ORGANZ - The New Zealand Association of Organists, Inc

by Hans Kuiper

 The king of instruments received its due when Maxwell Fernie’s 100^th birthday was celebrated at St Mary of the Angels, Wellington, on Anzac Day 2010.

Arnott Maxwell Fernie was born in Wellington on 25 April 1910, and, after study and working in London, including five years at Westminster Cathedral as an organist and choir instructor returned to Wellington in 1958 to preside over the musical life of St Mary’s until his death in 1999.

He was a diverse and inspirational musician: organist, organ designer, choirmaster, broadcaster, occasional composer, editor of music, teacher of keyboard and voice.

Moving, inspiring and entertaining by turn, the programme judiciously put together by the Maxwell Fernie Trust featured the presentation of the inaugural Maxwell Fernie Organ Scholarship to gifted 18-year-old Wellington organist Thomas Gaynor. This was done by the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Hon. Chris Finlayson, a former altar boy at St Mary’s and good friend of Max Fernie.

Chris recalled the power of Maxwell Fernie’s improvisations, which seemed to usher in the Holy Spirit.

The St Mary’s organ made its appearance early with Douglas Mews playing JS Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in G Major, demonstrating the clarity and ‘virility’ of the instrument (using Max’s own adjective).

James Young, a student of Max’s and presenter for the evening, related the evolution of the St Mary’s organ and improvements over the years, all beginning with dozens of drawings by Max detailing his requirements. There were overheads of the construction of the organ, with pipe-making in England and assembly in Wellington.

A moving interlude was provided by excerpts from an interview in London with eminent English organist Nicolas Kynaston, a Fernie pupil in the 1950s and then friend.

He related Maxwell Fernie’s improvisatory brilliance as a teacher (joint construction of an organ pipe from papier mache and wood fashioned by Max and of course it sounded!) care for him when his father died and the wise letters of encouragement he sent when he his career was blossoming.

Kynaston recalled Maxwell Fernie’s dress as always impeccable and read from a letter to him in which Fernie urged him to build a sound foundation for his music-making, to allow it to evolve without forcing as the latter tended to make the music brittle.

He rates Maxwell Fernie a great organist and teacher who also knew a great deal about organ construction.

Kynaston commended the Maxwell Fernie Trust for its work to keep the legacy alive and materially assist in the development of the careers of outstanding young New Zealand organists.

Thomas Gaynor uncorked the Finale from Louis Vierne’s Symphony 1 with remarkable panache as he beautifully controlled its transition from the powerful opening to the subdued but still vital middle section, before the music comes ablaze again in the final measures.

Final organist was St Mary’s incumbent Donald Nicholson who played the Widor Toccata in F Major from Symphony No 5 and then veered into a “Happy Birthday” at the close.

Other performers included Fernie vocal student, soprano Rowena Simpson, violinist Yuri Gezentsvey and violist Peter Barber, with poet Gregory O’Brien, Greg reading his poem “The Non Singing Seats” and the string players performing Helen Bowater’s incidental music, and the St Mary of the Angels Choir under music director Robert Oliver.

It would take too long to mention individually the members of the dedicated band who made this evening possible, but mention must be made of Greta Fernie, who drew the programme with taste and great dedication.

Special Maxwell Fernie Centennial CD

As a lasting 100 year tribute  to Maxwell Fernie, the Trust has collated a special, limited edition (250 copies only) CD. It includes a number of unpublished recordings of Max, which until now have been unavailable to the public. Also featured is a composition for the centenary by Helen Bowater, setting to music Gregory O'Brien's poem "The non-singing seats", which he wrote in memory of Max and his impact on worshippers at St Mary of the Angels. The CD is available for $25  from the Maxwell Fernie Trust, 75 Barnard Street, Wellington 6012.