Fughetta in A minor

Here's the next item from "The Progressive Organist - Book 1" edited by C. H. Trevor.

I'd like to introduce this work in a somewhat different fashion - with a personal anecdote.

The first organ I played - at my local parish church in the suburb where my family lived during my childhood and early teens - was originally a residence instrument. It had been transplanted into the church in the 1920's, replacing a succession of reed organs which had served the church since its opening in 1889. Although filled with many lovely sounds, this organ was sadly lacking in diapason chorus work.

http://www.ohta.org.au/organs/organs/Merewether.html

In recent years this organ was removed from the church (replaced by a digital instrument) and rehoused in a local museum where the acoustics are reportedly splendid.

http://www.newcastlemuseum.com.au/Collection/Iconic-Objects/The-Organ

I've not heard the organ in its new home, but I understand that it sounds much better there than when its tones struggled to emerge from a stifled chancel chamber location into a large but acoustically dead church.

I wrestled with this organ from 1972 until 1976, trying my best to extract decent sounds. It was hard work!

The Great Open Diapason was one of the finest I've ever heard. Sadly, it had no chorus above it. To get the sound of "Great to Principal" it was necessary to couple from the Swell. I found that a passable result could be achieved by coupling the Swell Violin Diapason 8 with just the Swell Octave to Great coupler.

I've presented this work using a sound which I wished I'd had for real at my first church - Great diapasons at 8 and 4. With the Portland Rosales Opus 11 I've drawn Principals at 8 and 4 on all 4 departments. Swell and Positive are coupled to the Great and to the Pedal. The Pedal Bourdon 16 is included, but not Great to Pedal.

Score is attached, showing my articulation pencilled in. This was done largely on a "gut feeling" basis, to give the work a lighter feel.