John Burge

Commissioner: Toronto Centre of the Royal Canadian College of Organists

Premiere: Patricia Phillips, organ; Fifth International congress of Organists, Montreal, PQ; July 15, 1993.

Program Note: Dance for solo organ was commissioned by the Toronto Centre of the Royal Canadian College of Organists in 1992 for performance at the International Congress of Organists Convention in Montreal, Quebec.  The work was premiered by Dr. Patricia Phillips in July 1993. 

The opening melodic phrase that sets Dance in motion is also found in John Burge’s composition, Thank You God, an eight-movement setting of children’s prayers for chamber orchestra and children’s choir.  In the choral setting the phrase is sung to the line, “Praise the Lord for Dancing,” and it is used to generate much of the thematic material for that first movement.  In the organ solo though, this melody simply provides the rhythmic impetus for the work’s forcefully syncopated introduction after which a softer, more playful theme is presented.  While still maintaining the rhythmic energy of the introductory material, it is this second theme that dominates much of the music in Dance.  On a structural level, for example, the way in which this second theme returns gives the piece an almost rondo-like character.  In between the statements of this playful idea, the music consistently builds in activity and volume until a brief climax is reached, at which point the process begins again.  Tonally, the chromatic wandering that colours much of the music’s harmony gives way to a triumphant cadence on a tonic F pedal in the last few lines.

This work has been used by a number of organists in competition and as a rousing postlude.

Please note that this work was published by Jaymar Music Limited in 1993 but as this company subsequently went out of business, the copyright has reverted back to the John Burge and can only be purchased as a pdf through this website.  The cover page of the pdf indicates that the work was purchased legally.

Nicholas Capozzoli gave a super performance of Dance on the Canadian International Organ Competition's Bach-Mobile, which is a mobile stage and organ console, in front of Christ Church Cathedral in downtown Montreal in October 2020.  Stunning!