The Auckland University School of Music's last lunchtime concert of the year features three talented students playing a trio of attractive works:

Yu Ri Lee -

John Wells (b. 1948), FIRST SUITE, Introduction – Fugue – Recitative – Aria – Coda.

This work is loosely based on the multi-section Buxtehude prelude, where different materials and textures are put together to form a suite of contrasting short pieces. The melodic motif C-B-G recurs throughout the piece: at the very opening; in the fugue subject; in the pedal line of the Aria and (in inverted form) in the Coda. For the historically minded, the Introduction is a relic from an earlier Organ Sonata which was otherwise discarded.

Nicholas Sutcliffe -

François Couperin (1668-1733), From MESSE DES PAROISSES, ix. Dialogue xviii. Benedictus

The colourful and tuneful style of the mature French classical style has long delighted organists and organ music lovers alike. Here the registration is a key factor and, has been adapted to this English style organ. The lively Dialogue features the Trumpet stop and the more lyrical Benedictus a softer mėlange.

Paul Tarling -

Paul Hindemith (1895-1963), FIRST SONATA, Mäßig schnell – Sehr langsam – Phantasie – Ruhig bewegt

Paul Hindemith (1895-1963) is one of the most notable German composers of the 20^th century. Although his early works are late romantic, he had by the 1920’s evolved his own distinctive ‘neo-classical’ style, making use of sparse textures and counterpoint. According to his concept of Gebrauchsmusik, many of Hindemith’s works were written for social or political purposes. Composed in 1937, Hindemith’s 1^st organ sonata is the most complex and musically demanding of the three he wrote for this instrument. Unorthodox in layout, the first movement contrasts the declamatory chords of the opening with the agile, angular melodic figure of the lighter section. The second movement opens with a modern take on the baroque trio sonata, followed by a dissonant ‘Fantasia’. It concludes with a quieter pastoral section.

Admission free