to Lemare's more popular arrangements, such as the "Ride of the Valkyries," the "Tannhäuser Overture," and the "Liebestod" from Tristan and Isolde, this transcription of Das Rheingold is relatively unknown in concert and has no recorded versions to date. This performance by Eddie Zheng may be the first recorded version to be publicly released.

Recorded by Eddie Zheng at St. Ignatius of Antioch Episcopal Church, New York City on April 24th, 2023.

Organ Specifications:
Casavant Frères, Limitée
St. Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada – Opus 2892 (1966)
Rebuilt and new console by Douglas Keilitz (2011)
Electro-pneumatic action
3 manuals, 32 stops, 44 ranks

Eddie Zheng is a rising star in the world of concert organ music. Born and raised in New York City, he is a master’s degree and incoming Artist Diploma student at The Juilliard School, studying under renowned organist Paul Jacobs. Eddie has a passion for bringing the beauty and grandeur of organ music to wider audiences and has traveled the world, performing in cities across North America and overseas in China, where he played to young audiences who heard the organ for the first time. Praised for his sensitive musical phrasing and subtle expression, Eddie's performances have been rapturously received by diverse audiences. He has won several prominent competitions, including first place awards at the 2018 Albert Schweitzer Organ Competition and the 2019 AGO Quimby Northeast Regional Competition.

In addition to concertizing, Eddie is dedicated to broadening the appreciation of organ music and engaging with audiences of all ages. He serves as Artist-in-Residence at the Saint Ignatius of Antioch Episcopal Church in New York and Organ Associate at First Presbyterian Church of Greenwich in Connecticut, inspiring audiences with his captivating performances.

For more information visit https://www.eddiezheng.com/

Видео Wagner - Finale to 'Das Rheingold' for Organ (arr. Lemare) канала Eddie Zheng, Organist