Tennessee Twilight Tune

American composer, organist, conductor, and choirmaster, Harvey Bartlett Gaul (born April 12, 1881, Brooklyn - died December 1, 1945 - Pittsburgh), studied organ, harmony and composition with George LeJeune in New York, and then with Dudley Buck. He went to Paris to complete his training with Widor, Guilmant and Decaux (organ) at the Conservatoire and with D’Indy (composition and orchestration) at the Schola Cantorum (1909-1910).

He was assistant organist at the St. John’s Chapel in New York (1899-1901), and then organist and choirmaster at Emmanuel Church in Cleveland (1901-1909). He also wrote music criticism for the Cleveland News. In 1910 he settled in Pittsburgh as organist of Calvary Episcopal Church (1910-1945), served as music critic (1914-1934) and arts editor 1929-1934) of the Post Gazette He conducted the Pittsburgh Civic String Orchestra (1936-1945) and the Savoyard Opera Company (1939-1945) and taught at the University of Pittsburgh and the Carnegie Institute of Technology.

A prolific composer, Harvey Bartlett Gaul wrote more than 500 works. He is most remembered for his organ and church music. His organ works and numerous and varied, and his choral compositions include both church anthems and secular cantatas.

"Tennessee Twilight Tune" was published by G. Schirmer Inc. in 1947. It is dedicated: "Fred Lotz, Organist, University of Pittsburgh." It is "based on the Appalachian melody, 'He's Gone Away.'"

This work is atmospheric to the hilt. The rich colors of the Furtwängler , are "washed about" in the massive acoustic, resulting in an impressionistic painting in sound, that could have been written by George Gershwin, or a French impressionist. The result is a unique, and is all about mood and effect.

The score is attached below, as well as a photo of Harvey Gaul, and two of Calvary Church in Pittsburgh.

Sunday will mark the 100th Anniversary of the end of World War I. I will be uploading special music for this solemn commemoration.