Prelude on "Ebenezer" or "Ton-y-Botel"

The prelude on "Ebenezer" or "Ton-y-Botel" is from the second set of Ten Hymn Preludes by Healey Willian.

Much biographical information about Dr. Willian has already been given on other uploads of his music, so I shan't repeat that here. I can recommend the excellent book "Healey Willian: Life and Music" by F. R. C. Clarke for those who'd like to know more about Dr. Willan.

The book says, regarding this prelude, "The form of the Ebenezer prelude is, again, somewhat unusual for Willan, being basically a fugue on a subject freely derived from the first line of the hymn-tune. The fugue proceeds normally except that, in place of the expected reappearance of the fugue-subject in the tonic key at the end, Willan presents the whole of the Ebenezer hymn-tune. The tune is given out one line at a time with rich accompanying harmonies, separated with rather Brahmsian
interludes."

My performance is a bit rough 'round the edges, but I like the piece so well that I thought I would upload it so that others would be aware of it. Perhaps someone else will be inspired to upload their own version.