Passacaglia on "St. Michael" (Twelve Hymn Tune Voluntaries, No. 2)

Ernest Alfred Dicks (1865-1948) was an organist in Cheltenham, and also to the Royal Masonic Lodge. He published several collections, including these fine set of "Hymn Tune Voluntaries - Twelve Pieces for Organ in Various Styles founded on Favourite Psalm and Hymn Tunes," published by Bayley & Ferguson in 1923.

The style is indeed varied, and some of the pieces, actually, most of the pieces, are filled with charm and color. They are unpretentious, and quite "old fashioned," especially when you consider what was happening in the musical world of 1923!

All of them are brief, and while none of them are really hard, I can't say that many of them are actually easy. I suppose it depends on the degree of "detailing" that you want to do.

I'm doing the entire set of 12, but skipping over the Christmas ones for now, and holding off on the Easter ones, which I'll do at the appropriate time. I've also omitted the "Thanksgiving" one for the time being.

"Passacaglia on 'St. Michael'" is the 2nd in the collection. It is dedicated: To "L.F.", and takes the old psalm-tune composed by Louis Bourgeois (c. 1510-1561) for its theme. The selected text of the hymn is: "Come to the morning prayer, Come, let us kneel and pray, Prayer is the Christian pilgrim's staff, To walk with God all day."

I suppose you can call this a "passacaglia," but "variations" seemed more apt to me. These elaborations are in a continuous flow, starting softly, and building steadily to the full organ at the end. There are a few "sticky" passages that may want your attention. :-)

The scores, which are rare, are courtesy, once again, of Dr. John Henderson, Librarian for the Royal School of Church Music. They are attached below in 2 pdf's, as the "complete" set omits two pages from the first piece in the collection.

THANK YOU, John!

Peace and safety to All!