Carol-Preludes for organ (2008)

These Carol-Preludes were written in 2008, but the idea was in my mind for many years before this. Essentially, they revive the old style of the Chorale-Prelude, but using carol tunes instead of hymns or chorales. They are derived from German, French and English melodies - some of the German tunes were found in my mother's old school songbook from her schooldays in Germany after the First World War. The movements are:

Weihnachtslied (Es kam ein Engel): a vigorous treatment of an old German tune.

Christmas Eve: a flowing, reflective setting of an English tune, with many shifts of metre.

On Christmas Day in the Morning: a familiar English carol, given a mysterious, rather misty treatment.

Angels from the Realms of Glory: a full blooded, virtuoso toccata on this old French tune.

Tomorrow shall be my dancing day: a light-hearted scherzo, taking its cue from the title of this well-known English tune.

Es sungen drei Engel: a German tune, given a quietly thoughtful setting

Gen Himmel aufgefahren ist: another virtuoso toccata, on an old German theme, dominated by fanfare-like figures.

I am very grateful to Kevin Bowyer for his suggestions as to registration.

(c) John McCabe