People, look East

Dale Wood was a renowned composer, organist, and choral director best known for his church music compositions. He was born on February 13, 1934 in Glendale, California and died April 13, 2003. Wood began writing compositions at a young age. When he was 13 years old, he won a national hymn-writing contest for the American Lutheran Church.

He was a contributing editor to the "Journal of Church Music," headed the publication committee of the Choristers Guild from 1970 to 1974, was music director at the Grace Cathedral School for Boys in San Francisco from 1973-1974, editor for The Sacred Music Press from 1975-1996, and editor emeritus of The Sacred Music Press from 1996-2001. He was awarded the Exemplar Medallion from California Lutheran University in 1993.

He wrote in many forms and for different musical resources, but he is most well-known for his organ music, much of which is written in a "direct and attractive" style.

This very effective arrangement of the French folk tune, "Besancon" was published by the Sacred Music Press in 1995. It is marked "Bright and bouncy," and certainly lives up to this direction.

The registration is:

Sw: Flute 4' (here played on the Solo 4' Flute)
Gt: Flutes 8'&2' (here played on the Great Stopped Diapason, with Flutes 8'&2' from the Choir coupled to it)
Ch: Flute Celeste 8' (here played on the Sw. Flute 8' with tremulant)
Ped: Flute 8'

The whole thing gives the effect of a whistle, and sparkles with quiet energy from beginning to end.

I don't think that I have ever played a piece by Dale Wood before, but I enjoyed this one very much.

I dedicate this upload with friendship to our member, Alex19807!

THANK YOU, Alex! I hope that you liked my version of it... ;-)

A photo of Dale Wood is attached below.