Meditation

Isaac Van Vleck Flagler (15 May 1844 — 16 March 1909) was a distinguished and widely known concert organist is a native of Albany, having been born in that city in 1850. His early education was acquired at Kinderhook and Albany academies. He studied law for four years at Poughkeepsie, but gave it up for music which is his master passion.

After a brief study of music under local teachers he went to Paris, where he studied under Batiste, the renowned music master, and subsequently under the equally eminent Maestro Gustav Martal,
in the city of Dresden.

Returning from Europe he became organist and choirmaster in the Second Reformed Church at Poughkeepsie, afterwards filled the same position at the First Presbyterian Church, Albany, and later at Plymouth Church, Chicago, and First Presbyterian Church, Auburn, N. Y.

He was a distinguished teacher and lecturer, having taught music and given lectures in Syracuse University, in Cornell University, in the Utica Conservatory of Music and in the Ithaca Conservatory of Music. He was organist and musical lecturer at Chautauqua for nineteen years. He acted as solo
organist at the Chicago, Buffalo and St. Louis expositions, and played at the Trocadero in one of the Paris expositions.

His reputation as a concert organist was national. His repertory was extensive, comprising all the works of the great masters. His playing was always brilliant and remarkably facile, and he was said to have few equals and no superiors in
the United States.

I've known of him for some time, and have thought playing one/some of his pieces, but the 128th note runs are always a deterrent... ;-)

Today, I thought I'd try one of them, just to see what it sounds like, and "Mediation" was the selected test.

It's actually quite a nice piece, with good colors and harmonies, and benefits from moving the tempo, rather than dragging it.

The score is attached below, as well as 2 photos of Flagler, and a photo of the First Presbyterian Church, Albany.