Festive Pieces for Solo Organ

As an organist, I am always looking for festive pieces for a special celebration or for an exciting postlude.

Festive Toccata is an exuberant setting with dueling manuals over a dramatic pedal part.  A short pedal solo leads back into the opening gestures with a short passage of double pedal to keep you on your toes!

Quiet Joy Trio is an unpredictable trio with unusual key changes and piquant harmonies.  Even the pedal joins the two manuals in the trio themes.

Toccata on “A Mighty Fortress” (Ein feste Burg) opens with a declamatory section reflecting the grandeur of the hymn.  Then follows a sparkling section between the manuals with the melody in the pedal.

Sine Nomine is inspired by Ralph Vaughan Williams hymn, “For All the Saints.”  The intense opening with full chords and double pedal is followed by a Giocoso trio loosely based on the bass line of the hymn before ending with the full-voiced opening chords, again with double pedal.

Laudation – Variations and Fugue is built on a simple melody that builds in texture and range.  The dancing fugue subject begins in the pedal with a distinctive rhythmic motive, and then is stated in the manuals as is typical of Baroque fugues. Building with texture and registration, Laudation ends with a brief return to the opening materials.

Triumphant Procession is a fanfare for a procession or a buoyant postlude featuring interesting and rousing triads in both hands coupled with changing meters.