A Romantic-Style Service

A Treasury of European Service Music for Organ is a generous collection of music by many of the fine organist-composers who flourished in the 18th 19th and early 20th centuries.The style is romantic and ideallysuited for Service use: the pieces are just the right length sight-readable and delightful to the ear.Richard Lloyd has edited them expertly for playing on modern instruments.Contents:Adagio by FrançoisVerhelstAdoro te by Pierre-François BoëlyAndante by Arthur de HovreAndantino by Louis AndlauerAntiphon by Georges Debat-PonsanAria by Albert H. OswaldAve Maris Stella by François BenoistBenedicamusDomino by Pierre-François BoëlyCantilène by Paul FauchetCantilène by Arthur de HovreChorale by Louis BottazzoCommunion by Louis BottazzoCommunion by Marc DelmasCommunion by Adolphe d'HulstCommunion byAlfred MarichelleCommunion by Edouard TorresCoro Religioso by Orlando A. MansfieldDeux Canons by Ludvig Mathias LindemanDeux Interludes by Eugène GigoutElégie by Domenico BellandoElégie by RobertoRemondtElégie by August WiltbergerElévation by Domenico BellandoElévation by Adolphe d'HulstElévation by Jean HuréElévation by Otto MallingElévation by Edouard TorresFughetta by Oscar DepuydtFuguein E minor by Guillaume LasceuxFugue in E minor by Jean-Nicolas MarriguesFugue in G minor by Jean-Jacques Beauvarlet-CharpentierImprovisation by Gustaf HäggImprovisation by Joseph NesveraImprovisation by AugustWiltbergerInterlude by Santiago TafallInterlude by Emile WambachInterlude in E by Amédée ReuchselInvocation by Alexandre Winkel Kyrie 'Orbis Factor' by François BenoistLarghetto by J. SurzynskiLe Carillonde Balleroy by A. ManciniMeditation by A. ManciniNoël by Alphonse MaillyNoël Lorrain by Guillaume LasceuxNorwegian Song by Peter LindemanOffertoire by Louis BottazzoOffertoire by Oscar DepuydtOffertoire

In the Variations on Old Psalm-Tunes for Organ Dyson fully explores the composer’s chosen sources: ‘Hard the glad sound’ from Ravencroft’s Psalter (1621) Orlando Gibbons’s Song 24 ‘O word Immortal’ and Song 5 ‘O Prince of Peace ’ and ‘I was glad’ from the Scottish Psalter (1615). These works are popular for service voluntaries.Twentieth century composer and educator George Dyson was a writer of ambitious and critically well-received works that due to their unfashionably accessible late Romantic style were allowed to languish and are now in the process of reassessment and renewed performance. However Dyson’s works for unison Voice and church music in particular histwo settings of the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis have remained active in the Anglican repertoire.

While Darke composed extensively for Choir and Organ he wrote many fewer works for solo Organ. The first of the set St Peter dedicated to Herbert Howells is the best known of the three atmospheric and improvisational and Orchestral in style. The second prelude a fantasia on Darwell’s 148th is a virtuosic piece that retains its musical integrity. The final on a theme by Tallis begins by tranquilly setting out its theme before moving into romantic Orchestral style. Harold E. Darke was an English composer and Organist of international renown. In 1916 he established the Monday lunchtime Organ recitals at St Michael’s Cornhillwhich continue to this day the longest-running such series in the world. His setting of Christina Rosetti’s poem In the Bleak Midwinter created a melody and lilting Organ accompaniment that have never fallen from favour. It is regarded as one of the greatest Christmas carols and is still sung at the service of Nine Lessons and Carols.