Dubois, Bossi and Gigout Options

[oldromola]

Although I can't play much Messiaen I am enjoying a season of voluntaries composed by French romantic composers. Last month they got the Dubois 'Toccata', later this month they will get the Bossi 'Scherzo in G minor' and in September the Gigout 'Toccata'. Later in the autumn I am hoping...hoping.... to play the delightful Gigout 'Scherzo in E' for the first time which I find trickier altogether than the 'Toccata'. None of these pices is particulalry easy to manage on the small 2 manual Binns in my village church, but after 3 years at the console I'm beginning to get the hang of pulling out and pushing in stops along the way.

What other organ music is there by Enrico Bossi I could try? I really enjoy the 'Scherzo' despite its over reliance on diminished 7ths, so any recommendations would be appreciated.

[porilo]

I'm sure I've played something by Bossi but can't remember what it was. Will have to have a look through my organ books. Last Sunday after Mass I played an interesting and enjoyable piece, not too difficult, by someone called Battman. Afterwards a member of the church asked me who composed it, and when I said it was by Battman he wouldn't believe it. "I thought he was too busy protecting Gotham City with Robin!", he said. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[Barry Williams]

He wrote much gorgeous music for organ.

Try the Toccata di Concerto or the Etude Symphonique for starters. The latter piece will give your feet some exercise!

Barry Williams

[porilo]

Found it. It's called "Marche pontificale". Not overly difficult but manageable for my level of organ playing. I think I have another piece by the same composer in one of books. Really must sort them out and put them into some sort of order over the summer holiday.

[Vox Humana]

There are a couple of volumes of organ music by Bossi here and a couple of other pieces, including the Etude symphonique: http://imslp.org/wiki/Category:Bossi,_Marco_Enrico

I second Barry's recommendation of the latter - effectively a toccata for pedals. It's not as difficult as it looks, though the last couple of pages may test your co-ordination and balance. Years ago it used to be one of my party pieces. I keep thinking I should look it out again, but sadly my current organ doesn't have the very necessary top A.

[jch48]

Although I can't play much Messiaen I am enjoying a season of voluntaries composed by French romantic composers. Last month they got the Dubois 'Toccata', later this month they will get the Bossi 'Scherzo in G minor' and in September the Gigout 'Toccata'. Later in the autumn I am hoping...hoping.... to play the delightful Gigout 'Scherzo in E' for the first time which I find trickier altogether than the 'Toccata'. None of these pices is particulalry easy to manage on the small 2 manual Binns in my village church, but after 3 years at the console I'm beginning to get the hang of pulling out and pushing in stops along the way.

What other organ music is there by Enrico Bossi I could try? I really enjoy the 'Scherzo' despite its over reliance on diminished 7ths, so any recommendations would be appreciated.

Snap - as I have played the Bossi Scherzo, am learning the Gigout one and am making do with a small 2-manual village organ.

A recent local recital introduced me to a Scherzo by Rousseau which I found delightful on first hearing.
There are no youtube performance and one version on spotify so it must be obscure and I thank the performer for introducing me to it.
[http://imslp.org/wiki/15_Pi%C3%A8ces_pour_orgue_ou_piano-p%C3%A9dalier_%28Rousseau,_Samuel_Alexandre%29]

I expect you know the 2 Lefebure-Wely Sorties - and they're available in an affordable version which is rare for French organ music.

[Malta_Organist]

I played a piece of Bossi last Sunday - 'Resignation' - you'll find it in the collection in the IMSLP link in one of the previous posts.

Aside from the Scherzo, I also play the Chant du Soir and a couple of others from the Peters volumes. He wrote some great music, although some of the quieter pieces can border on the cheesy side at times! Also worth looking at is the 'Canzoncina a Maria Vergine' - a beautiful little work.

Aside from the Toccata and Scherzo, a lot of the other of Gigout's Ten Pieces are worth a look - in particular the Minuetto. A particular favourite of mine, however, is the Marche Religieuse from the Six Pieces - it should be available for download online.

I don't play much Dubois - but he wrote a wealth of music among which there's some great pieces.

Another one to look at is Joseph Bonnet, particularly his three cycles of Douze Pieces. There is a great little scherzo-type piece in there called 'Ariel' - not too taxing to play. These volumes are very expensive however unless you can get them secondhand.

Lastly, two composers I've played recently are worth a look. Andre Fleury wrote some great music - look out for the 24 Pieces for Organ or Harmonium - very tuneful, easy to learn, and with a very interesting harmonic language which is rather refreshing. Albert Alain (Jehan's father) is another - the Six Pieces are great to play.

[oldromola]

Many thanks to all of you who have made suggestions to this thread. I have just returned from holiday and am beginning to check out the various pieces you have listed. I am off to the Chapel shortly to try out the Rousseau 'Scherzo' - what a gem in the late 19th C French tradition.

I am intending to start a new thread shortly entitled 'New delights' when I shall attempt to review as many of your suggestions as I have been able to trace. The IMSLP is new to me, but it is proving to be an invaluable source of otherwise expensive French organ music.

[Vox Humana]

I am off to the Chapel shortly to try out the Rousseau 'Scherzo' - what a gem in the late 19th C French tradition.

Rousseau is a seriously good composer who deserves to be played a lot more than he is (which, currently, seems to be hardly at all). The Melodie in the 12 pieces is delightful and there is also an exceedingly fine Offertoire, but virtually anything by him is worth looking at. His large-scale Fantaisie is very Franckian.

Rousseau was the choirmaster and choir-organist at St Clotilde, Paris, under Cesar Franck. He was highly regarded in his time. The square outside St Clotilde is named after him.