Name of this piece????

[Gareth]

I heard this piece played and it had a low pitch throughout, Organ obviously, and it seemed to be very slow...and a "muddy" texture, I have been trying to find out the name of the piece, so I can dowload it, it was used in a Cathedral and the low notes frequencies cracked the floor (blow my speakers if volume is high!!!!!!!) of the cathedral, could someone tell me the name??? If you know what I am talking about??

Gareth

 

[giovannimusica]

Do you recall if it sounded like it was played in a minor or major key? Did the dynamics change very much? Did you hear it on the radio? If so, when?

Giovanni

 

[Gareth]

It was played minor throughout with the bottom notes only changing every what.....5 bars or something (well thats what it sounded like), and the dynamics changed a little bit, very broad as well, no we had to analyze it at school in music.

 

[giovannimusica]

Did the bass line have a recurring theme, that is to say, repeating? Hypothetically, did the bass line go from C, up a fifth to G, then down to Eb, up to F, G, Ab,F,G, down to D, Eb, down to B, C, then Low F,G and finally to low C? If that's the case then you have Bach's greatest organ composition entitled Passacaglia in c-minor. Granted, I'm only giving you a guesstimation at best. I hope that this has helped - let me know how it went if this was a class assignment, Ok?


Cheers,

Giovanni

 

[Gareth]

yeah, I think you have got it...but those notes were so low and yes they were repeating, I think the form of the piece was Sonata form, yeah thanks for that. It was last year in school that we did it, just as practice for an exam, which you have to analyze it with the elements of music....harmony, texture, rhythm.etc. I seemed to get it right, mostly.

Thanks again.

Gareth.

 

[Gareth]

Do you know where to find good recordings of this music???

 

[giovannimusica]

Hi Gareth,

There are literally tons of recordings of the Passacaglia in c-minor. In no particular order or how magnificent the performer is I can suggest Kevin Bowyer, Gillian Weir, Virgil Fox, Jean Guillou, Carlo Curley and many others. Carlo Curley and Virgil Fox are unabashed in playing the Passacaglia with a symphonic flair - Usually on Monster Instruments of 100 or more stops - in the tutti sections with all the 32' stops employed for thunderous effect and visceral pleasure.


Go to the Organ Historical Society catalog:

http://www.ohscatalog.com/


You should find lots of choices in this online catalog.


Cheers,

Giovanni

 

[ajw27]

I like Anthony Newman's recording of the Passacaglia and Fugue.

 

[giovannimusica]

ajw27,

Click on this link: http://www.carlo.com/

Then click *more* under *music samples from carlo's heart to yours* and you will get a terrific mp3 file of the Passacaglia in C-minor.

Happy listening,

Giovanni :tiphat:

 

[Gareth]

Hey Geo.

That piece is very similar to the one, but not quite, the piece that I was talking about had a very very slow tempo, and the notes hardly changed throughout, and had a very very low pitch throughout, it probably did fall under the categories of a Passacaglia.

I still like the sound of that one that you posted on earlier.

Thanks anyway.

Gareth.