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Luxuriant Adagio


Martin Cooke

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I am looking for a piece that might be described as this. I don't mean that I am looking for something that I have heard and want to track down - just a few ideas to research. So, it's other pieces like the Bridge Adagio in E, Campbell's Lento, Karg-Elert's Pax Vobiscum and his Harmonies du Soir. I suppose I might include some Howells in my list of exemplars but I think I am looking for something more romantic... passionate without the anguish. I guess there is the Lloyd-Webber Benedictus (which I have never really taken to) and the two by Rowley (which I have never been completely convinced by). Can you help?

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You probably know this, but perhaps there are several possibilities in A Little Organ Book in memory of C H H Parry. Not all are actually marked Adagio but perhaps they might fit your bill, though they are rather short. I have in mind the pieces by Parry himself, Alan Gray, Charles MacPherson, Frank Bridge (shorter but in much the same vein as his Adagio in E), Charles Wood and W G Alcock but other notables such as GTB are also represented.

 

CEP

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Actually, although it's not strictly adagio, when it comes to luxuriant intensity, I think this is probably my favourite:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPhLK28PMNs

 

Another possibility (although not if you want to avoid sadness) is Guy Ropartz's Prélude Funèbre:

 

Then there is the Elegy from Herbert Brewer's Elegy, Introduction and Fugato.

They are all on IMSLP.

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Thank you for all these suggestions. I have enjoyed following them up. The other golden example that I should have remembered before being prompted by Vox's suggestion, is the third of Trois Meditations by Ropartz - a glorious piece, I have always thought. Good to have the tips on the Widor, Hollins and Bottazzo which I've printed off from IMSLP. I have the Rowley/Ireland arrangement, the Brewer and the Barber, and also the Hovingham Sketches and the Little Organ Book, all of which I know well. I'm looking into the other suggestions too. Does anyone have any other favourite slow movements from Widor, Rheinberger et al?? Guilmant??? [by the way - are any of the Guilmant Sonatas other than No 1 any good??! Pardon my ignorance but none of them seems as worthy as No 1.]

Many thanks again.

Martin.

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Me again. Tell me to shut up if you are getting fed up. Just taking up your mention of Rheinberger, there might be some of his Twelve Characteristic Pieces which would catch your eye in this context, including Visione (marked adagio molto, so right up this particular street perhaps), and Lamento (marked largo). Together with Monologues VI (largo espressivo), and XI (lento). Some of these slower ones look rather treacly on the page, but they somehow seem to come to life and be more musical when actually played.

 

I have all of these in an ancient Novello volume found in a second hand music shop which is literally falling to bits (the music book not the shop), but was told by a professional organist to take care of it because he said it's almost impossible to get hold of now (although that was some years ago and things might have changed).

 

Re Guilmant, there are lots of his shorter pieces in volumes edited by people such as William C Carl, who unfortunately grossly over-anglicises the original French registration directions. They also seem to be of somewhat variable quality - mere note spinning to my ears in the worst cases. But I'm sure I'm only telling you what you already know.

 

CEP

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I have received an email from our former poster TheMythes, who sends his greetings. Sadly he is no longer able to enjoy music due to hearing problems and has lost the ability to log on here, but he still reads the forum regularly.

 

He has asked me to recommend O clemens! O pia! from the Cinq Invocations by Henri Dallier. I nearly mentioned this myself earlier, but I wasn't sure that it would meet Martin's requirement for luxuriance. Be that as it may, it is a lovely piece. In fact, all five of the invocations are super, although the last is a right royal pig to play. (It's been on my "later, perhaps" list for years and, since I hardly touch the organ these days, is going to stay there.)

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[by the way - are any of the Guilmant Sonatas other than No 1 any good??! Pardon my ignorance but none of them seems as worthy as No 1.]

 

 

No. 5 is really grand and dramatic, with lots of fire in the first movement and Scherzo and an enormous and well-orchestrated climax in the finale. The second movement, Adagio con espressione, is quite worthwhile as well. My favourite Guilmant sonata by far. Get Michael Schönheit’s recording from the Leipzig Gewandhaus—surprising choice of instrument as it may be, it is incredibly intense throughout.

 

The Morceau de concert op. 24 is a fine piece which works with two subjects and their combination (as do several movements of the 5th sonata).

Best wishes

Friedrich

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A few more which might fit the description (if perhaps slightly off the beaten track):

 

  • Augustin Barié - Adagio from Symphony, Op.5
  • Charles Callahan - Prelude on 'Union Seminary' (Listen here)
  • John Ireland - Elegiac Romance
  • Léonce de Saint Martin - Aria (II) or Prière (IV) from Symphonie-Dominicale

  • Eugène Reuchsel - Recueillement et Béatitude from Six Pièces de Concert

  • Henri Mulet - In Paradisum from Esquisses Byzantines

All the above are available to listen to on Spotify.

As for Guilmant, there are some lovely slow movements in the 6th, 7th and 8th Sonatas (particularly the second movement of the last) which are often overlooked.

 

Tim

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Once again, many thanks. I had never heard of Reuschel - (no IMSLP bits) or Saint Martin. I'm looking further into Rheinberger's Characteristic Pieces and Guilmant Sonata 5. The other lush piece I should have remembered is the Prelude-Improvisation by Nicholas Choveaux.

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Once again, many thanks. I had never heard of Reuschel - (no IMSLP bits) or Saint Martin.

 

There is a wonderful Mass setting by Leonce de Saint Martin - for 4 part choir and two organs. (It also has ad lib parts for three trumpets and three trombones) If you've done the Vierne Missa Solennelle and want something else for the same forces it is well worth doing!

 

........................... but that doesn't answer your question - sorry!!

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Once again, many thanks. I had never heard of Reuschel - (no IMSLP bits) or Saint Martin. I'm looking further into Rheinberger's Characteristic Pieces and Guilmant Sonata 5. The other lush piece I should have remembered is the Prelude-Improvisation by Nicholas Choveaux.

Where can I get the Choveaux piece from, Martin?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Widor: second movement of Symphonie VIII. Sounds like Rachmaninov and I'm surprised no-one's mentioned it already.

 

Also:

Cochereau/Briggs: Berceuse a la memoire de Louis Vierne.

Whitlock: second movement of Sonata

Widor: Andante cantabile from Symphonie IV

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Just looked out my copy of the album - it's a lovely piece,money two pages long, but has an awful lot to say for itself.

 

My contribution to this thread:

 

Slow Movement from Organ Sonata no. 2 - James Lyon

 

Many works by Santeri Siimes - Finnish composer in his 30s. All terribly French romantic in flavour, some really well crafted music.

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Just looked out my copy of the album - it's a lovely piece, only two pages long, but has an awful lot to say for itself.

My contribution to this thread:

Slow Movement from Organ Sonata no. 2 - James Lyon

Many works by Santeri Siimes - Finnish composer in his 30s. All terribly French romantic in flavour, some really well crafted music.

 

Sorry, first line didn't make any sense!

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  • 1 year later...

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