Opus 169

Chorale Preludes (1999)

for Piano

  • Slane
  • Amazing Grace
  • Power in the Blood

Duration: 4 min.

Dedication: for Gordon Rumson

Publisher: Lauren Keiser Music Publishing

Performance materials available from the publisher.

Chorale Preludes (1999) for piano was written for and is dedicated to Canadian pianist, composer, writer, and independent music researcher Gordon Rumson. Each of the three preludes explores somewhat unorthodox approach to the idea of a “chorale prelude” even though none of the three tunes used is a “chorale” in any sense.

Slane explores presentation of the tune in an extremely slow, “floating time” atmosphere. Amazing Grace presents a rather bizarre new harmonization of the familiar tune exploring unusual intervallic combinations. Power in the Blood consists of aleatory fragments and transformations of the tune presented over a pounding ostinato.