Little Fugue on B-A-C-H

Happy 335th birthday to the one and only Johann Sebastian Bach!

Dr. Norman Coke-Jephcott was born in Coventry on 17 March 1893. He was educated at Bablake School and was awarded his Fellowship of the Royal College of Organists in 1911. He was admitted Fellow of the American Guild of Organists in 1912. In 1945 he was admitted to the Fellowship in the Canadian College of Organists (honoris causa) and in the same year received the honorary degree of the D. Mus from Ripon College in the same year, and was made a Fellow of Trinity College, London in 1947.

Regarded by his colleagues as one of the world's greatest masters in organ improvisation, he had also to his credit over twenty published works, the most well-known being the "Bishops' Promendade" (1954) and the anthem, "Surely the Lord is in this place".

He became Organist and Master of the Choristers of Grace Church, Utica, New York in 1923, and then served for 21 years as Organist and Master of the Choristers of the Cathedral of St, John the Divine in New York City (1932-1953).

"Little Fugue on BACH" was published in 1956 by J. Fischer and Bro. It is dedicated: "GAE", so it is written for Gae Findlay, as are most of Coke-Jephcott's compositions.

It's quite a solid fugue, even quite conservatively-written piece for the first half or so, but as things start to "develop," it really gets going, and rolls along, coming to the grand buildup for the ending.

Speaking of the ending, you'll probably be surprised by it. You may even find it "strange." I hated it at first, but as I worked it through this afternoon, I came to think the end was striking and actually quite nifty! :-)

The score is attached below, as well as several photos of Norman Coke-Jephcott, as well as a memorial plaque dedicated to him in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in NYC.