All Saints’ Day Music (2004)

All Saints’ Day Music was written because of a wish to contribute to the raising of artistic standards in liturgy. Most recent organ music has been for concert use and has therefore been cut off from the primary source of inspiration of European organ culture, music played during the services of the church. I used the French Organ Mass, as composed by Tournemire and Messiaen, as a model, and chose to write for All Saints’ Day, as a feast I always find especially uplifting. The Prelude to the Introit is a post-serial fantasia on the Gregorian chant Gaudeamus which would follow it in a liturgical performance. The writing becomes more tonal towards the end, incorporating the final phrase of the chant. The second movement sets the whole of the Offertory chant, Iustorum Animae. This is played on a solo reed, over an ostinato subjected to a gradual process of change. There are interspersed passages of a contrasting, imploring character, played on a plein jeu, reminding us that sainthood and martyrdom went hand in hand in the early days of Christianity and often still do. The texture is closed down to one part for the final Alleluia, played on the harmonic flute, hinting at the ecstasy of the saints in glory. I conceived the third movement as a short conclusion to the Great Amen of the Eucharistic Prayer, since the Elevation movements used by Tournemire do not accord with current liturgical practice. My choice was a kind of joyous dance: the Eucharist breaks the barrier between heaven and earth, and both join in celebrating the victory in which the saints enjoy for ever. The fourth movement, the Communion verset, has a solo for the clarinet over a light accompaniment where emotional ebb and flow are achieved through convergence and divergence of the contrapuntal lines. Towards the end, the chant Beati Mundo Corde appears on the oboe.

	Listen to Riccardo Bonci performing All Saints’ Day Music Mvts1&2 on 27th October 2007 at St Dominic's Priory
	Listen to James Norrey performing All Saints’ Day Music Mvts3&4 on 20th October 2007 at St John the Evangelist, Islington

Duration: 12mins
Available from: Fagus music
Price: £15.00

For Saint Paul (2006)

My passion for liturgical organ music has led me to work on a Book of Apostles: a set which will eventually consist of fourteen pieces meditating on the individual apostles (The Twelve plus Paul and Barnabas) plus a Magnificat on the First Tone, where the odd-numbered verses are sung and the even-numbered verses played on the organ. Peter and Paul are given five-minute pieces, the remaining apostles four. For St Paul being a relatively quiet movement, it might be appropriate to play before Mass on the feast of St. Peter and St. Paul, with the more extrovert For St Peter being played afterwards. I tried to mirror what I know of St Paul’s character in this piece: his gentleness tempered by firmness and clarity, his powerful intellect, and his occasional outbursts of passion. A fugue seemed the obvious vehicle. The subject is atonal but there are some hints of a tonal centre, especially when a second countersubject, recognisable by its triplet rhythm, makes its appearance. If the textures here resemble somewhat those of Brahms, I feel make no apology, since the similarity of character in their writing is worth emphasising. I hope to have the whole book finished next year.

Listen to Riccardo Bonci performing For Saint Paul on 27th October 2007 at St Dominic's Priory

Duration: 5mins
Available from: the composer
Price: £5.00