Opus 1248

Rhapsody in A (2017)

for Organ

Erik Simmons, organ

Duration: 8 min.

Dedication: for Alessandro Bianchi

Commission: Commissioned by Alessandro Bianchi

Publisher: Zimbel Press/Subito Music Corp.

Performance materials available from the publisher.

Rhapsody in A (2017) is dedicated to organist Alessandro Bianchi and was written for premiere performance on the 1904 Lewis & Co. organ in Ayr Town Hall, Ayr, Scotland, in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the organ concert series there.

The title refers both to the tonal/modal center of A and to the first letters of both “Alessandro” and “Ayr.”

The rhapsody is entirely based on the unaccompanied melody first heard at the outset. This melody serves as the basis of the following contrasting sections; it is used both motivically and to determine the harmonic excursions. The music ends jubilantly.