Spot The Toccata

[Justadad]

I wonder how many times Andrew Carter's splendid toccata on Veni Emmanuel will be played this Christmas?

 

I heard my first one at the wonderful service of Readings and Lessons for Advent at the Chapel Royal (Hampton Court Palace) last Sunday, played brilliantly by the organist, Rufus Frowde.

 

Best wishes

 

J

[Davidb]

I played it on Sunday evening.

 

It fully deserves to be heard though. It is perfect service music - it's not too long, broadly tonal yet exciting, and serves a function.

[Malcolm Kemp]

Who publishes it, please?

 

Malcolm

[mgp]

Who publishes it, please?

 

Malcolm

I played it on Sunday from the OUP 'Organ Music for Christmas' collection - a very useful compilation of material covering most periods and none of it overly difficult. It also appears in the OUP anthology 'A Carter Organ Album'

[msw]

I wonder how many times Andrew Carter's splendid toccata on Veni Emmanuel will be played this Christmas?

 

Hopefully it won't be played at Christmas, as it's an Advent piece!

 

(Sorry, couldn't resist! It's a sad sign of our times that even in Church we have to start Christmas at about the same time as the decorations go up elsewhere...)

 

I shall be playing it on the 14th. Usually give it at least one outing per year, and have done since getting hold of it four years ago - in the Carter Album. (Andrew Carter told me that he's been on at OUP for ages to bring it out separately, but they have no plans to do so.)

[DaveHarries]

Excuse the pun but I am wondering if this piece should be referred to as a Toccarter?

 

Dave

[Vox Humana]

<groan!>

[Malcolm Riley]

<groan!>

 

I agree that Andrew's Toccata is a splendid piece: I love it!. I like his story about John Scott practicing it in York Minster in readiness for his summer recital with the composer in attendance. "As the pedal tune went rolling round the nave, I overheard a Yorkshire woman remark, in broad West Riding dialect, 'By gum, Christmas gets earlier iv'ry years!'"

 

Andrew has also composed a stunningly good Passacaglia for the Francis Jackson 90th Birthday anniversary volume (Fanfare for Francis published by Banks Music Publications). It needs a hefty instrument and a spacious acoustic but is well worth learning the notes.

 

Malcolm Riley

[Guest Echo Gamba]

Excuse the pun but I am wondering if this piece should be referred to as a Toccarter?

 

Dave

 

I was once handed a piece of paper by a bride, on which she had written her chosen recessional - "Tercarter by Vidor"

[TimEyles]

I've seen this toccata lurking at the back of the Carter Organ Album (OUP) for years, but always thought it looked too difficult. This year I've taken the plunge and have really enjoyed learning it. It'll get its Christ Church, Swindon premiere this Sunday morning. In fact I think Andrew Carter's organ music is generally extremely good - accessible to the listener, not impossible to play, and yet still inventive.