Toccata and Fugue in g-minor

Wrote this a number of years ago, but still one of my favorites. Organist Kevin Bowyer is scheduled to do the UK premiere next April!

I’d probably do several things differently if I were to write it today, but I’m still proud of how it came out.
This recording was done with Haupwerk, sample set is the Metz Mutin/Cavaille-Coll by Milan Digital Audio.


Cheers,

 

Thanks for responding...

This is indeed a finale score, and I agree it has some serious scoring issues - as I said, I’d do this differently now. I’ve actually considered re-doing it in Dorico... for one thing, the trills in the Toccata could be notated as.... well.. trills, instead of written out. And, you are correct about some of the note-spelling Finale chose.

As for the fugue, it is unashamedly a modern fugue with all of the dissonance and concomitant rule-breaking. If you’re a traditionalist when it comes to fugues (i.e. you want traditional harmony and following all of the “common practice” writing conventions) you’re not gonna get it here, I’m afraid.

So, a bit about me - I came here kind of in search of a place to discuss and learn... spent a bit of time over at VI-Control, but I’m just not into writing epic trailer/movie scores stuff. I studied composition and graduated with a Bachelor’s in Church Music (composition emphasis). I’ve been writing arranging and composing for probably a good 30+ years... a lot of it has been utilitarian stuff for my job (I’m a church musician) not exactly what I’d consider masterpieces, but things written out of need. Orchestrations for the people I have (and written to their abilities), choral stuff... the occasional orchestrations for big programs (there was a day when I worked at a place with a $10k yearly orchestra budget!). As a side-hustle, I do distribute music on my publishing site for other composers (they retain rights, and I split profits 50-50). I also sample and produce content for the pipe organ sampler “Hauptwerk”, I’ve been doing that since 2004. That is a lot of fun and hard work, and has taught me a lot about live recording, as well as meaning I’ve spent many hours in lonely editing of samples and writing XML code to make it work in the software.

I’m still writing things for my church job, but of late I have felt the need to get back into writing some things for my own enjoyment... I’m not under the mistaken notion I’ll ever get them performed, I’m just doing it for myself. So, I’d like some honest criticism. As far as the piece above - it was written over 15 years ago, and as I’ve said, I’d do a lot differently today. I’m not thinking of completely re-writing it, of course (it does capture a slice of my composing at that time) but I would like to clean up the score, at the very least.

Thanks for your feedback, I appreciate you taking the time to respond.