Praise to the Lord (Lobe den Herren)

Calvin Hampton (1938-1984) was born in Kittaning, Pennsylvania and raised in Ravenna, Ohio, Hampton was a resident of New York City from 1963 until his death from AIDS in 1984. He received his musical training at Oberlin Conservatory and Syracuse University, where his teachers were Fenner Douglass and Arthur Positer. He was a distinguished recitalist, specializing in 19th and 20th century repertoire, and was famous for his weekly Friday Midnight concerts at Calvary Church in New York City, where he was Organist and Director of Music. He was twice a recitalist at the national conventions of the American Guild of Organists. His organ transcription of "Pictures at an Exhibition" was the first modern day organ transcription and, which was followed-up by a transcription of Franck's "Symphony in D Minor." Virtually every hymnal in America today contains hymn tunes and harmonizations by Calvin Hampton. In addition to hymns and other service music, he also wrote important works for orchestral and chamber forces. Many of his organ works were commissioned for new organs, such as "Music for an Important Occasion," the first commissioned work for the concert organ in Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center.

This "cool piece" comes from "Calvin Hampton Music for Organ (Eleven Organ Solos)," published by Warner Bros. in 1984. It has a number of highly distinctive pieces in the group, and well none of these pieces are "major" works, none of them is really "easy" to play.

This work, which could be used as an organ solo, or as an introduction to the hymn, is representative of Hampton's unique approach. It's "sort of a fanfare" but it has no "trumpet calls" in it. It's interest is maintained by rapidly shifting meters, all built around a "constant" value for the 8th note. It's splashy and effective, and I think you will like it.

If you want to hear more by Hampton, I think I've already uploaded 4 or 5 other works.

A photo of Calvin Hampton is attached below.