A Prelude for Pentecost

The American composer, organist, conductor, and choirmaster, Harvey Bartlett Gaul (1881-1945), studied organ, harmony and composition with George LeJeune in New York; then with Dudley Buck. He went to Paris to complete his training with Widor, Guilmant and Decaux (organ) at the Conservatoire and with D’Indy (composition and orchestration) at the Schola Cantorum.

He was assistant organist at the St. John’s Chapel in New York, and then organist and choirmaster at Emmanuel Church in Cleveland. He also wrote music criticism for the Cleveland News. In 1910 he settled in Pittsburgh as organist of Calvary Episcopal Church, served as music critic and arts editor of the Post Gazette, then conducted the Pittsburgh Civic String Orchestra and the Savoyard Opera Company. He also taught at the University of Pittsburgh and the Carnegie Institute of Technology.

A prolific composer, Harvey Bartlett Gaul wrote more than 500 works. He is most remembered for his organ and church music. His organ worksare numerous and varied.
His choral compositions include both church anthems and secular cantatas.

"A Prelude for Pentecost" was published by G. Schirmer Inc. in 1947. It is dedicated: "To Ruth Macleod, Organist, Waverly Presbyterian Church."

As with all of Gaul's music, this piece is very unique. I doubt it will "match your expectations" of what a Pentecost piece is usually like.

More French than English, the piece, based upon the famous chant, "Veni, Creator," the work sweeps the listener along in a flood of impressionistic colors.

The harmonic language is that of the early 20th-century, although there are some moments of intense dissonance. Two climaxes are reached, including one over an extended pedal trill, crashing its way up to full organ, then immediately falling away.

I'm always reluctant to do a new piece by Gaul, but always glad in the end that I did.

The score and photos of Gaul, some of the churches at which he served, & the church of the dedicatee are attached.