Suggestions For Voluntary For End Of 9 Lessons

[Simon Walker]

Garth Edmunson's Toccata on "Von Himmel Hoch"

 

 

It can be rather difficult to obtain this one - long out print I think... does anybody know better than me?

[ick1508]

It can be rather difficult to obtain this one - long out print I think... does anybody know better than me?

I tried to buy a copy from Allegro Music and they said it is definitely unobtainable.

I even tried to borrow a copy from the British Library (through my local, which is now possible!) but ended up with a copy of something else - Four Chorale Preludes, I think , by Edmundson - including one on 'Vom Himmel Hoch' - which wasn't quite the same thing.

If anyone has a copy, it shouldn't take more than an evening or two to re-typeset it using Sibelius and run off some clean pdf copies. Even Sibelius Student would do the job. Strictly speaking, the copyright holder in the music should get a fee for each copy, of course. (I refer everyone to Barry Williams' excellent book for more information.)

[Guest Cynic]

I tried to buy a copy from Allegro Music and they said it is definitely unobtainable.

I even tried to borrow a copy from the British Library (through my local, which is now possible!) but ended up with a copy of something else - Four Chorale Preludes, I think , by Edmundson - including one on 'Vom Himmel Hoch' - which wasn't quite the same thing.

If anyone has a copy, it shouldn't take more than an evening or two to re-typeset it using Sibelius and run off some clean pdf copies. Even Sibelius Student would do the job. Strictly speaking, the copyright holder in the music should get a fee for each copy, of course. (I refer everyone to Barry Williams' excellent book for more information.)

 

 

The Edmundson was published by H.W.Gray so like Langlais's Fete which was also on their catalogue, it has been unobtainable in its original version for a good while. I have an original copy and if members would like to PM me together with their e-mail addresses in the usual way, I will scan it for you all*. Whether you then try to find the original copyright holders and send them a token sum I leave up to you. I think that if a dead composer were capable of having any opinion, I'm pretty sure he would be happy to think that people wanted to perform his works, even if his publisher had given up on him! Your regular composer's descendants would think the same, I reckon.

 

BTW

1. Take care, even if you see a copy with Garth Edmundson and Vom Himmel hoch at the top of it, he wrote more than one!

2. I would say that the 'real' one is a fair chunk above Grade VII Associated Board. Like anything, if you start early and practice it slowly enough it will respond, but there are definitely tricky areas. If I remember, I'll mark the misprint in. There may also be odd fingerings on the scanned copy because I'm damned if I'll remove them just to please you, they're still far too useful to me.

3. I believe there's a video on You-tube with Professor IT playing it at Liverpool. Don't watch this until you've learned the thing first.

 

 

*No offence intended to anyone, but I'm going to put a time limit on this offer. I still get occasional (irritating) requests for the Weitz and Mulet numbers and those were on offer more than two years ago. This offer expires at Christmas (this Christmas!).

[Ronald Bayfield]

Bearing in mind the fact that most of the congregation will not be regular churchgoers I would use the Bach "In Dulci" because (a) it is much easier than some of the other suggestions, and ( it has the tune, albeit somewhat slower than when t is sung.

[timothyguntrip]

I was searching for the Edmundson piece a couple of years ago - when two board members very kindly sent me copies of the work - what a wonderful place this board is!

 

I'll certainly be giving this one an outing this coming Christmas at the end of our own service of lessons and carols.

 

Isn't it about time this work was brought back into print? It seems to be quite in demand, and I can think of plenty of pieces which remain in print despite comparatively low popularity.

 

With regard to the voluntary suggestions, 'Carillon Orleanais' by Henri Nibelle might be a good little number - starts quietly but builds to an impressive climax (in addition to his other carillon-type piece I mentioned earlier in this thread).

[Bevington]

Myron Roberts' "Improvisation on God Rest You Merry Gentlemen" is also an interesting piece - and like the Edmundson it's from the St Cecilia / H W Gray stable. An interesting treatment of the tune, some variations and ending in a brief toccata like section

[headcase]

If anyone would like a pdf of Garth Edmundson's Von Himmel Hoch and/or Eudoxia, please PM me, leaving an email address. I transcribed them in capella years ago.

 

Von Himmel Hoch is the 'other' one - much easier apart from some fairly frantic pedalling but makes a very satisfying and ebullient closing voluntary. Eudoxia is a piquant moto perpetuo, sparkly man 8 & 2ft with the tune in the pedals @ 4ft pitch.

 

Both well worth the effort of learning - Grade VI-VII I would guess.

 

H

[giwro]

It looks as though you can buy it (Fuga a la Noel) from that very website, but frustratingly, there isn't a search for composition, you have to know the composer's name to get to it.

 

Actually, you can't buy it (it is a modification of something I found on the net for free), but I'm certainly willing to send a free copy to anyone who wants one. (PM me with your email).

I played it as the closing voluntary for 9 p.m. Christmas Eve last year, and it was a hit!

 

As for the "search for composition", that's an excellent idea - I think I need to implement that on the site

 

Best,

 

- G

[Davidb]

I have just noticed that the Toccata-Gigue on the Sussex Carol by Dr. George Baker, played at the end of 9 lessons from kings last year is avalible on his website, www.drgeorgebaker.com