Karg-Elert: "Idyl," Opus 27 No. 4 (West Point Cadet Chapel Organ)

Organist Craig Williams plays an early piece written for harmonium by Sigfrid Karg-Elert. In addition to being a prolific composer for piano, flute, saxophone and various ensembles, Karg-Elert established a solid performance career playing harmonium. Many of his early works were for that instrument, including the four program pieces of Opus 27. He is known primarily in history as an organ composer though he didn't write specifically for that instrument until his Opus 65, six volumes of 11 chorale preludes each. His flair for Romantic imagery in music is seen in his later organ works, most notably his 7 Pastels from Lake Constance and his setting of "Nearer, My God, to Thee" depicting the performance of that hymn by the musicians on the Titanic as it sank. This tradition in Romantic music of imagery depicted in sound was used by Karg-Elert early on as seen in his Opus 27 harmonium pieces, including "Idyll" which presents a fantasy scene of shepherds in a rustic landscape. Also, given his ability to write symphonic music using the art of organ registration as practiced by German and French masters, the early pieces are easily adapted for organ as well. The organ registrations are not specified because of the work being written for harmonium but we're derived through a knowledge of registration practice of that period as well as the composer's dynamics. #pipeorgan #romanticmusic #harmonium #westpoint