Suite Arabesque (Arabian Suite), Op. 57

Frederick William Holloway was born in 1873, he died on 20 January 1954, aged 80. A FRCO at 19 and Assistant Organist at Crystal Palace at twenty, he was organist of St Paul's, Herne Hill 1892-1909 moving to All Saints, Dulwich where he remained for a remarkable 41 year span up to 1950 combining this for part of the time (1932-49) with the conductorship of the Crystal Palace Choral and Orchestral Society. He was actually rehearsing the Choral Society when the Palace caught fire; everyone escaped but Holloway's organ and all his music perished. His works were numerous being mainly for voices, piano and organ. The organ music included two symphonies in E Minor (Opus 40) and C Minor (Opus 47), the Cantilena, Concert Toccata Opus 33 and the Suite Arabesque Opus 57 and many miniatures.

Many, probably most, instrumentalists of the past composed music for their own use. Fewer do so now possibly because recital tours are more hectic nowadays. It is relatively rare for others besides the performer-composer to play these pieces however and probably this was, generally speaking, always the case.

"Suite Arabesque" is really quite an amazing thing! It's definitely for the concert hall, and if you are looking for "serious literature," this probably isn't going to be your thing!

However, if you want be struck by the exotic, "eastern" harmonies, and the ravishing colors of the Salisbury solo stops and big reeds, this might be your ticket!

Certainly, this is a fabulous bit of entertainment.

It was published by the Arthur P. Schmidt Co. in 1921. It is in four movements, and I've given the timings of the individual movements, as well as some performance/musical notes in the First Comment.

The score is attached below, as well as two photos of All Saints, Dulwich, where Holloway was organist. This is a church that has suffered much - once by a V-1 attack in WWII, and the second time by a massive fire (see photo). :-(