Fanfare on "The Old 100th"

Peter Hurford, a leading British Organist, died on the 3rd. He was 88 years old. He was known as an excellent interpreter of Bach and the 18th century French organ music. From 1974 to 1987, he recorded the complete Bach organ works covering 289 works on “Decca”, and in 1979 he won the UK “Gramophone Award” for the first time as an organist.

Born in 1930, Minehead, Somerset State, he studied music and law at Jesus College of Cambridge University and won the Geneva International Music Competition in 1950 and 1955. From 1957 he served as an organist and music director at the St. Alban's Abbey in southwestern England, where he founded the International Organ Music Festival in 1963.

Until he retired in 2009 he worked extensively on organ playing, composing choral songs, and organ design as well as playing. “OBE” in 1984.

I was never a "fan of the Hurford style," but his huge contribution to the organ world guarantees him a permanent place amongst 20th century performers.

This upload is offered in tribute to his memory, and as a "tuba test" in the ongoing work of the soon-to-be-released sample set featuring the massive Hill organ of Peterborough Cathedral.

The piece can be found in the "Ceremonial Music for Organ" album, published by Oxford University Press in 1970.

It's probably not one that will be too "useful" to organists needing a fanfare before the singing of the famous hymn, as it is in the key of A major, and is quite "ascerbic" and might not be readily received by a conservative-minded congregation!

Still the work makes a splash, and gives a new take on this old-standby of a tune. :-)

The score is attached below, as well as two photos of Peter Hurford, and two of St. Alban's Abbey.