Holy Seasons (Four Tone Poems for Organ) – Book 2
by
Dan Locklair
Holy Seasons (Four Tone Poems for Organ) – Book 2 is a 2023 sequel to Holy Seasons (Four Tone Poems for Organ) of 2018, both commissioned by the Music Ministry of historic Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg, Virginia. Holy Seasons (Four Tone Poems for Organ) – Book 2 was composed between late 2022 and May of 2023. The total duration of all four movements is approximately 17 minutes. Whereas the original Holy Seasons celebrated the Church’s new 2019 Dobson pipe organ, Holy Seasons – Book 2 honors the 2024 celebration of the combined 50 years of service to the music ministry of Bruton Parish Music Director, Rebecca Davy and Organist, Dr. JanEl Will. The composition is warmly dedicated to both of these fine musicians.
Holy Seasons – Book 2 continues the Holy Seasons exploration of a genre developed and most often applied to one-movement orchestral works of the late 19th century. A “tone poem” is an instrumental composition inspired by a story, idea or descriptive title. The extra-musical aspect of a “tone poem” is paramount toward the listener understanding both the inspiration behind the composer’s creation and the composition’s ultimate musical impact. While the genre “symphony” has been historically applied to large multi-movement works for both orchestra and organ, the use of “tone poem” for an organ work is not so common. Yet orchestral tone poems of the past are notable for their exploration of color. The limitless color possibilities of the pipe organ offer an exciting parallel to the orchestra. Whereas the original Holy Seasons musically explored the liturgical seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter, Holy Seasons – Book 2 focuses on All Saints, Epiphany, Ascension and Pentecost. As with the original Holy Seasons, Holy Seasons – Book 2 may be performed as a complete four movement suite or its individual movements excerpted and performed separately.
1. All Saints (Procession of the Saints) (ca. 4’ 00”)
Celebrating all the saints, it seemed only appropriate for this tone poem to explore all major and minor keys. Cast in rondo form (ABACA), the initial section, which comes back twice, has the character of a processional and 12 different keys are represented. Each of the resulting digression sections (i.e. B and C) gradually fills in the remaining 24 major and minor key possibilities. Since All Saints represents souls of varied, even unconnected, backgrounds, the connection between these keys throughout this tone poem are not always traditional. Two of the hymn tunes most closely associated with Bishop How’s well-known “For All the Saints” hymn text are by Joseph Barnby and Ralph Vaughan Williams. While neither tune is heard in full in this movement, both are hinted at, beginning in the first bar, where the first notes of both tunes are heard together. At the climax of the piece a variant of the opening phrase of Vaughan Williams’ sturdy SINE NOMINE hymn tune sounds forth in the pedal.
2. Epiphany (Arias to a Star) (ca. 5’ 00”)
With Epiphany always occurring on January 6, it seemed only befitting that this tone poem be in six primary sections. Symbolism of 6 and 3 abound throughout the movement. It is based on a six-note scale: D Eb F# A Bb C#. The Star (symbolized by the note “A”) is central to the composition. The Wise Men’s journey is symbolized by a walking bass passacaglia and is often interrupted by the sound of shepherd’s pipes. Their greeting of the Christ Child is celebrated and symbolized by the movement’s central section with its arching melody built on the “interval of the child,” the minor 3rd A-F#. A short variant on the German chorale tune, WIE SCHÖN LEUCHTET (“How Brightly Shines the Morning Star”), quietly concludes the movement.
3. Ascension (The Spirit of Ecstasy) (ca. 3’ 00”)
The Feast of the Ascension occurs forty days after Easter. It is recounted in the first chapter of Acts as it describes Christ’s ascension from earth to heaven. This exuberant and rhythmic toccata dramatically celebrates the event. Melodically and harmonically, this tone poem explores all twelve pitches of the chromatic scale and does so in two groups: C D Eb Eª G A Bb and Db F Gb Ab Bª .
4. Pentecost(The Birth of the Church) (ca. 5’ 00”)
Perhaps no day in the liturgical calendar is more multi-faceted and astounding than is Pentecost. Acts 2 vividly recounts this turbulent “birthday of the church,” with its images of wind, fire and speaking in tongues. Yet it is the traditional Peace-bestowing symbol of the dove that represents God’s gift of the Holy Spirit to all humankind. Using highly rhythmic chromatic and dissonant harmonic language, this final tone poem from Holy Seasons – Book 2 builds in dynamic intensity, culminating in a pedal octave solo. As dramatically as it has built, Pentecost peacefully dissolves as a chromatic melody, based on the pitch material of the movement and played on the 4’ flute, underpinned by the celeste strings, calmly descends from the highest portion of the keyboard to the lowest. A short chorale-like statement precedes a brief quote from the well-known hymn tune, AURELIA, most often associated with the S.J. Stone hymn text, “The Church’s One Foundation.”With the spirit and image of the descending dove,Pentecostconcludes peacefully.
Dan Locklair
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
June 2023