Programme Notes – from Elliott Randall

Matthew Martin, Introduction And Dances

This piece was written for the 2019 International St Albans Organ Competition in memory of Peter Hurford. The piece revolves around a six note cell which the piece opens with, this cell is twisted and rotated to make melodic lines all related by transposition. Martin’s writing is incredibly well suited to the organ which creates a challenging yet rewarding contemporary addition to the organ repertoire.

Howells, Psalm Prelude No.1

This is the first in a set of three Psalm preludes, it was written in 1915 and is inscribed to Sir Walter Parratt. The piece is based off Psalm 34 V.6 which reads “This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his trouble” the work unfolds from the modal opening into the central Elgarian climax which then fades away again into nothing.

Karg-Elert, Clair De Lune

This is the Second piece in the “Trois Impressions” and is dedicated to the French organist and Composer Alexandre Guilmant. These are highly impressionistic works which were never captured as profoundly and consistently as in this set and are completely unique in the German organ music of the time.

Bach, Ach Bleib Bei Uns

This is the fifth of the six Schübler-Chorales; like the other chorale arrangements from the set, this one too is an arrangement of an earlier work with a completely different instrumentation. Originally Bach wrote almost identical notes as an aria for Violincello Piccolo and Soprano, as part of Cantata BWV 6.

Bach, Kommst Du Nun

This is the six chorale of the Six Schübler Chorales. It is based of the cantata BWV 137. The piece is written in trio texture with the chorale melody played in the pedals, it is one of the more technically challenging chorales due to the inclusion of fast manual passage work and pedal trills.

Pierné Prelude.

Gabriel Pierné was a French organist and composer, who was a student and later successor of Cesar Franck at Saint Clotilde in Paris. This piece begins quietly with just the foundation stops but gradually builds throughout the entire piece to full organ. Texturally this piece is very interesting with the fast manual passage work and soaring melodies in the pedals and later the manuals as well.

Couperin, 3 Movements from the Messe pour les Couvents

The “mass for the convents” is one of the two organ masses composed by François Couperin In 1690. They are the very first compositions by Couperin which were published but also the only two works intended for the organ. Couperin wrote them according to the French custom of High Mass, Chant alternating with brief organ pieces of varying types.

Franck, Pièce Héroïque

Caesar Franck (1822-1890) was a Belgian born organist who played at Saint Clotilde in Paris. He was a well-known concert pianist, as were many of the French cathedral organists at the time; for me, this is something that characterises their work and informs the way in which we must approach playing their music. The Pièce Héroïque was composed for the Trocadero Concert Hall and has two main contrasting ideas, the work concludes with a chorale which is played tutti as a stirring hymn.