Toccata & Fugue in F Major Op. 19
Digital Sheet Music

Organ - Advanced - Digital Download

SKU: S0.445057

Composed by Steven Monrotus. Contemporary Classical,General Worship,Repertoire,Technique Training,Recital. Score. 20 pages. Published by Steven Monrotus (S0.445057).

This work was composed for an organ with 2 manuals and pedals minimum.  It would make for not only effective recital and lesson material but a place could be easily found for it in the worship service where it might serve as a very effective postlude for a festive occasion.  This is a rapid fire, French Romantic organ toccata in crescendo style and ternary (ABA) form with 2 themes paired with a related 4 voice Fugue.  The Toccata portion is a virtuoso work which employs many of the methods that Louis Vierne used.  It introduces the unpublished hymn Darkness Hath No Chains Op. 32 in the pedals over a rhythmic "T" (toccata) figure in the hands with the full Swell chorus drawn and box closed.  This pedal tune is composed of 4 phrases each 4 bars long.  The 1st phrase is derived from the Fugue's subject and the 2nd phrase from its inverse.  The 3rd phrase comes from the Fugue's 1st countersubject and the 4th phrase from its inverse, thus lending great unity to the entire work.  The music then modulates to the mediant key where a 2nd theme is introduced against an arpeggiated figure divided between the hands and a chromatically winding bass line.  The 1st half of this 2nd theme comes from the Fugue's 1st countersubject.  A bridge passage follows which brings about a return to the home key with an increase in tempo and dynamic.  This bridge employs a gradual crescendo, chromatically altered chords, another chromatically winding bass line, a reiterated bass, and quotes the first few notes of the 1st theme, all of which dramatically increases the excitement of the music.  The final A section for full organ then bursts forth in the home key with an increase in tempo.  Here the 1st theme enters in augmentation in the pedals against another very fast double-pounce "T" figure for the hands at a fortissimo dynamic.  At the conclusion of this pedal theme both themes are combined in the outer voices but are interrupted after only 2 bars as the music comes to a momentary stop on a big 1st inversion dominant chord.  During the coda which ensues some heavily accented detached chords enter in spread harmony for both hands.  Here the melodic curve of the tail of the Fugue's subject is strongly suggested and the music finishes in 8 voices with a double pedal.  The Fugue which follows, being thematically related, seems to grow out of the fiery Toccata.  Written in triple counterpoint with 2 countersubjects maintained throughout, its subject begins boldly on scale degree 3, has a tail which points strongly to the dominant key, and is supplied with a real answer in the dominant.  The music passes through all nearly related keys and ends in stretto in 5 voices with the full organ.  When the audience wants to be thrilled and hear what the organ at hand can really do, this piece will rock them back on their heels.  The fast tempo and double pounce for both hands crossing on different manuals makes this one a bit of a toughy to learn but also highly effective at rousing an audience.  In this work the stretch for the hands is kept at an octave or less.  Registration suggestions and indications for hand division are included with the score.  Length:  163 measures.  Duration:  6.03  Composers Bio page:  OrganBench.com  .