In search of: particular set of organ variations on “O Sanctissima”
  • NihilNominisNihilNominis
    Posts: 1,021
    Some years ago, maybe four, I stumbled across a brilliant organ setting of O Sanctissima (I *think* under that title, rather than the Christmassy one), self-published, for free, online as a pdf by its living German composer.

    It consisted of an introduction, a free harmonization of a verse, and a pedal Toccata with some really neat harmonic moves.

    I believe I left my print-out in the loft in Sleepy Eye. I have spent about an hour today searching for it online, to no avail. Does anyone know this piece? Did you download it? Can I pls has it?

    Thank you so much!

    Edit: I can German quite well, and assure you that I have googled auf Deutsch in every conceivable variation. Good Samaritans are welcome to try to help in that way, but I fear I need someone who downloaded a copy!
    Thanked by 1ServiamScores
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,885
    Well, this has me intrigued.

    I’m the act of searching, I’ve found a few things. They aren’t what you’re looking for, but they might still be nice to reference, so I’ll put them here in case they are of use to anyone:

    A lush reharm: https://imslp.org/wiki/O_du_fröhliche_(Sothilander%2C_Georg_L.)

    A slightly odd postlude, but might possibly be what you meant: https://www.notendownload.com/o-du-froehliche-orgel-solo-konrad-seckinger-postludium-fuer__sm79301.html

    Another short postlude: https://imslp.org/wiki/O_du_fröhliche_(B%C3%BCntzly,_Gerd)

    Here’s a charming fughetta: https://imslp.org/wiki/O_du_fröhliche_(Liardon%2C_Ga%C3%ABl)

    #61 in this book is a nice postlude as well: https://imslp.org/wiki/Postludien-Buch_(Kleemeyer%2C_Hermann)
    In fact, this is an EXCELLENT collection. A few months ago I stumbled across it and I actually had the whole thing printed and bound and I play from it regularly.

    Another toccata: https://imslp.org/wiki/3_Toccaten_für_Orgel_zu_Festtagen_(Noetzel%2C_Gerhard)

    Here is a ‘Concert Fantasy’ that seems to be an intense set of variations. Might this be what you’re looking for? https://s9.imslp.org/files/imglnks/usimg/1/10/IMSLP658533-PMLP132422-Lux_O_Sanctissima_1.pdf

    A more modest set of variations that could be manuals only: https://imslp.org/wiki/O_Sanctissima_(Ashford%2C_Emma_Louise)

    A cute andante: https://imslp.org/wiki/Andante_über_'O_Sanctissima'_(Quadflieg%2C_Jakob)

    Here is another candidate for what you might actually be looking for; ‘ variations on a Sicilian hymn’ https://imslp.org/wiki/Variations_on_the_'Sicilian_Hymn',_Op.29_(Thayer%2C_Eugene)

    Thanked by 2NihilNominis DavidOLGC
  • NihilNominisNihilNominis
    Posts: 1,021
    Magisterial summary of findings, but alas not the one I’m looking for! Really neat stuff, though!
    Thanked by 1tomjaw
  • CGM
    Posts: 697
    A couple more settings of O Sanctissima by
    — Carl Sattler: Theme + Six Variations + Concluding fugue, from 1903
    — Jef Tinel: a handwritten score with theme, one variation, and pedal-intensive finale
  • madorganist
    Posts: 906
    Still not what you're looking for, but I just came across an interesting setting by Benoit:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQ-1KF9ocL8
    I believe the performer is one of our forum members.
  • rvisser
    Posts: 54
    I found it! Do I get a prize for this? lol
    Consider it a miracle that this random, untitled piece of sheet music survived my purge of the choir loft at St. Mary's. It looked interesting enough that I threw it in a pile of my own organ music, which I finally got around to filing this morning.
    Toccata on O Sanctissima.pdf
    361K
    Thanked by 4CHGiffen tandrews NihilNominis ServiamScores
  • NihilNominisNihilNominis
    Posts: 1,021
    Heroic! Astounding! Superb! Remarkable!

    Thank you!
  • CGM
    Posts: 697
    Rvisser — thanks for posting the score. It's missing the first page, though — did that survive the purge?
  • madorganist
    Posts: 906
    Or if some woman has ten silver pieces by her, and has lost one of them, does she not light a lamp, and sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she does find it, she calls her friends and her neighbours together; Rejoice with me, she says, I have found the silver piece which I lost. (Lk. 15:8–9)
    We rejoice with you! Thanks for sharing. And now we all have a handy Marian repertory list at our disposal :)
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,193
    There are possibly two pages missing. But, in any case the pages at hand are actually numbered (at the bottom): 83 through 87. So it appears likely that the original source of the pdf is from a published collection somewhere.
  • NihilNominisNihilNominis
    Posts: 1,021
    Good observation! Hadn't noticed those before. I found them, as I said, on the composer's webpage. There's hope yet, then, for finding not only the full set, but in fact *more of the same*!
  • rvisser
    Posts: 54
    CGM - those were the only pages in the loft. I remember finding it a few months ago and wondering what it might be, because there was no title or first page!
    Thanked by 1NihilNominis
  • ServiamScores
    Posts: 2,885
    And this, ladies and gentlemen, is precisely why I INSIST on having the title and my surname at the top of every single page of my editions.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
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