Contrapunctus on a Theme of Wagner - (2015)    

for organ

 

Attending a rehearsal of Richard Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (1868), I was taken by the theme which opens the third act, first in octaves in the low strings. Wagner states the theme and then follows with a short counterpoint in three appearances of the subject before moving on into the act. The musical theme becomes Hans Sachs' opening statement of the famous monologue, "Wahn! Wahn! Überall Wahn!" (Mad! Mad! All the world's mad!)  As variations in contrapuntal treatment, this organ work extends my musing as to the madness of the modern world, so rightly answered by acts and artifacts of art, of clarity, structure and sense.

 

8 pages, circa 7' 45" an MP3 demo is here: 

 

The score is available as a free PDF download, though any major commercial performance or recording of the work is prohibited without prior arrangement with the composer. Click on the graphic below for this organ score.

 

Contrapunctus on a Theme of Wagner