Description
These short pieces began life just as isolated works and were conceived over several months. Gradually, the idea of music for all of a Sunday presented itself. They were then collated into the present form in the hope they would be useful for a wide range of organists. Each ‘Sunday’ consists of four pieces; a Prelude, Gospel Procession, Communion Piece and a Postlude.
These pieces are aimed to be meaningful for a parish church congregation and useful for a cross section of organists or pianist/organists who may not be highly trained but are very competent and have limited time for choosing music and for practice. This includes young players with developing pedal technique. Pedal parts are, on the whole, fairly easy (and sometimes optional where they are shown as small notes). A few pieces are a la manniere of old English and European Dances in order that their styles and characters can live on in our young people. They are deliberately ‘lighter’ in style.
It is a fact that there are many gifted amateur organists who find selection of music difficult and practice time even more so. The pieces are mostly, although not exclusively, aimed at them. They are, of course, interchangeable; the style of a particular piece might not be suitable for a particular Sunday whereas the other three might well be.
The repeats are optional and, in short gospel processions there are places where the music can end without any detrimental effect. Indications of registration are included only as a guide. These works are meant for a 3 manual instrument but can equally be played on two. There are some items which do not use pedals and, except in one or two cases pedal parts are not exacting. A Month of Sundays exists in two sets; there is a sequel entitled Preludes, Postludes and Pastorales which are intended to complement them. Philip Spratley Deeping St James, March 2023
