Reginald Hunt - Six Pieces for organ. Is there more…….?

[Paul Isom]

After reading Kevin Bowyer’s piece in Organist’s Review on Hunt’s Aria, I finally got out to pulling my copy out to have a look at hit.  I’m ashamed to say that I bought this book in 1977, aged 18 for £1.25 and have never played anything from the book at all!!!  I’ve just hammered my way through each of the six pieces and have been blown away by each one.  The Aria is superb in every way - not a miniature, but a big chunky piece.  I suspect that many would call the content from this book old-fashioned, but what’s wrong with that?  I think each piece is beautifully crafted, although the Minuetto Nuziale is a little tricky.  If you can get hold of a copy of this book, do buy it - you won’t be disappointed!

I know little about this composer other than he seems to dedicate his pieces to people in the Brixham and Torquay area.  Does anyone know if Hunt wrote any more pieces for organ?

[Dafydd y Garreg Wen]

The British Library has about a dozen organ works listed.

http://explore.bl.uk/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?ct=Previous+Page&pag=prv&pageNumberComingFrom=2&vl(drEndYear4)=Year&vl(drStartMonth4)=00&fn=search&indx=11&dscnt=0&vl(1UIStartWith0)=contains&vl(1UIStartWith2)=contains&vid=BLVU1&mode=Advanced&vl(boolOperator1)=AND&tab=local_tab&vl(2084770721UI3)=all_items&vl(freeText1)=Organ&vl(drStartYear4)=Year&vl(drStartDay4)=00&dstmp=1633677607755&frbg=&vl(2084770717UI1)=any&scp.scps=scope%3A(BLCONTENT)&tb=t&vl(1UIStartWith1)=contains&vl(2084770715UI0)=creator&ct=Next Page&srt=rank&vl(boolOperator0)=AND&Submit=Search&vl(2084770716UI2)=any&vl(drEndMonth4)=00&vl(boolOperator2)=AND&vl(freeText2)=&vl(drEndDay4)=00&dum=true&vl(freeText0)=Reginald hunt

 

[iy45]

I've said this before in other contexts, but ...

Henderson has a paragraph. Interestingly, publishing in 1999, Henderson gives 1891 as DOB but no date of his death.

Ian

[Dafydd y Garreg Wen]

The British Library catalogue gives 1982 as year of death.

[Martin Cooke]

I wholeheartedly agree with Paul, above - a really worthwhile set of pieces with the Aria topping the list for me, though my copy, like his, has lain dormant (but vertical) since I bought it in Blackwell's in 1978. Following the Kevin Bowyer article I have managed to acquire a cheap old copy of the Homage March. It is very playable and not difficult, but if my memory serves me well, I think it calls for a big solo reed which I haven't got at church (yet), so it's not in my 'urgent' pile in terms of getting it polished off, but I will revisit it shortly just to keep it brewing. Being a Cramer publication, I am sure they would reprint it inexpensively for anyone interested. When I was seeking a copy of the Bullock Orlando Gibbons piece a few years ago, their MD, Peter Maxwell was most helpful and friendly. The email address at this temporary website should do it. (Hey - I remembered the link!)

[timothyguntrip]

There are a few other pieces I have in my collection, although I've not looked closely at most of them;

Academic Festival March - a big Elgarian type piece with Tuba etc
A Christmas Pastorale - fairly straightforward, good as a pre-service voluntary for a Carol Service
Fantasy on 'O Quanta Qualia' (from the Cramer Series)
Love Divine (based on the tune of the same name)
Bagatelle - a light-hearted piece, more a recital item than a service voluntary!
Chorale Prelude on 'St Columba' - I believe the same piece include in the aforementioned Six Pieces, published separately.