Alan Gibbs
SONATA No.1 for organ
Bardic Edition BDE500
The composer’s first substantial organ piece, composed in 1955 for John Webster to premiere at the Nuremberg International Organ Week the following year, and revised in 1957 during a period of study with Matyas Seiber. Its march-like G minor prologue (With Dignity) presents two themes: one direct, diatonic and harmonic, growing from the four-note germ of the work, the other reflective and chromatic in its web of 3-part counterpoint. The first returns in a ff climax and gives way to the main Allegro section, which likewise has two contrasting themes but is rooted in D minor. After much development and variation of this material the prologue returns, much changed: its attempt to re-establish G minor fails and it is a triumphant D major chord which ends the sonata.
Duration 8 minutes
Duration 8 minutes
