Music by cathedral's first organist premieres Nov. 3
Robert Delaney of The Michigan Catholic
Published October 20, 2006
Royal Oak – When an organist practicing in a nearly empty National Shrine of the Little Flower decided to take a break one recent weekday afternoon, a man who had come in to pray awhile asked, "Was that piece you were playing something by Widor?"
But while Joseph Palazzolo, an assistant organist at Shrine, said he could see how one might guess the late-Romantic French composer, the piece was actually by René Becker, first organist of the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit.
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Photo by Robert Delaney | The Michigan Catholic
Sheila Becker watches as her husband, Jay, plays one of his father’scompositions. | "And you're one of the first people to have heard it," Palazzolo continued, telling the man he had been rehearsing Becker's "Toccata in d Minor" in preparation for its world premiere Friday, Nov. 3.
He will also play Becker's "Romance in g Minor, Op. 69b," as well as works by Bach, Handel, Mozart and others.
Palazzolo said when he was introduced to Becker's music he found himself saying, "Hey, this is really good."
Then, he met Becker's son, Julius "Jay" Becker, and wife, Sheila, members of Holy Name Parish, Birmingham. From him, he was able to learn more about the man who became the first organist for Most Blessed Sacrament Church when the parish was finally able to move into its building in 1930.
Born in 1882, René Becker, an Alsatian, studied at the Strasbourg Conservatory of Music. He came to the United States in 1904 to join two older brothers who had established a music school in St. Louis, Mo.
He later became organist at the cathedral in Belleville, Ill., and then at the cathedral in Alton, Ill. From there he was recruited to come to Most Blessed Sacrament by its founding pastor, Msgr. John Connolly.
And he continued to serve after it became the archdiocesan cathedral in 1938.
Becker left, however, in 1943, when his friend, Msgr. William Schulte, induced him to go to St. Alphonsus Church in Dearborn. He served there until Parkinson 's disease forced him to retire in 1952. He died in 1956.
The new century has seen growing interest in Becker's music. "It started as a trickle, with an article in The American Organist in 2000, and now it's a torrent," said Jay Becker.
Dutch organist Everhard Zwart has become a champion, including Becker's music in his recitals, Becker pieces are winding up on other recital programs, and a German publisher is bringing them back into print.
An all-Becker concert is planned for Jan. 28 at Marygrove College.
Palazzolo helped Jay and Sheila Becker go through Jay's father's 400-some compositions. He decided he wanted to play the "Toccata in d Minor" when he found it, and stuck with his decision even after finding the later, revised version that was considerably more complex.
Because of its complexity, Palozzolo said he has been working hard to learn the piece since August. "Every waking hour I could get hold of an organ, I've been learning it. But like all good music, the more I work on it, the more I love it," he said.
Jay Becker, who was born the year before his father took the job at Blessed Sacrament, said he has fond memories of growing up there. "I became an altar boy at 6, and as soon as I could climb the stairs, I was in a choir," he recalled.
A 6:30 p.m. dinner will precede the 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3, concert at the Congregational Church of Birmingham, 1000 Cranbrook Road, Bloomfield Hills. Tickets: $18 for dinner and concert or $10 for concert only. Phone (248) 646-4511.
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