Worship Arts April May June 2022

Organ

Organ

Toccatina , Ad Wammis, Oxford University Press ISBN 9780193550117, 2021. This nine-page composition is

Mark Thewes is Director of Music/Organist at Westbrook United Methodist Church in Canton, OH.

written in a more contemporary style of harmonies and rhythm and may make you think of something coming from South America. If you are look ing for a pleasant composition that sounds different from those you usually play, consider this work. Six Voluntaries for Organ, Set 3, Robert J. Powell, Birnamwood Publications (a division of MorningStar Music Publishers, Inc.) MSM-10-046, 2021. Like the two earlier sets composed by Powell, the music is not based on hymn tunes and is composed in the traditional style of organ music with selections appropriate for various parts of worship. This collection has a Rondo on a Fanfare, a Trio, a Meditation, a Lied, a Contemplation and ends with a Scherzetto. I would classify the level of difficulty as easy to moderate. 10 Transcriptions and Arrangements for Organ, Vol. 2, edited and arranged by J. Michael Case, Birnam wood Publications (a division of MorningStar Music Publishers, Inc.) MSM-10-187, 2021. Composers of these pieces include J.S. Bach, César Franck, Jacques-Nicholas Lemmens, Gerald Near, Josef Rheinberger, Charles-Marie Widor among others. Some are based on hymn tunes and chorales while others are original compositions. The level of difficulty varies greatly between selections. All are for manuals and pedal. Some are easy while others are more difficult, requiring good keyboard skills and pedal technique.

Five Transcriptions for Organ Solo , Daniel Ficarri,

E. C. Schirmer 8986.

Daniel Ficarri is a new, young organist who is mak ing a name for himself with his original works, and now has published a book of transcriptions. He has selected quite a variety of works from several eras of music includ ing: Bach’s Sinfonia from Cantata 29, Beethoven’s Adagio Cantabile, Holst’s Finale from Dargason, Nimrod by Elgar, and the Holberg Suite by Grieg. As with any transcriptions for the organ, you can expect to have some work ahead of you, but it is well worth the practice. All of his transcrip tions are well worked out and fit the organ comfortably.

A Mighty Fortress – Six Hymn Improvisations for Organ , Jerry Westenkuehler, MorningStar Music Publishers, Inc. 10-097. A great new collection of hymn improvisations that have audience appeal. The collection contains pieces of varying degrees of difficulty. One that stands out to me is his setting of

O Sacred Head which is set in the style of a Bach chorale – repeated left-hand chords with the melody played on the cornet stop. Another one worthy of mention is the setting of Savior, like a Shepherd set in the style of Bach’s Rejoice, Beloved Christians. The first 15 pages are dedicated to a setting of A Mighty Fortress set in the style of a fantasia. This one will require some work, and would make a great recital piece.

Chorale Preludes of Georg Philipp Telemann, edited by Sam Eatherton, Concordia Publishing House 977961, 2021. This is a collection of 19 chorale preludes composed in the Baroque style by Telemann. Each has multiple settings in the same key so all of the settings of a chorale may be played for

Robert P. Anderson is Music Director/ Organist, Jamesville Community Church (United Methodist and Presbyterian U.S.A.), Jamesville, NY.

Scottish Legend , Amy Marcy Beach, Oxford Univer

an extended prelude or you may choose one setting for the prelude and another for the offertory and/or postlude. Ten of the chorales are found in The United Methodist Hymnal . Many of the settings are for manuals only. All the others have an easy pedal part. I would rank the level of difficulty of this collection as easy to moderate.

sity Press ISBN 9780193533059, 2021.

This is an organ arrangement of a piece originally composed for piano that reflects a melody probably from Scotland. It is three pages in length. The pedal part is not difficult. The piece, written in the Romantic style, is easily learned by those who have average keyboard skills.

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