Ciacona

Samuel Ducommun, a composer from Neuchâtel, studied organ under the tutelage of Louis Kelterborn and then Charles Faller and received a prize for virtuosity in 1938. He was a student of Charles Humbert with whom he studied harmony and continued with a study of counterpoint and composition under the tutelage of Paul Benner. Following this he became a student of Marcel Dupré. His career as an organist began in 1934 in Corcelles (Neuchâtel) and continued at the 'Stadtkirche' in Bienne from 1938 until 1942. Neuchâtel became the center of his multiple activities as early as 1942; he was college organist, singing teacher at schools, piano teacher at the cantonal college and taught classes for organ, harmony, analysis, counterpoint and composition at the conservatory.

This piece comes from the Peters volume 4 of "Contemporary Organ Music for Liturgical Use", and features unusual harmonies and relentless drive. I chose to do a MIDI rendition, simply to explore whether or not to learn the piece (and because my wrist has been hurting and is not up to some of the crazy stretches towards the end of the piece...)