Prelude (Three Pieces for Organ, H.190, No. 1)

Frank Bridge (26 February 1879 – 10 January 1941) was an English composer, violist and conductor.

Bridge was born in Brighton and studied at the Royal College of Music in London from 1899 to 1903 under Charles Villiers Stanford and others. He played the viola in a number of string quartets, most notably the English String Quartet , and conducted, before devoting himself to composition.

His musical styles when through a continuous transformation. His early works, such as the "Adagio in E" are warm, Edwardian examples, but at other times his writing could be "impressionistic," and still quite dissonant and harsh at others.

Bridge was frustrated that his later works were largely ignored while his earlier "Edwardian" works continued to receive attention.

Although he was not an organist, nor personally associated with music of the English Church, his short pieces for organ have been among the most performed of all his output.

With the uploading of these three pieces, this now finishes my performance of the complete organ works of Bridge.

The "Three Pieces" date from 1939, and are very different from the earlier organ pieces. They are much more "modern," and considerably more dissonant than the earlier works. Except for the last of the set, I'd even say that they sound "less English," but perhaps it's my own limited understanding of them.

The first work, "Prelude" is dated: "Oct. 1939, Friston". It is dedicated: "To John Alston", who I believe was a professor of music at Lancing College.

The entire atmosphere here is quiet, and the work seems much more reminiscent of the writing of Paul Hindemith, than any English composer of the time.

There is a tricky "technical moment" at the end when the Swell Pedal must open and close while playing a double pedal part. :-)

The score is attached below, as well as several photos of Frank Bridge are attached below.