Bist du bei mir

With all the great (and difficult!) music that has recently been uploaded, these pieces are only a small offering and contribution, which I hope you will enjoy.

Now that I'm playing a recital-per-week, I find the need for a fair number of "smaller" pieces that are "listener friendly." I combine these with the "real" pieces, hoping to "draw in" my audience. So, far the plan seems to be working. Next Wednesday, I'll play an all-Bach recital, and this and the next piece will be included with a number of major works.

"Bist du bei mir" (Be thou but near), from the "Anna Magdalena Clavier Book" is here arranged by Harvey Grace (1874-1944).

Grace was an organist and music writer. He was a chorister at Romsey Abbey, studied under Madeley Richardson at Southwark Cathedral, and became Organist of St. Mary Magdelene, Munster Square, London. He was editor of "The Musical Times" and a noted author and adjudicator. He was also Organist of Chichester Cathedral. His years at Chichester coincided with a new awareness of liturgical solemnity; plainsong was used regularly at some of the weekday services from May 1936. Grace was appointed Commissioner of the School of English Church Music in 1937, and resigned at the end of the year. He joined the staff of Trinity College of Music in 1939, and also acted as Organist of East Grinstead Parish Church during World War II.

In this arrangement, there is "as much Grace as there is Bach," and I've played it accordingly.

The well--known melody is played on the Solo Clarinet, with the accompaniment played on the soft 8'&4' of the Swell.

SUCH a wonderful piece of music...