A quick query or two

[Martin Cooke]

1. I have just 'inherited' from Ebay, an ex-library volume of arrangements of various JSB pieces published by J B Cramer. One item in the volume is a Prelude and Fugue on BACH by JSB. At the risk of displaying my ignorance, I have not come across the piece in any form before and the arranger (Francis G Walker) doesn't give its provenance. It is in B flat major in the style (roughly) of a French Overture. Can anyone possibly suggest where it comes from, please?

 

2. Also from Ebay, I acquired Harvey Grace's Legend - again, not a piece I have come across before, but a quick run through on the piano suggests it may be worth a proper look/ Does anyone know or play this - or indeed, any piece by Harvey Grace? I have those two volumes, the titles of which elude me - one contains a big piece called Resurgam which was one of John Birch's party pieces. The rest, if I recall are more modest in scale - I play the rather drearily named In Voluntary - a pleasant miniature in C major. Any thoughts on Harvey Grace's music anybody?

 

3. Does anyone play any of Desmond Ratcliffe's music? Festal Finale has been in my repertoire for a while - a quite powerful, slightly acerbic piece harmonically, and I have recently got hold of some others whose acquaintance I look forward to making.

[Colin Pykett]

I have Harvey Grace's 'Rhapsody' from Three Pieces for Organ (Schott & Co), long-ish and rather similar to the sort of thing W G Alcock wrote (and he, too, wrote a 'Legend'). My copy has Marmaduke Conway's signature on it from Ely and is dated November 1937. It came via my first organ teacher, Russell Missin, who was a pupil of MPC.

 

I also have his 'Minuet and Musette', similar to W S Lloyd Webber's style. It's in Vincent's 'The Octavo Organ Book' volume 1.

 

I'm also pretty sure I once had a Trumpet or Tuba tune of his, but having lent it, never got it back of course.

 

CEP

[David Drinkell]

'Resurgam' seems to have gained a measure of popularity in recent years. I've never tried it, although I think I have it lurking somewhere. Looking on IMSLP, the Three Preludes on Psalm Tunes appear to be quite attractive. The first one is based on "Martyrs", a splendid tune little known to those who haven't lived with the Church of Scotland for a period. It has certain sharps in brackets ('for those who like their mode diluted'). The second one is on "London New", perversely in D flat. Like the Whitlock Scherzo, why complicate a piece thuswise (to say nothing of the Willan Passacaglia!)? The third is a toccata on the Old Hundredth. I will download them tonight and see how they sound.