Eleven Vesper Voluntaries, Op. 14

By Edward Elgar

As an organist in the Episcopal Church, I have been playing them for many years. Not only are they nice pieces that can be played on one manual or two, with or without pedals (Elgar composed them for the harmonium), but they are just the ticket for those Sundays in...

mid to late Pentecost when you just need to come up with a nice prelude appropriate for a Sunday service (or for Vespers, of course). Though they are not very difficult they deserve all the attention a player can give to the nuances indicated.

Elgar wrote these in his early years, for an English parish church organ. They work particularly well on an early 20th century organ in the English or American style. Peter Sykes recorded them all on the Jardine organ on his "Nantucket Organ Tour" CD. They are excellent service and wedding...

pieces, and are typically Elgar in fine harmonic and contrapuntal writing. Though not technically difficult, they require a mature approach to phrasing. If you love rich 8 foot stops you'll love these pieces.