The French style toccata is always popular both to play and listen to, and there have been loads of them written since Widor and Vierne were in their primes. Most organists have some of these in their repertoire apart from the well known French ones, and it would be intereting to hear about the less well known. I am not thinking about the big Messiaen toccatas around which I have not yet managed to get my fingers.

For starters here is one that was mentioned to me by a wedding guest last year - 'Rondo alla Celtica' by Hans Andre Stamm. Does anybody know this and from what compilation it can be found? I have not heard the piece but my informant and his wife enjoyed it greatly.

A couple of these less well known pieces have been mentioned in a 'wedding' thread here, so perhaps we can compile a list here. Some indication of difficulty would be helpful I'm sure. I shall make a journey into the furthest corners of my attic, blow off the dust on various piles of organ music and see what I can come up with from my own collection.

I know you said less well known ones, but since you also mention difficulty level it might be worth making the list more comprehensive. So here's a start, off the top of my head.

Dubois (grade 6; this and the next are the easiest ones I know)
Gigout (grade 6)
Boëllmann (grade 7)
Widor (grade 7-8)
Vierne: Carillon de Westminster (mostly only grade 6- to 7-ish, except for a few bars in the final section that require the hands of a gorilla with fingers of a watchmaker in order to get all the notes in. Still one of the most approachable toccatas though.)
Vierne: Carillon de Longpont (the one with the pedal ostinato; grade 7-)
Vierne: Toccata in B flat minor (grade 8)
Messiaen: Dieu parmi nous (grade 8+)
Messiaen: Transports de joie (grade 8+)
Duruflé (grade 20+)

Less well known (all grade 8, I would say) are:

Marcel Lanquetuit: Toccata in D major
Daniel Fleuret: Toccata op.10 no.3
Georges Mac-Master: Toccata in A major op.67
Henri Dallier: Electa ut sol
Achille Philip: Toccata and Fugue in A minor
Jules Grison: Toccata in F major
Augustine Barié

There's also one which I can't relocate at the moment that is a direct crib of the Dubois.

Great start - thank you. I know all the ones in your first list but none from your second list. I shall add some from my own collection soon. O, what about

Mulet: Tu es petra

Not sure if I still have it, but from memory I seem to think it is around grade 7. Great piece.

What about the Finales from Vierne's Symphonies 3, 5 and 6?

Dubois' Fiat Lux - is that Toccata -like enough to qualify for inclusion?

Fletcher's Festival Toccata is fun too.


Barry Williams

Vox - The Bolleman is on the G8 list, but the suggestions made are all very valid.

The one by Marcel Lanquetuit is a fine work. Dame Gillian is very fond of it and I would thoroughly recommend it.

If I can recommend a book rather than Toccatas, Dover publish a book called 'Toccatas, Carillon & Scherzos' - It contains a great deal of the pieces mentioned with more besides. It's not very expensive either

The one by Marcel Lanquetuit is a fine work

Is this something a lapsed diploma player could get up in a few weeks? I remember hearing and enjoying it at the conclusion of a broadcast Evensong within the last couple of years.

OMG - it's £25.50 plus P & P!

Thanks. Yes, I should have known that, having recently heard it played by someone who did it for her grade 8!

I thought I had seen it on the grade 7 list many years ago, but I expect I am imagining that.

The other one I couldn't remember is this one by René Louis Becker. It looks easier than some, but also less inspiring. In any case, Becker barely qualifies, having emigrated to America at the age of 22.

Gigout is not grade 6 IMHO. The last section is especially tricksome - gr8 at least, in my view.

Anyone play the Albert Renaud Toccata in D min?

"OMG - it's �25.50 plus P & P!"

At this price, for about four and a half minutes of music, it is not surprising that some people use illegal photocopies. (I am not approving of illegal photocopies!)

Barry Williams

I play the Lanquetuit and its a jolly good piece. Its hard work on a tracker as it has a lot of repeated chords, but I do enjoy playing it.

Finale to Vierne 6 is insanely difficult, though is a fab piece. The first few pages are just about playable, but the semiquaver pedal scales towards the end just edge it out of my repertoire (particularly when you hear Jeremy Fillseel make it sound so easy!)

The Fletcher is much easier!

I've had a look at the Renaud (its in the Dover volume) and its not too hard.

Mustn't forget Mulet's Carillon-Sortie (about grade 7, maybe 8).

You are deffo harsh - I would put it at low-Dip level - the left hand work is particular difficult in the middle section (to pull it off well, so to speak) ...

Well, maybe. I was basing my opinion on the fact that, even in my decrepitude I can still get through it! But I don't think grading is precise science anyway. Oldromola puts Tu es petra at grade 7, but to me it's def grade 8+. And there's actually one piece on the grade 3 syllabus (Helmut Walcha's Den die Hirten) that I am quite certain would still sort out a few grade 7 players - seriously!

I agree with Vox on this.

Another one for the list is the Toccata at the end of Whitlock's 'Plymouth Suite'.

However, I would call the Whitlock thoroughly English, not "French style". Fine piece though.

But I don't agree with Vox on that!

It comes across as a French-style Toccata to me.

Fair enough, Holz, but what then would you cite as a good example of an English toccata?

We're not exactly spoilt for choice here, are we?!

What about Percy Fletcher's 'Festival Toccata' or William Mathias's 'Toccata giocosa' for starters?

...and I agree with Vox on Tu es Petra.

Yup, as do I!

Just stumbled across another by F. de la Tombelle (whoever he was).

Looks like another Dubois clone of about grade 6 standard. Could be good fun though. Might give it a try later.

Ego sum Petra!

Sorry all you organists! Tried to resist but failed.

Ergo sum Petra?

That made me rock with laughter.

Sorry - another apology to all fellow organists!

Maybe this thread should just Peter out ...

Cringe-worthy pun-ing aside.

If you want something a little bit simpler what about the Fanfare by Jaques Lemmens?

http://www.kantoreiarchiv.de/archiv/organ/...ens/fanfare.pdf

Good suggestion! I've sometimes wondered why this piece no longer has the popularity it apparently once had.

Has anybody heard the splashy recording of it by Walter G. Alcock, recorded in the 1920s and reissued on a CD compilation a few years ago?

Out of interest, I took a look at those PDFs..

Flippin' heck, I thought reading two staves was difficult enough! You people are crazy!

YEP !

You speak for yourself, Maggie!

Well done daveinnorfolk for mentioning the Lemmens 'Fanfare'. It crossed my mind to add it a few days ago but you beat me to it. I reserve it for those occasions when a bit of a splash is needed and I haven't had time to prepare the Durufle. (I wish)

You guys porbably wouldn't be seen dead playing the Mushel. Perhaps it's not in the French style, but I have to admit a sneaking liking for it- particularly having acquired to last few bars that OUP omitted from their printed version. Tee hee - aren't I lucky!

Have a big wedding on Saturday with no less than two singers to accompany and the Widor to finish, so my much awaited trip to the attic has taken place to retrieve the Widor and look through my French toccata selection. I have only a couple of genuine French ones to add to those previously mentioned here plus one by a Dutch (I think) composer - Marius Monnikendam.

First a few comments. Barry Williams mentioned the Fletcher 'Festival Toccata'. I have found it in a Novello collection I have had for many years called 'A Wedding Boquet'. I have never played it as I have wondered whether ploughing through the 17 pages of Victorian harmony was worth the effort. Is it Barry? Secondly, Holz Gedect queried my grading of 'Tu es petra' as around grade 7 and, having looked at the music again this morning, I entirely agree with him. I must have been quite a good player in my earlier years! Finally, Confutatis asked if anyone played the Renaud Toccata 'en Re mineur' (D minor to you and me) and yes, I have played this one as well. Slightly easier than some of the others in my opinion.

And now for the new ones. First off is 'Toccata Francese' by Augustinus F. Kropfrieter. Published in 1969 by OUP this is dedicated to Susi Jeans. I have never even tried it having been put of by the (manual) flourishes on full organ right at the beginning. If anyone would like my copy just send me a PM and you're welcome to it. Secondly is the 'Toccata' from 'Trois Pieces pour Orgue' by Augustin Barie. I like this one. Again, it is easier than many and, no, you can't have my copy. Finally the 'Toccata' by Marius Monnikendam. This was published in 1970 and is dedicated to Tournemire. Only five pages long, there are no difficult pedal bars yet it contains some lovely 'scrunchy' chords!

I have no idea whether any of these are still available or not.

But you cannot be an organist without being stark, staring bonkers. It's a requirement of the job.

I like (and play) both the Lemmens and the Mushel. All good stuff.

Flibberty, flibberty, flibberty-flob! *sticks pencils up each nostril and continues gibbering*


Me too!

Although I don't play this, I'm glad someone has a use for it. It disproves my theory that my study of Dutch and Belgian organ music of the 20th century was futile, other than to pass the exam!

Further to the aforementioned pieces, here's a few others I've come across:

Henri Nibelle: Carillon Orleanais/Toccata - the second is rather similar to the Boellmann and is manuals only until nearer the end.

Albert Renaud: Toccata in D major - his other one which is easier than the D minor and much less often played.

Marcel Dupre: Carillon from 'Seven Pieces', Op.27

Marcel Paponaud: Toccata in D major - repeated chords, somewhat similar to Mulet Tu es Petra but somewhat easier.

Albert Alain: Toccata on 'Cantemus Domino'

Although he was Belgian, perhaps also the Toccata by Jongen?