Jennifer Bate RIP

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  • Pulcinella
    Host
    • Feb 2014
    • 10921

    Jennifer Bate RIP

    I see that Jennifer Bate has died.

    Jennifer Bate was on a recital tour of Scottish organs in the mid-1970s when she was told that the great composer Olivier Messiaen was in London and had asked to hear her play. As the young virtuoso later told Gramophone magazine, she immediately flew south and played for him on the organ at her fa
  • Bryn
    Banned
    • Mar 2007
    • 24688

    #2
    Originally posted by Pulcinella View Post
    A sad loss indeed. I will be listening to her recording of the work she first played for Messiaen, Les Corps Glorieux, later this morning, in her memory.

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    • rauschwerk
      Full Member
      • Nov 2010
      • 1481

      #3
      Not being fond of Messiaen's organ works (my loss, no doubt) I shall play her recording of Peter Dickinson's excellent organ concerto (probably while my wife is in the garden!)

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      • Pulcinella
        Host
        • Feb 2014
        • 10921

        #4
        Originally posted by rauschwerk View Post
        Not being fond of Messiaen's organ works (my loss, no doubt) I shall play her recording of Peter Dickinson's excellent organ concerto (probably while my wife is in the garden!)
        Thanks for this.
        I was wondering if I had any recordings that she had made (I have Gillian Weir's Messiaen), and had forgotten about this concerto.
        I too will give this a spin later.

        Comment

        • ardcarp
          Late member
          • Nov 2010
          • 11102

          #5
          Sad news. She was not only a great player (I heard her in person several times) but a great ambassador for girls/young woman to consider learning the organ.

          It is really wonderful that the most recent issue of Choir & Organ has a full feature on Jennifer Bate OBE. It mentions The Jennifer Bate Organ Academy which is run each year in conjunction with St Catherie's girls' school in Bramley.*

          Jennifer's father was mentioned in the obit above. For many years The Musical Times carried a wonderfully understated advert which said simply, "H.A.Bate gives organ lessons".

          * Sadly, this year it was due to run from March 31st to April 4th and is a victim of Covid. I hope next year it will continue as a tribute to Jennifer.

          Comment

          • Alain Maréchal
            Full Member
            • Dec 2010
            • 1286

            #6
            That is sad. I heard her play several times, and I recommend her recordings of Franck at Beauvais. She managed the arthritic instrument well, and in spite of the resonance in that tall and vast space she finds the clarity that the music needs. Also she keeps it moving, a benefit in Franck; too many musicians like to linger over it, thinking it needs piousness. It doesn't.

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