Secrets of Organ Playing Week 56 – Ne nos inducas in tentationem – Denis Bédard

Denis Bédard is a contemporary French-Canadian composer of organ music. His compositions are functional for the liturgy and also for concerts and are written in a very approachable style. The Pater Noster suite was written in 2004. There are eight movements, each corresponding to the eight sections/petitions in the Lord’s Prayer. Et ne non inducas in tentationem (Lead us not into temptation) is the penultimate section. Bédard uses the traditional Gregorian chant as the theme for each movement. The theme is first treated as a récit ie in the treble then en taille ie in the tenor for coming back as a récit, Bédard uses luscious harmonies on the solitary Bourdon 8 (here a Gedact) and achieves a plaintif tone with the use of the tierce-based registration (Originally Cornet (but here a Sesquiatera).

The organ I am playing is a French Canadian instrument by Létourneau op 22 and built in 1989. It is currently located in my old Jesuit school chapel, St Aloysius College. The organ was originally located in St Joseph’s Basilica, Edmonton, Canada before it was sold to St Aloysius. It was a perfect fit, with only 6 inches from the top of the instrument to the chapel ceiling. It serves well the French and French/Canadian repertoire.