Organ Music in Unusual Time Signatures
  • RCS333
    Posts: 43
    Just curious if anyone can recommend some organ pieces I could learn in unusual time signatures -5,7,11 etc?

    The “Second Easy Album for Organ” has John Rutter’s Toccata in 7 and a scherzo by Alan Ridout that is mostly in 7.
    I’m not counting Bach’s 9/8 prelude and fugue, for example, since it’s just 3 groups of 3...

    Thanks for any recommendations!
  • Chris Garton-Zavesky
    Posts: 6,902
    A former choirmaster of mine had us learn a piece in 4.5/ 4 (Why not 9/8 -- simple: 9/8 is in 3s, and 4.5/4 is not.
  • Richard MixRichard Mix
    Posts: 2,767
    The 'classical' way of notating the Bulgarian rhythm is 4+2+3 / 8, per Microcosmos VI.148; how would one decide how to group 4.5? 8+1? I've heard of Bartok on organ before and the composer was interested in possible harpsichord renditions.

    Of course time spent on Messiaen (or Hakim, Symphonie for John the Baptist) will never be wasted.
  • kevinfkevinf
    Posts: 1,183
    Jean Langlais has a number of compositions in irregular meters. A good example is his Suite Medievale. All the pieces have irregular meters,owing their genesis to chant. Messiaen has already been cited. One should look at Les Anges or Les Bergers from La Nativite du Seigneur for some really fun meter work that is not too inaccessible.
  • eft94530eft94530
    Posts: 1,577
    https://www.amazon.com/dp/0786621532

    100 Processionals And Recessionals
    Published by Kevin Mayhew Ltd

    Contains organist composers with pieces 1960s and later

    *stay tuned as i will edit this post*
    *table of contents goes here*
    *table of contents goes here*
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