The Parish Church of St John the Apostle and Evangelist, Watford
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Postlude: Psalm VI – Anthoni van Noordt (d.1675)
Anthoni van Noordt published his Tablatuur-boeck van psalmen en fantasyen (Tablature Book with Psalms and Fantasias) in 1659, as a method to teach congregations psalm tunes at a time when organ accompaniment in services was banned. The psalm settings generally include a handful of verses, with the tune presented differently in each.
In Psalm VI, there are five verses, with the first showcasing the melody in the treble with a gentle accompaniment. The tune remains in the treble for the second verse, but this time it is written with “coloratura”, which means that it is decorated with extra notes to beautiful effect. In the third verse the tune is now heard in the bass, played by the feet with a rich trumpet sound, accompanied by the hands playing a flute ensemble. The penultimate setting sees the tune return to the treble, heard in long notes on a bright register, with a similarly stately setting; this leads directly into the fifth and final verse. Here the accompaniment pace is picked up, but the tune is still heard in long notes in the treble, this time with a trumpet added to grand effect.
Postlude: Epitaph I, for Edith Sitwell - Malcolm Williamson (1931-2003)
An Australian by birth and upbringing, Malcolm Williamson was appointed Master of the Queen’s Music in 1975. His compositional style is decidedly contemporary, as evidenced in his two Epitaphs in memory of the poetess Edith Sitwell. Both works are short, just two pages each, but extremely powerful.
Epitaph I features distant and ethereal chords played on shimmering bright stops, shattered by fortissimo statements in the left hand. Thunderous and insistent pedal notes suddenly break out, before a return to the original mood – a subdued chord ends the work.
Postlude: Toccata, from the Plymouth Suite – Percy Whitlock (1903-1946)
Percy Whitlock was a composer equally at home in the cathedral organ loft or on the stage of a town pavilion. The Plymouth Suite reflects both of these characters, with five movements presenting an interesting mix of mood: the opening Allegro features lively Tuba fanfares, Lantana is atmospheric and hushed, Chanty has lilting rhythms typical of a slightly tipsy sailor, and Salix portrays the breeze gently playing with the branches of a willow. These four movements are heard before the service.
The concluding Toccata is a tour de force, and quite unusual for a British composer, since it is based around the formulaic French recipe: rapid figurations played by the hands, whilst beneath, the pedals stride out a powerful theme. In Whitlock’s undeniably English work, the volume and speed increases and increases, before culminating in a thrilling chord on full organ. There are certainly few better works to herald Christ’s birth.
Postlude: Marche Funebre (from 24 Pièces en Style Libre) - Louis Vierne (1870-1937)
From Vierne’s collection of pieces written for either small organ or harmonium the Marche Funebre is a magisterial march dedicated “to the memory of my friend Jules Bouval”. As the title and dedication imply the composer’s intent is solemn and brooding – immediately apparent in the pulsating chords which dominate through most of its duration. The first section reaches a powerful climax, which then subsides. There is a brief pause, followed by quieter, more tranquil music with a serene melody heard in the treble – nonetheless the everchanging harmonics beneath this act like dark clouds on the horizon. A repeat of the first section builds up to an impassioned climax, before subsiding into a conclusion of quiet but weighty chords.
