Sortie pour Grand Orgue

This seems to be a very "rare" piece, as I have never seen it anywhere, except in this edition that I got years ago in a used music deal.

The composer, Charles Gounod (1818-1893) is certainly well-known as a "popular" composer, but we don't think of him as an organist!

This work, "Sortie pour Grand Orgue" was published by Edition "Le Grand Orgue", probably from the 1950s, and was edited by Robert Leech Bedell.

It is based upon the Gregorian intonation for the Credo - "Credo in unum Deum", (I believe in one God), which serves as the subject matter.

After a brief, grandiose introduction, an extended "fugal" section follows, building in sound before a chordal statement of the theme. A brief, softer passage gives way to the final statement played on the Full Organ.

It's probably a bit "dry and academic," but it sounds well on a big instrument, and makes a nice postlude.