On February 4, 1958 Mrs. Barclay played her last recital which has become legendary. It was for the dedication of a new four manual, 64 rank instrument constructed by the Reuter Organ Company at Lawrence, Kansas for Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas. It was professionally taped, and after her death in 1961 the Texas (Dallas) and Fort Worth Chapters of the American Guild of Organists jointly sponsored the issuance of a Memorial Issue of that recital on a 33 1/3 LP. The proceeds were placed in the Dora Barclay Scholarship Fund to aid worthy Organ Students at her Alma Mater, Southern Methodist University.
(The following review on the record jacket was written by E. Clyde Whitlock, music critic for the Dallas Morning News, who had previously written it for the newspaper.)
It is not given to many people in this life to have an important influence upon the music of three major Christian communions, but such was the destiny of Dora Poteet Barclay. In fulfilling her responsibilities as Chairman of the Organ Department of Southern Methodist University, as well as her many years as organist-choirmaster of Episcopal churches, and also in the Presbyterian Church of which she was a communicant and where her husband is a Minister of Music, her influence will be felt and remembered for many years.
Probably no organist of the Southwest had as influencial a career throughout as long a period of time as did Dora Poteet Barclay. She excelled as concert organist, church organist, and teacher.
She was born in Cameron, Texas. Even as a girl she evinced an absorbing interest in the organ, and early became known as a recitalist. In more mature years she played recitals for national conventions of the American Guild of Organists at Pittsburg and Washington and for a number of regional conventions, the last two in New York City and Wichita Falls, Texas. Other outstanding recitals were played at Girard College, Philadelphia; Rockefeller Chapel, University of Chicago, and at Oberlin College.
In 1937 she studied with Marcel Dupre at the Conservatoire Americaine in Fontainbleau. There she was awarded the diploma with the highest honors ever given an organist in the school up to that time.
At eighteen she was appointed organist at First Methodist Church in Dallas. Subsequent appointments were at Trinity Methodist, Highland Park Methodist, and Church of the Incarnation (Episcopal) in Dallas, and from 1952 until her death on March 21, 1961, she was organist-choirmaster at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Fort Worth.
Many organists professionally engaged throughout the country trace their standing to study with Mrs. Barclay during her thirty year tenure at S.M.U. Dr. Willis Tate. President of the University said of her, "Mrs. Barclay was worshipped by her students, many of whom, through her inspiration and guidance, have proceeded to professional success and prominence as organists."
Among her students now concertizing in the national field are: William Teague, who played her funeral service, organist-choirmaster at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Shreveport; Donald MacDonald, professor of organ at Westminster Choir College at Princeton, N. J., and organist at First Congregational Church in Montclair, N. J.; Alexander Boggs Ryan, candidate for the doctorate at University of Michigan, and concertizing extensively from that center; Mary Moore Grenier of Middle Haddam, Conn., the youngest of this group, who has begun her concert career only within the past two years.
In organ recitals on the afternoon of Easter Day, 1961, Mrs. Grenier at the Washington Cathedral and Mr. Ryan at St. Thomas in New York, each played a number dedicated to Mrs. Barclay's memory, works they had studied with her.
Perhaps the dominating trait of Dora Barclay's distinction as a performing artist was a capacity and willingness for long hours of detailed practice with the metronome. She used to say that she could practice longer without turning the page than anyone else! Her attribute of undeviating rhythmic balance, a sine qua non of consumate organ playing was one of the strongest features of her performances, and one which gripped audiences, whether they realized it or not. The same habits of honesty and devotion in preparation also insured brilliant and well-nigh impeccable technique.
In private life she was married to William Barclay who served for twenty years as Chairman of the Organ Department of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and is now Minister of Music of the First Presbyterian Church in Fort Worth. It was a most congenial marriage. The two organists held for each other Mutual respect, approbation, and helpfulness.
Dora Barclay's death removed from Texas one of the finest executant artists ever associated with the State's musical life. She was regarded with respect as a musician, with honor for her high professional ideals and attainments and with affection as a person.
E. Clyde Whitlock
Music critic for the Dallas
Morning News
(After Peggy Bie's graduate recital in 1956, Mrs. Barclay told many persons that Peggy was among her very best students, and was the best young organist in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Peggy began her Ph.D. studies in musicology and organ under Dr. Helen Hewitt at NTSU in 1957. (Dr. Hewitt was the first woman ever to receive a Ph. D. in musicology (Radcliff), and was Associate Professor of organ as well as musicology at NTSU.) Peggy married, then moved to Germany in early 1960, where she studied at "Aunt Helen's" old graduate alma mater, the University of Heidelberg. She remained in Germany until October 1963, so she unfortunately missed Dora's last illness and funeral.)
