Entrée Pontificale

In looking for pieces to demonstrate some of the wonderful sounds of the Armley Schulze organ, I wanted something of the "Grand Choeur-type" and happened to come across this one.

It's not great music, but it's solid, and really shows the "tutti" in various degrees very well.

I can't tell you anything about the composer, A. Vanden Plas, and don't even know his first name! He was a Belgian composer and organist. Several of his works were published by the Procure Générale de Musique Religieuse in Arras, around 1890-1910.

This work was dedicated to Alphonse Jean Ernest Mailly (1833-1918). a much more well-known Belgian organist and composer.

This work would have been for the "Entrance of the Bishop." It's MUCH quicker and sprightly than most pieces of this nature, and well it's very "obvious in where it's going," it DOES sound very fine here!

You'll hear some similarities to the sounds of the big English organs, but there are certainly differences! It really is wonderfully unique. The famous Great mixture comes on last, only for the last few measures, and you will certainly hear the impact that it makes!

This is the NON-EXTENDED version of the organ, so, it's the REAL specification. The listening position is "close," so, it's like you were sitting in the Choir stalls, immediately beneath the organ, which is high above you.

The score is attached below, and two photos of St. Bartholomew's Church, Armley.