| Description: | Alec Rowley was born in London on 13 March 1892, teacher, composer, organist, pianist, lecturer and writer, who studied at the RAM with Frederick Corder and where he won sundry scholarships and prizes. He was an organist at several London churches including, during the Second World War, St Margaret's, Westminster. He died on 11 January 1958 while playing tennis.
This work was published by Edwin Ashdown in 1952, and comes from the second volume of "Choral Preludes on Famous Hymn Tunes." Like the piece by Gordon Slater that I uploaded yesterday, it is based upon the same popular melody, "Lasst uns erfreuen," found in "Auserlesen Catholische Geistliche Kirchengesäng," published in Cologne in 1623.
While Slater's setting of the tune was more "massive," and "virtuosic," Rowley's is perhaps more "inventive." Like virtually all of his works, the tonal centers move around a lot, and no key lasts for long! Textures and dynamics are also rapid to change.
This performance will give you an idea of what the Armley Schulze sounds like in the "cathedral style." The sound does not have the "weight" of a Salisbury or a Hereford Willis, but the sounds are heroic, colorful, and very appealing.
I'm pleased with the way this came out, but I think I may have "stretched it out a bit too far" at the end. I may have been "over compensating" for more weight, but the end is impressive in itself.
The result is different from what it would sound like at Salisbury, but the organ still comes through a star on this one!
The score is attached below, as well as the now famous photo of Rowley.
More "Rowley Riot" to come! |
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See what Agnus_Dei used to make this recording