Impressions du Soir

Each summer I do a sort of "summertime series," so this upload will fit right into that theme. :-)

I could find very little information about the composer, Heinrich Stiehl, other than his dates which are: 5 August 1829 — 1 May 1886. I believe that he was an organist, but I can't give any "corroboration" of that.

This piece is of the "romantic violin solo" sort. It would make a perfect encore for a string player at the end of a recital, and would also be ideal at an organ concert.

The music was arranged by Reginald Goss-Custard (1877-1956). He was born at St Leonards-on-Sea and was largely self-taught. His brother Harry Goss-Custard was organist at Liverpool Cathedral. He held a series of organist posts in London, including St. Margaret's, Westminster, the parish church of the House of Commons, and located in the shadow of Westminster Abbey. He gave fortnightly recitals at the Bishopsgate Institute. He died in 1956. His organ compositions include Chelsea Fayre, Elégie, Idyll, a March in F, a Fantasia in F and a Serenade in A. There are also many arrangements for organ, including Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker and a series of overtures - Beethoven's Egmont, Bizet's Carmen, Hérold's Zampa, Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro, Suppé's Poet and Peasant, the Adagio from Vivaldi's Concerto in G minor, and Weber's Der Freischütz.

This arrangement of Stiehl's "Impressions di Soir" (Evening Impressions) was published by Schott & Co. It is romanticism, pure, sweet and sincere, and really sings on the Salisbury Willis.

I've tried to "keep it simple," and go with his registrations and suggestions as much as possible, and I think the results are good, so, I hope you will agree.

The score is attached below, as well as a photo of Reginald Goss-Custard, and two of St. Margaret's Church, Westminster.

More "summertime" music to follow in due course! :-)