Lento (No. 7, "A Little Organ book in memory of Hubert Parry")

Frank Bridge was born in Brighton, where his father directed a theatre orchestra. He gained early experience with the group as violinist and arranger before going to study violin at the Royal College of Music in London. In 1899 he won a scholarship to study composition with Stanford for four years. He was a remarkable teacher, though Britten was his only composition pupil.

Perhaps no other British composer of the first half of the 20th century reveals such a stylistic journey in his music. His early works follow in the late-Romantic tradition bearing a kinship with Fauré. After the First World War, however, his music became intense and chromatic.

This small piece, "Lento" is the most "modern" of the pieces in this entire collection. You can see the more intense chromaticism in this work, and the conception of it seems very "string quartetish" in the way it is written.

I took a more "orchestral" approach with this, not only because I feel the music demanded it, but also to add a little "variety" to the sounds of these pieces, all coming from the same collection.

The score is attached below, as well as photo of Frank Bridge. Although he was not a cathedral organist, he DOES have a moustache! ;-)

If you liked this piece, you can hear ALL of Frank Bridge's "early organ works" by searching in the uploads. With this performance, I've upload his entire "early pieces." Here are the links:

http://www.contrebombarde.com/concerthall/music/7970

http://www.contrebombarde.com/concerthall/music/7971

http://www.contrebombarde.com/concerthall/music/8071

http://www.contrebombarde.com/concerthall/music/8072

http://www.contrebombarde.com/concerthall/music/8073

http://www.contrebombarde.com/concerthall/music/8074