Nun komm der Heiden Heiland

Ever since I discovered the Choral Preludes of Gael Liardon on IMSLP, I have gone back to them time and again, because he wrote preludes on many melodies used in protestant church services and his preludes are so utterly usable.

They are not too long, not too short, quite varied in style and like a little toolbox you can open whenever you need a usuable and very well composed prelude to a hymn you have to play or as an interlude somewhere in the service.

So whenever I get a liturgy for a service I have to play, I check if there is anything Gael wrote on a melody in it.

He writes in a very accessible and melodious baroque style and knows all the ins and outs of writing a good fugue, prelude, pieces with melody in different voices, variation sets etc. etc.

He is an excellent craftsman and his music will be liked by a broad audience.

So herewith two fine examples of his considerable output: One advent chorale and another one not for the advent time, as there are SO many advent chorale preludes published that it is quite nice to hear something outside the season as well.

Pay Gael a visit on IMSLP, you continental organists. You’re likely to find something there you are going to use!

Thanks, Gael, I hope you will keep surprising us with your considerable talent and compositions.

Nun komm der Heiden Heiland consists of:

Fugue (short)
Fugue (longer version)
en taille, Plein Jeu