The Blue Rose Variations is one of several works in which the composer has drawn on ragtime and blues. The organ work is based on two transformations of the popular piano piece To A Wild Rose (Woodland Sketches Op.51 No.1) by the American composer Edward MacDowell (1860-1908). During the course of the Variations To A Wild Rose appears as a blues and also as a classical rag often as both together.The sections are Theme: a quiet blues; Variation I: a pedal solo in varied metres based on the blues in fast tempo; Variation II: the first appearance of the rag as a background to the blues as a 2' pedal solo; Variation III: a version of Variation I nowinvolving manuals too; Variation IV: another blues solo against the rag; Variation V: another version of Variation I with the pedal solo almost entirely transferred to the manuals; Variation VI: a final confrontation between the blues and the rag now much decorated. First performed in New York in April 1986. Duration c.15 mins.

Jazz swing samba rhumba and more all found their way to the organ long ago. Not only do the melodies harmonies and rhythms of these styles enrich the organ’s concert literature they can also be meaningfully incorporated in the liturgy. The series “Jazz Inspirations” for Organ offers a delightful and personal combination of many forms and highly contrasting styles at a moderate level of difficulty. Volume 4 presents a new array of stylistic and thematic focuses: “Funky Praise” and ”Ich lobe dich von ganzer Seelen” (“I praise thee with all my soul”) can be found alongside a “Little Shepherd’sChachacha” and the familiar carol “Kommet ihr Hirten”. It even contains two compositions from the American organ scene. Jazz swing and much more for the organ Authoritative editors and composers Pieces of a moderate level of difficulty Bilingual Foreword (Ger/Eng)

Long ago popular styles have conquered the traditional pipe organ. Various characters have been espressed. The continuing succes of the first two editions of our series ?Jazz Inspirations for Organ?