Why “floral” preludes? Well, the organ repertoire already contains a sufficiency of “choral” preludes and the titles or first lines of the “chorales” on which these preludes are based each includes a reference to a flower: hence, floral preludes. These are probably best suited for concert use and should elicit a few chuckles when your audience “gets” the familiar melody upon which each is based. An intrepid player with no fear for his job could probably get away with “Tiptoe Through the Tulips” as a service prelude as it’s fairly subtle. “A Bicycle Built for Two” might fly as a postlude if your congregation is accustomed to ignoring you after the benediction. But the toccata on “The Yellow Rose of Texas” is pretty blatant and therefore recommended only for your final Sunday after having given notice…though it would surely be your final Sunday with or without notice!
- Floral Prelude on Leucanthemum Vulgare (cantus: A Bicycle Built for Two “Daisy, Daisy, Give Me Your Answer, Do”)
- Floral Prelude on Zehenspitzen durch die Tulpen (cantus: Tiptoe Through the Tulips)
- Floral Prelude on La Rose Jaune (cantus: The Yellow Rose of Texas)
Intended to be performed as a suite but excerpting is fine.
DH0912 – Three Floral Preludes – $10.95