Lynnwood Farnam

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Lynnwood Walter Farnam (born January 13, 1885 in Sutton , Canada , † November 23, 1930 in New York City ) was a Canadian organist and professor.

Life

Lynnwood Farnam was born in the village of Sutton in southern Québec and received his first piano lessons in Dunham . In the All Saints' Anglican Church there, he also played an organ for the first time. In 1900 he received the Lord Strathcona Scholarship as a pianist, which enabled him to study piano and organ for four years at the Royal College of Music in London.

Farnam returned to Canada in 1904 and worked successively as an organist at three churches in Montréal : first at the St James Street Methodist Chapel, from 1905 at the St. James the Apostle Anglican Church and 1908–1913 at the Christ Church Cathedral . He also taught at the McGill University Conservatory from 1912 to 1913 and began a career as a concert organist. He had a repertoire of around 200 works that he could play by heart. After a successful performance in Boston in 1913, he was offered the position of organist at the Emmanuel Episcopal Church there, which he held until 1918.

In 1918 Farnam was drafted into the Canadian infantry and used in England. He returned to the United States in 1919 and accepted the position of organist at the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York. In May 1920 he gave his 500th organ concert. Also in 1920 he accepted the prestigious post of organist at the Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion in New York. Farnam played a concert cycle there in 1928 with the entire organ works of Johann Sebastian Bach .

In 1925 Farnam recorded thirty organ works on piano rolls for mechanical organs by Welte-Mignon and Austin .

Through Farnam's reputation as an organ teacher, the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia became aware of him and appointed him in 1927 to head the organ classes. He held this position until his untimely death in 1930.

Farnam was internationally known as a highly virtuoso organist and conscientious teacher. He never improvised in public concerts; and he left only one organ of his own.

Louis Vierne posthumously dedicated his 6th symphony for organ to him in 1931 .

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personal data
SURNAME Farnam, Lynnwood
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Farnam, Lynnwood Walter
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Canadian organist and professor
DATE OF BIRTH January 13, 1885
PLACE OF BIRTH Sutton , Canada
DATE OF DEATH November 23, 1930
Place of death New York City