Richard White: Organ Music



Photo of Richard White
"Great music, carefully constructed and modeled after Baroque principles
yet reflecting a keen sense of freshness directed toward the chorale and
Gregorian melodies."

". . . your music should be promoted since it is listenable, enjoyable,
accessible to both performer and player, and very practical to organists
who play in churches where organ music is appreciated. There is so much
sub-standard music being churned out these days, it is delightfully refreshing
to see and hear your excellent music."

Dr. Myron Patterson
Adjunct Associate Professor of Organ
University of Utah
Principal Organist, Salt Lake Symphony


Col 1 Having sung in churches and various a capella vocal groups for more than fifty years, the organ is a natural interest for me. Before, as well as during my undergraduate days at the Mannes College of Music in New York City, I was a church organist in several Episcopal parishes in Brooklyn, New York where I also served as a substitute organist. It was not until recently, however, that I began writing for the organ. (The same was true for the instrument on which I first learned to read music, the guitar. It took nearly forty years before I wrote anything for it.)

Four Meditations for Organ is a collection of slow, tranquil pieces suitable for use as preludes or communion pieces. The first, In memoriam: September 11, 2001, was my personal response to the events of that day. I began working on it that very day, finishing it eight days later. The remaining titles are: Lenten Prayer, Quiet Prayer and Evening Prayer.

The Preludes and Fugues are part of a projected series of preludes and fugues in each of the major and minor keys.. Therefore, as an entire work, it remains incomplete, but each pair can be played independently of the others. Being an improviser/composer, (at the keyboard) very often a tune from my subconscious will emerge, insisting I make use of it in whatever I am writing.

Consequently, there are a number of preludes and fugues that utilize commonly known hymn-tunes in one way or another. In some instances, the tune is the basis of a piece, in others it is a thread around which contrapuntal passages are woven. Very often, only portions of a tune are used or they are broken up into discrete but separated occurrences, acting like a familiar face that comes and goes.

The Toccata (Moto perpetuo) is exactly as advertised: a one-dimensional, fast non-stop ride from beginning to end of its four and a half minute duration.

The Fanfare for an Uncommon Church was written for Pamela Decker, organist of Grace St. Paul Episcopal Church in Tucson, Arizona and organ and counterpoint professor at the University of Arizona.

All the recordings below are now complete recordings.

Richard White,
Tucson, Arizona
March 2007
Contact


You can now purchase many of the organ scores listed on this page at:


PRELUDES and FUGUES
(HYMN-BASED)
Adoro Devote

Easter Hymn
(from Lyrica Davidica)


Jesu, Meine Freude

Noel Nouvelet

Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland

Ratisbon

Simple Gifts (Shaker tune)

St. Thomas

Ubi caritas

Valet will ich der geben

Old 100th (Fugue only)

PRELUDES and FUGUES
(NON HYMN-BASED)
Prelude and Fugue in C

Prelude and Fugue in G

Prelude and Fugue in D

Prelude and Fugue in Bm

Prelude and Fugue in Gm

Prelude and Fugue in Ab

Prelude and Fugue in Ebm


CHORALE PRELUDES
Erhalt uns, Herr

Based on the Fugue in Ebm
(WTC, Book I) J.S. Bach

Gott sie dank

FOUR MEDITATIONS 1.

2.

3.

4.

TOCCATA (Moto Perpetuo)

FANFARE AND DANCE FOR
AN UNCOMMON CHURCH

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