Wayne Fisher, Organist

Music of Wayne Fisher on SoundCloud

Guy Weitz: Mater Dolorosa, from Symphony No. 1

Guy Weitz was born in Verviers, Belgium, in 1883. He studied at the Schola Cantorum in Paris with Widor, d'Indy, and Guilmant. He was a professor at the Conservatory of Liege from 1909 until the beginning of the First World War. He fled to London, and was organist at the Farm Street Church (Church of the Immaculate Conception, Farm Street) in Mayfair from 1917 until his retirement in 1967.

Weitz's style owes a great deal to Widor and to Louis Vierne. The Symphony No. 1 dates from 1930, and consists of three movements that honor the Virgin Mary: Regina Pacis, Mater Dolorosa, and Stella Maris. Mater Dolorosa (Our Lady of Sorrows, or the Sorrowful Mother) uses the simple melody for the Stabat Mater, and then the incipit of the Ave Maria at the end.

This recording was made at the Odeon in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1959. Unfortunately the sound of the loudest chord is quite distorted on the tape, but the rest is OK.

Wayne Fisher taught organ for many years at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music of the University of Cincinnati, and served as chairman of the organ department.