Eight Shorter Preludes on American Hymns (for manuals only) by Brian Joyce Organ Solo - Digital Sheet Music

SKU: A0.836718

These eight Chorale Preludes were all written between March and May of 2020, during the worldwide Coronavirus Pandemic. Unlike the earlier companion volumes of shorter English and German preludes, which feature a variety of moods and themes, these American examples all seem to center around the closely related ideas of hope and quiet confidence. While this was not my intention back when I was choosing hymns to work with, I am pleased with the unity of the set. Taken as a whole, they are filled with "tidings of comfort and joy."

Stylistically, the preludes range from the "baroque bounce" of Praise Him, Jesus Our Blessed Redeemer, through the sturdy On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand (with its chords sounding as if they had been carved from granite blocks) and a surprisingly delicate I Stand Amazed. There is a fair amount of canonic leading and following in He Leadeth Me; Great is Thy Faithfulness is the expressive heart of the set; and we end by returning to 18th century ritornello models with Blessed Assurance. Through it all I think I have managed to avoid any sense of academic stuffiness - in fact there are several moments which may sound almost playful if not handled rightly.

As with the Shorter English and German Preludes, most of these are between one and two minutes in length, and each fits on one or two pages, arranged so as to avoid page turns. As always, durations and sources are provided for your planning.