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Saint Peter's Sonata (1996)

Available from the Canadian Music Centre (CMC)

Samples
  • St. Peter's Sonata
    (Excerpts)

  • St. Peter's Sonata
    Movement 1 (Opening)

  • St. Peter's Sonata
    Movement 2 (Opening)

  • St. Peter's Sonata
    Movement 3 (Opening)
Instrumentation:Organ solo (with optional choir for Mvt. 2)
Genre:Organ Music

Commissioner: Danielle Dubé and the congretation of St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Ottawa, Ontario

Dedication: For Danielle Dubé and St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Ottawa

Premiere: Danielle Dubé and the choir of St. Peter's Lutheran Church on Sunday, April 28, 1996 at St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Ottawa, ON

Duration: 16 minutes

Movements:

  1. Majestically – almost double dotted
  2. Lento
  3. Fast

Program Note:St. Peter’s Sonata was commissioned by Danielle Dubé and the congregation of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Ottawa, Ontario in 1996 to commemorate two anniversaries: the 10th anniversary of Ms. Dubé’s appointment as organist and choir director at St. Peter’s and the 20th anniversary of the church’s installation of their Casavant organ.  At the time, this was the first modern-day tracker action organ to be built in Ottawa and this composition was written to demonstrate the instrument’s capabilities and characteristic colour.  In addition, the inclusion of the Lutheran chorale, Erhalt Usn, Herr (Lord, Keep us Steadfast in Your Word) in all three movements provides a direct link to the congregation and their musical tradition.

The chorale is most obviously displayed in the central portion of the middle movement, at which point it is even possible to have a choir sing all three verses of the hymn.  The outer sections of this slow movement incorporate various transpositions and arrangements of the chorale in such a way that the resultant fabric tens to obscure any aural recognition of the melody.  Similarly, the first movement’s fanfare-like gestures in the manuals are built above the pedal’s statement of the chorale in very long notes.  The final movement though, uses clearly recognizable statements of the chorale to contrast the rhythmically and harmonically aggressive character that begins the movement.

The score to this work is available from the Canadian Music Centre for purchase (printable pdf or mail order), library loan or non-printable pdf for review purposes: CMC-Saint Peter's Sonata [CMC]