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Duration: about 10 minutes
Here's a solid piece reflecting my Protestant
upbringing. The old tune 'A Mighty Fortress is Our God', originally written by Martin Luther, was a favourite when I was younger, and it emerged from the mist again at the behest of John Hudson, who requested an organ work. He recorded it for me and premiered it publicly in 1985. Since then, it has been performed both in Canada and in Europe. You may hear his recording below and download the first 4 pages of the score as a sampler. At the time of this writing, 2017, it is the 500th anniversary of Luther's taking his life in his hands to protest corruption within the Catholic Church with his Ninety-five Theses. We are still living in the aftermath of that act, and organists might find this work of special significance this year. After a stirring introduction, the melody is heard
as a four-part hymn tune, the harmonies being altered from the standard chordal
underpinning usually heard. It is in my own style of dissonant tonality, and my
feeling is that the two fit together nicely. Then, as befits a Fantasia, various
flights of musical fancy take place, always returning to the original tune in
some altered form or other. It is a moving and fairly demanding piece requiring
a good and expressive player. To receive a pdf copy of the full score, please send
me an email, below, or contact the Canadian Music Centre. I ask only that you inform me of any performances so that I can keep this website up-to-date.
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