Grave (Twelve Short Preludes, Set 2, No. 12)

Alan Gray (23 December 1855 – 27 September 1935) was a British organist and composer. He was born in York, and attended St Peter's School and Trinity College, Cambridge. From 1883 until 1893 he was Director of Music at Wellington College. In 1893 he returned to Cambridge, succeeding C.V.Stanford as organist of Trinity College, and remained organist there until 1930. He died in Cambridge in 1935 at the age of 79. Among his compositions are music for the Anglican services, the monumental anthem, "What are these that glow from afar?", which was written to commemorate those who fell in World War I, and numerous organ works, many of high quality, and many extremely difficult. Sadly, his organ works have all but disappeared from the repertoire, even from the repertoire of English organists.

Gray was a TALL man, who stood at 6'7"! However he was said to be very gentle, especially with choristers, who loved him greatly. He is still thought of with words of praise at Trinity College.

The Twelve Short Preludes, Set 2 are dedicated to Noel Ponsonby (1891-1928), who was successively organist of the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, 1912-14; Marlborough College, 1914-18; Ely Cathedral, 1919-26; Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, 1926-28.

The twelfth and final piece is this "Grave", a majestic miniature in the key of D minor. It is a solemn march, that has a sense of expansiveness about it. The work builds up to a nice climax, before the opening material returns. The piece finishes in an elegant transformation into the major, and the 32' Open Wood is heard on the last chord.

This is the final piece, completing the entire set of 24. I hope you have enjoyed these, and I urge you to play them and look into more of Alan Gray's music.

I will be uploading more larger pieces soon, and already have a number up for you to enjoy. :-)

The score is attached below, as well as photos of Alan Gray, of Trinity College Chapel, and of his memorial in Trinity College ante-chapel.