Martin Cooke Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 One of our parishioners happened to mention this organist and composer the other day. He seems to have written a few pieces of organ music and I wondered if anyone knows any or has any recollections. In a review of a CD of his music, an Arioso is especially commended, but I can't pin the sheet music down online. Any clues, anybody? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iy45 Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 There's a short paragraph in John Henderson, which I'm loath to quote for copyright reasons.. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Price Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 I wonder if this might be what you're looking for Martin?Douglas Steele: Selected pieces for Piano & Organ Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Walton Posted March 27, 2021 Share Posted March 27, 2021 34 minutes ago, Tony Price said: I wonder if this might be what you're looking for Martin?Douglas Steele: Selected pieces for Piano & Organ Tony That's the one. Paul W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Cooke Posted March 27, 2021 Author Share Posted March 27, 2021 42 minutes ago, Tony Price said: I wonder if this might be what you're looking for Martin?Douglas Steele: Selected pieces for Piano & Organ Tony Ah! Splendid, Tony - thank you for that. I had seen this on another supplier's site but it didn't have a list of the contents. Now ordered! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Cooke Posted March 27, 2021 Author Share Posted March 27, 2021 2 hours ago, iy45 said: There's a short paragraph in John Henderson, which I'm loath to quote for copyright reasons.. Ian Of course - thanks, Ian, I'll check it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter2305 Posted April 20, 2021 Share Posted April 20, 2021 I play the Prelude On Gibbons Angel's Song having been introduced to it when I was a chorister at St.George's Stockport, where he lived. A charming little piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Cooke Posted April 20, 2021 Author Share Posted April 20, 2021 Yes, 'charming' is just right - though, as it happens, when I needed a piece based on that tune at church recently, I needed something with more 'oomph' and used the Dyson - not the vacuum cleaner, you understand - Dyson, as in George, and 'in D.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dafydd y Garreg Wen Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 Selected Pieces looks very good value. How many are for organ? There is a two C.D. set Autumn Sequence - The Music of Douglas Steele and his circle issued by Campion Cameo. Reviewed here: http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2005/aug05/Steele_autumn_cameo204041.htmThe organ pieces are rather close miked. For my taste could do with a bit more space to let them breathe (not a criticism of the playing). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Cooke Posted April 21, 2021 Author Share Posted April 21, 2021 In answer to yourt query about how many of the pieces are organ, Dafydd... Intrada - two stave - marked for piano or organ Prelude in D flat - piano Pavane Nos 1, 2 & 3 - piano Slow Air - piano or harpsichord - (it looks as though it could work very well on the organ but I haven't tried) Carol - piano In the Style of a Sarabande - piano Sarabande - piano From a Holiday Sketchbook - piano A Little Lyric Piece - piano On a Birthday Morning - piano Serenade - piano Envoi - piano Musical Box - piano On the Triad - marked piano or organ From an Organ Sketchbook - organ (unsurprisingly!) Arioso - organ - the most substantial (longest) piece in the volume Three Pieces on Hymn Tunes - organ On Norman Cocker's 'Ryburn' - organ On Gibbons' Angel's Song - organ We have already used the word 'charming' in respect of the Gibbons piece but it is an adjective that applies to the production of the volume too. There is a very good introduction by John Turner, of Stockport, whose project it was to get it all into print (by subscription) and it is interwoven with delightful line drawings by a John Stanley of scenes from Cornwall where Douglas Steele spent a good deal of his holiday time composing this volume of largely miniatures. It is actually called 'Volume 1' and Mr Turner, in his introduction refers to 'these volumes.' There is a Volume 2 and this is a collection of songs by DS and I haven't purchased it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dafydd y Garreg Wen Posted April 21, 2021 Share Posted April 21, 2021 Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic Robinson Posted July 7, 2021 Share Posted July 7, 2021 Did the OP manage to get a copy? Douglas Steele taught me at Chet's (some classroom music). He was delightful in a "Private Godfrey" sort of way. I remember him making an arrangement of "A fox went out" for our junior choir. As I recall, at one time, he had been Beecham's assistant and his reminiscences contributed to the play "Beecham". He was also, I think, great friends with Humphrey Procter-Gregg. In 1986 I was introduced to Arioso by its dedicatee, Gordon Thorne, and purchased my copy of Douglas' organ music shortly after. The edition was one of a series made by Forsyths in Manchester (I think of composers associated with that city). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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