Fantasy in G

Arthur Murray Goodhart (christened 25 July 1866 – 1941) was a British composer and organist. He was born in Wimbledon, Surrey, England in 1866, and was educated at Eton College and then King's College, Cambridge, where he was a member of the Pitt Club. He was a pupil of Sir Joseph Barnby, Dr George M. Garrett, Dr Charles W. Pearce, C. Forsyth, and Frank Bridge. He Taught classics at Eton School, and was a housemaster there.

As a composer, he wrote orchestral, organ, and piano pieces, songs, carols, military band music.

"Fantasy in G" comes from a collection of ten pieces, privately published by Arthur Goodhart in 1907. "Fantasy in G" is the 4th in the set of 10, and is "Dedicated to G.D.D." Those initials make the theme, "G, D, D" which appears throughout the piece.

This is another one of "those pieces" which probably sounds very easy, but it isn't! Take a look at the score while listening, or, better yet, give it a try!

Goodhart must have been a very clever fellow, because he seems to use little "devices" throughout his pieces that serve as "themes" or "ideas" that are simple in themselves, but are developed with ingenuity and style.

Goodhart wrote quite a bit of solo organ music, but it seems that all of it has virtually just disappeared. Another "organ composer" just vanished away into distant history.

Thanks to the kindness of Dr. John Henderson, I'll be sharing some of these pieces in the coming days.

The score is attached below, as well as a photo of Arthur Goodhart (perhaps the ONLY surviving photo of him), and one of the chapel of King's College, Cambridge. In this one the view is famous, but the picture is a little older than we are used to seeing.