A lesson from Anna Lapwood: on storytelling and organ music
A few years ago, I was asked to play at a funeral. The day before the service, the family made a request: the deceased had been very fond of Una Mattina by Ludovico Einaudi. Would I be willing to play it? I agreed. I did not yet know the composer, but immediately...
The organ and harmonium music of Joseph Jongen
The Sonata Eroïca, perhaps the Prélude et Fugue, Op. 121, or a small character piece such as Chant de May, possibly even the Symphonie concertante. Most Dutch organists who are asked, à l’improviste, to compile a list of works by the composer Joseph Jongen will...
Jean-Jacques Grunenwald: In the Shadow of La Jeune France (Part 2 – Conclusion)
This concluding part examines the organ music of Jean-Jacques Grunenwald (1911–1982) from the 1950s onward. Grunenwald, who succeeded Marcel Dupré as organist of Saint-Sulpice in Paris in 1973, is analysed through his later compositions, with particular attention to...
A Window on Portuguese Organ Music (1540–1834)
An overview of Portuguese organ music from the Renaissance to the early nineteenth century. The article traces the development of this relatively little-known repertoire, discusses the main composers, and places the music in the broader European organ tradition. Van...
Einige canonische Veränderungen über das Weihnachts-Lied: Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her. Part 3 (conclusion): Bach’s Vision of Time and Eternity
The first two parts of this triptych on Bach’s Einige canonische Veränderungen über das Weihnachts-Lied: Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her focused respectively on Martin Luther’s underlying Christmas hymn, how Bach drew inspiration from it in this organ work, and the...
The Art of Canon Improvisation: Making the Impossible Possible
With practice, most individuals can improvise a simple two-voice canon on a keyboard instrument. However, when a cantus firmus is added, as in Weckmann’s partita on Es ist das Heil uns kommen her, the complexity increases considerably. The composer must ensure good...
Bach’s Canonical Variations on the Christmas Hymn “Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her” Part 2
In the first part of this triptych about what is in many respects a unique Bach composition, the focus was on Martin Luther’s Christmas hymn that underlies it. That Bach chose this particular hymn for a canonical composition should come as no surprise. As...
Bruckner and the Harmonium
While Anton Bruckner’s legendary organ improvisations have been extensively documented by his contemporaries and biographers, the role of the harmonium in his life remains less explored. In this article for The Organ, Dirk Luijmes presents a comprehensive...
“… ein Meisterwerk höchsten Ranges“ – Einige canonische Veraenderungen über das Weyhnacht-Lied: Vom Himmel hoch da komm ich her. Part 1: Structure of the Carol and of the Composition
In BWV 769, Bach arranged Luther’s Christmas song ‘Vom Himmel hoch da komm’ ich her’ into a series of variations and canons. This article discusses the background and reasons for this composition: Bach composed these variations in 1747 as part of his membership...
The organ works of Jacob Bijster
Jacob Bijster (1902-1958) became known primarily for his organ works. After studying at the Amsterdam Conservatory, where he graduated in piano in 1923 and obtained the Prix d’Excellence for organ in 1924, he became the organist at the Doopsgezinde Kerk in...
Expressive text-setting in the chorale fantasies of Max Reger
Max Reger (1873-1916), born 150 years ago, composed 7 chorale fantasies between 1898 and 1900. These are large-scale late-romantic organ works on melodies known in his time. The forms of the chorale fantasies vary from chorale partitas to symphonic poems. The...
The ‘Leipziger Choräle’ of Johann Sebastian Bach: backgrounds, structure, collecting
Much has been written about the chorale settings in the manuscript in the state library of Berlin [Mus. ms. Bach P 271] called ‘Leipziger Choräle’ {Leipzig chorales or Great eighteen in English}, but some aspects have been neglected. This contribution looks at these...
Byrd on the organ
William Byrd died 400 years ago this year, an occasion also for organists to study his music, because the music of this contemporary of Sweelinck is but rarely heard on the organ. His music is classified among the repertoire of the virginalists, and is perhaps for...
‘Con discrezione’ – Tempo as a means of expression
Musicians think about tempo in very different ways. Some urge a constant tempo, with the metronome as objective standard, but others search for freedom and flexibility, driven by musical feeling. Of course both approaches have a place, depending on the style of the...
New French organ music, a guide (III – conclusion)
In this short series of articles commemorating the César Franck year 2022, we explore new organ music in France. In this final part there is attention for three composers who have slight connection with the French tradition originating with Tournemire, Dupré, Duruflé...
The Basler Psalmen of Daan Manneke
The Dutch première of the Basler Psalmen, composed by Daan Manneke in 2019, was on 25 September, 2021, in the Westerkerk in Amsterdam. Despite the small size of the audience, we can still view this performance as an important event in the history of modern Dutch...
New French organ music, a guide (II)
In response to the César-Franck-year 2022, this series of articles considers the current state of organ composing in France. Part 2 treats a pair of composers who, without being conservative, stand close to the tradition of the music of the first half of the 20th...
The North-German chorale-fantasia: oratorio or showpiece?
This article treats the origins and characteristics of the North-German chorale-fantasia. What was the purpose of these intriguing compositions? Although the chorale-fantasias are all different, the similarities are too striking to be ignored. There were...