Eglogue Ecossaise (Scottish Eclogue), Op. 48, No. 4

Théodore-César Salomé (20 January 1834 – 26 July 1896) was born in Paris. He completed all of his musical studies at the Conservatoire de Paris, under the tutelage of François Bazin for harmony and accompaniment, and François Benoist for organ. He won several honorable awards, including: second prize in harmony (1855), second prize in organ and in harmony (1856), second and third prize in harmony and organ (1857), and second prize in harmony (1859). He was highly regarded, and served as "Choir Organist" at La Trinite in Paris for many years.

This is a rather fascinating little piece! It comes from the "Dix pièces pour orgue, vol. 3, op. 48" (Schott 1894), and the "Scottish Eclogue" is dedicated: "à Monsieur William Huber". If you're like me, you won't know what an eclogue is! So, this is what it is: an eclogue is a short pastoral poem, usually in dialogue, on the subject of rural life and the society of shepherds, depicting rural life as free from the complexity and corruption of more civilized life. Pretty scholarly stuff, yes?!? Well, this piece is exactly what is "supposed" to be. It's an "odd" little dialogue that uses a recurring rhythm and a few melodic ideas in the external sections.
The middle section is VERY unusual on the Ladegast, as it used the Clarinette stop (instead of the indicated Oboe.) This highly unique stop sound a LOT like an accordion, and, as Professor Maier has pointed out in his excellent notes, it's SLOW speech makes you play "ahead" in order to get it ON the beat. Well, I did the best that I could, and couldn't quite take it as quick as the metronome mark called for, as it just wouldn't speak quickly enough! :-)

After hearing this, I think you'll all agree that if (when!) this organist career doesn't work out for me, I can go to Paris and become an immediate star by playing the "accordeen"... ;-)