Got asked to do a concerto with a small chambery ensemble. The conductor didn't think much of my Malcolm Arnold suggestion (strings + timp + three trumpets). Any ideas what to suggest next?

I could be boring and suggest the Handel ones....

Perhaps the 'Albinoni' too?

Options are limited if it is a small orch as most need a larger ensemble to battle against the organ. Rules out Rheinberger, Guilmant, Poulenc, Widor, Dupre, Jongen and on the darker side, Leighton, Williamson, Eben etc.

Is the Resphigi just strings?

If you want a change from the Handel, I can suggest the Stanley concertos. Long time ago as a student I did a couple, the one in E major and the one in C major.

Joseph Haydn wrote three which are attractive. Can't remember the orchestration, but I think they require a pair of horns as well as strings, maybe oboes too. Organ part is manuals only, but none the worse for that.

Thomas Arne also wrote six. I once played one once and enjoyed it very much. Again can't remember the orchestration, but the band was very modest. Some (maybe all?) have an organ solo movement.

I believe William Russell also wrote some concertos, though I don't know these.

I think there are six concerti by Wesley - which one I cannot remember. I saw the scores about thirty years ago. They are lightly scored. Copies are in the BBC Music Library. Is there an Avison concerto?

Barry Williams

I'm pretty sure it's Sam Wesley (i.e. Samuel Sebastian's father). I think you are right about Avison - in fact, I think there may be more than one.

I see from here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organ_concerto - that there are some concertos by both Vivaldi and CPE Bach. I wasn't aware of these at all. Is there any good reason we don't hear them?

Thanks for your replies. Listening to some of your suggestions I find I am quite taken with the Handel Op. 4 No. 4 (in F). Does anyone play it? Can anyone recommend a performance edition? Thanks.

I played it many years ago. It was very straightforward to learn, and very tuneful. Unfortunately I can't remember which edition, but I doubt you'd be spoiled for choice.

There must be a decent, modern urtext edition around, but in practice I have never come across any. In my experience, whichever edition of any concerto you request will count for little and you'll end up with whatever edition the concert organiser can get through his/her local library - and the one unmutable law about Handel organ concertos is that the edition you get will invariably have an inflated, Romanticised organ part with a pedal part and filled-out left-hand harmonies. I have always had to go back to the Chrysander edition and use the organ part from that. Fortunately these are now available online at IMSLP - http://imslp.org/wiki/Category:Handel,_George_Frideric

Precisely so, Vox. However, a) it's quite possible to leave out what are most likely to be the editorial additions as one goes and b) I think it's generally accepted that Handel would probably have used the manuscript as a 'basis for negotiation' anyhow.

Since posting on this thread earlier, I've recalled that I performed the concerto MrC mentions on a certain splendid neo-baroque instrument admired by both of us. If I say "Drake", you'll know which instrument I mean.

Thank you. You're consistently excellent at coming up with these useful links!

The ones by Sam Wesley aren't the only ones by the Wesley family, there are at least two by Charles Wesley and I play one as a solo arrangement as in the excellent Langley English Organ Music Volumes (sadly, nla only be reprint).

Well yes, but not to the extent of some of his past "editors"!


Oh yes! I would have liked to have heard that!

I seem to spend more time looking for things like this than practising. I'm beginning to think I have my priorities wrong!

You've done the Arnold? Tell me more! How did you find it?...

With the help of Google, I think....