Contemporary Chamber Organ Repertoire Project

Carson Cooman has a particular interest in new contemporary repertoire for the often overlooked chamber organ. While many pieces from the Baroque and pre-Baroque eras can be played very effectively on small chamber instruments, and while there have been other pockets in organ music history with attention to repertoire for small organs (such as the many harmonium/choir organ pieces by French composers in the early 20th century), these organs have seen less attention in recent years outside of the performance of continuo parts.

The sort of organ imagined in this context is an instrument of a single manual (no pedals), with often just one, two, or three stops. These instruments exist in a variety of formats: including continuo/box/trunk organs (of great portability) as well as positive instruments that move less readily.

Carson has commissioned and premiered a number of new works that are designed for the chamber organ. While all the pieces can and have been performed effectively on any larger organ, they can be played on a chamber organ without musical compromise.

The works commissioned are intended to be at a variety of difficulty levels, ranging from very easy to fairly difficult. This is to promote use of this repertoire by a wide array of organists.

 

The list below contains new works commissioned as part of this ongoing endeavor.

Thomas Åberg (Sweden)
Toccata XVI* for organ (2016) 
Published by Swedish Music Information Centre

Gary Bachlund (USA)
Contemplations (2013)
Exordium (2013)

Denis Bédard (Canada)
Chromatic Voluntary (2013) 
Published by Éditions Cheldar in “Trois pièces”
Contrastes (2017), with pedal
Published by Éditions Cheldar

Douglas Bell (England)
Per organo molto piccolo (2013) 
Published by Animus Music Publishing

Karen Beaumont (USA)
The Five Trees (2023)
Published by SMP Press
Freight of Stars (2023)
Published by SMP Press

Al Benner (USA)
Prelude and Fugue (1990/2011)  
Published by Conners Publications

Judith Bingham (England)
Mountain Music (2017), with pedal
Published by Edition Peters

Jean-Thierry Boisseau (France)
S.W.E.N. (2005)
Published by Musik Fabrik
Luftzug (2006)
Published by Musik Fabrik

Christian Carey (USA)
Chanson Variations (2013) 
Published by File Under Music

Leonardo Ciampa (USA)
Organ Symphony No. 7 in F minor (2013, rev. 2020)

Grant Colburn (USA)
Concerto II in D minor (2014)
Six Voluntaries for Organ (2015)

Benjamin Cornelius-Bates (USA)
Fantasia primi toni (2015)
Published by Baetz Editions

David P. Dahl (USA)
Carson’s Chaconne (2014) 
Published by Lorenz Publishing Co./The Sacred Music Press in “God of Grace and God of Glory”

Jim Dalton (USA)
…before the knowledge of the physical Grove spines fades (2017), with pedal

Margaretha Christina de Jong (Netherlands)
Lyric Suite, op. 84 (2016)
Published by Lorenz Publishing Co./The Sacred Music Press

Carlotta Ferrari (Italy)
Preludio, fuga e tarantella (2015)  
Suite in modo lidio (2017), with pedal
Published on IMSLP

Adrian Vernon Fish (England)
Qavaat (1991, rev. 2014)

Lothar Graap (Germany)
Sonatine II (2015)
Published by Edition Dohr

Piotr Grella-Mozejko (Poland/Canada)
Three Nocturnal Postludes (2004)

Gilles Maurice Leclerc (Canada)
Fantasia (2015)

Robert Lind (USA)
Fantasia in C minor (2014)

Dan Ehlert Nielsen (Denmark)
12 Short Pieces for Organ without Pedal, op. 88 (2024)

Craig A. Penfield (USA)
Madrigal Sonatas (1995, rev. 2012) 
Published by Zimbel Press

Justin Henry Rubin (USA)
The Past Is With Us (2013) 
Tripartita super “Christ, der du bist der helle Tag”* (2016)

Bernard Wayne Sanders (USA/Germany)
Sonata da camera (2013) 
Published by Edition Dohr

Adrian Self (England)
Italian Suite (2013)
Published by animus Music Publishing

Christopher Uehlein (USA)
Sonatina (2010)
Published by Zimbel Press

Jean-Paul Verpeaux (France)
Carson’s Chaconne (2014)  

Ad Wammes (Netherlands)
Les Cloches (2015)  
Joy (2015)
Contemplations (2015)  
Published by Lorenz Publishing Co./The Sacred Music Press as “Triptych”

Christopher M. Wicks (USA)
Suite for Organ, op. 405 (2013)

Andreas Willscher (Germany)
Organ Symphony No. 20, “Laetare” (2017)

James Woodman (USA)
Four Versets and a Canzona (Mixolydian) (2015) 

Man-Ching “Donald” Yu (Hong Kong)
Revelation Fantasy (2010)