Postlude on a Theme of Gibbons (Song 22)

Stanford's second set of Short Preludes and Postludes Op. 105 was published in 1908, just a year after the first set. The six pieces in the set alternate between preludes and postludes and half of the pieces are based upon tunes composed by the great English renaissance composer, Orlando Gibbons. The second piece in the set, a postlude, utilises fragments of Gibbon’s Song 22. The tune often accompanies Robert Bridge's translation of the 12th century Latin hymn 'Amor Patris et Filii'. This is a short and powerful piece, and Stanford develops each phrase of the melody in both manuals and pedal, building towards the final phrase marked for full organ.

Having previously recorded some of Stanford's Op. 101 set on the virtual organ of Salisbury Cathedral, it made perfect sense to use it again for this upload. The music of Stanford cries out for an English organ such as this and the organ in Salisbury is one of the Henry Willis' finest instruments.