I keep oscillating back and forth about whether it’s better or worse to discover the secrets of French music in conditions of extreme heat. Having just played a concert at the cathedral of Montpellier, where the outside temperature was in the upper 90s, and the temperature at the organ was in the mid-80s, I went through moments when I thought: “Ah yes, this heat is what gives the music its spaciousness. (Sort of like the best temperature for a baseball pitcher. Heat helps.)” Then, at other times, the lack of air movement, and the discomfort from sweat seemed more a distraction than a benefit. The jury is still out.
Montpellier is a magnificent city, one of the jewels of ancient France; but arriving by car in the summer of 2015 is not recommended. Virtually all of the central part of the city (including all of the area around the cathedral – where I needed to unload my luggage) was virtually impossible to navigate due to the massive construction projects. (The GPS device only added to the frustration.) It took two hours to locate, and drive to, the train station so that we could drop off our car. We were greeted by very, very high temperatures (although, gratefully, low humidity) and scorching sunshine. In time, we made our way on the tram to find our host at the cathedral and be shown our room in the Parish House of the cathedral. Air conditioning (climatisé) is virtually unheard of in most French homes that I’ve ever encountered, and the Cathedral’s Parish House was no exception; but due to the thick walls and the opening and closing of windows and shutters over the course of the day, the inside temperature was bearable. Exhausted from the ordeal with the rental car, as well as the heat, I opted to rest for the evening rather than work at the organ.
The next day I was introduced to the large and newly renovated organ in the cathedral. The electronic piston system, to capture the sounds that I chose, was new to me but not especially tricky to use. As is often the case, the pedal board was a slightly different scale than American versions. But what was most interesting to me was the separation of the organ’s divisions. The Grand Orgue only contained flue stops of 16, 8, & 4. The higher stops, mutations, and reeds were on the Bombarde division which could play on any manual I chose. In spite of the heat, the console is very comfortable, and I had no problem practicing eight hours the first day.
The case of the organ has a considerable amount of gold-leaf. Seated at the key desk, one has the sense of grandeur that the case and the huge cathedral bestow. Sadly, there is a semi-translucent netting down the entire length of the nave due to precautionary measures after some falling pebbles from the ceiling following a big storm last autumn. The netting is part-way down the height of the organ case, marring its exceptional beauty (although I understand the need for safety).
My concert program was entitled “Paris: Between the Wars” and seems to have been a big hit with the audience and with the President of Les Amis de l’orgue de Montpellier who gave me quite a lengthy introduction on the subject. Fortunately, the Organiste Titulaire, Othar Chedlivili, had warned me that I would likely need an encore. I rarely play encores, but when I asked, I oblige. Given that the concert was only three days from le quatorze juillet, I opted to play a Balbastre setting of the Marseillaise. That turned out to be a wise choice; the audience would not let me go for several minutes of applause.
There’s no question that being in France helps me understand French music. Using the language, eating the food, walking the streets amidst the incredible architecture, visiting the museums (Montpellier’s Musée Fabre is fantastic – and air conditioned!), and yes, even the heat, helps me get inside the music in a way that I think I couldn’t otherwise.
But the jury is still out for the best temperature for performing.