Happy New Year and more importantly, happy no more 2020! (I guess?) For the first time in a long time in my life, this week has represented a week without expectation. I recently updated my bio as I completed my DMA, but its completion blended in with the pandemic and my work-life. In fact, the past 5 or 6 years have been full of projects and works based upon the expectations of the profession I have sought. Which is fine! But it meant that many of the things that I have written about, posted, shared, and put out in the world is based on a certain amount of expectation. The downside is that I’m always creating something NEW, which again, is fine.
That all being said, I recently recorded the Theme and Variations from Organbook, BCB 18. It is a work that stands out to me from that collection, which has very much influenced my compositions in the past decade. I haven’t recorded much from it because Carson Cooman recorded eight movements with fantastic results. The Ostinato movement has had particular success HERE and HERE. I love both interpretation and do not feel that anything needs to be added to its lexicon.
As mentioned above, the Theme and Variations helped guide me to a simpler way to achieve a variety of outcomes with a small amount of music. This particular movement led to the creation of two chorale variations: Erhalt uns Herr and Besançon. Both of those works, in my opinion, are fantastic works for both liturgy and concert, with emphasis in the pedagogical realm. In fact, I think the three of them would make a nice “Suite” for a concert. But that’ll have to wait until we can once again gather. Keep an eye out for more works of latter days! Pick up the Organbook today!