Reflection on "Christ lag in Todesbanden"

 

Reflection on "Christ lag in Todesbanden" - (2008)    

for organ

for Kirk Meyer

 

 Kloria Publishing offered freely their MyOrgan program under a GNU General Public License (GPL), and this with the purchase of some sound samples from various vendors has proven more than enough to satisfy my needs as a composer. In writing a thank you to Kirk Meyer at Kloria, he responded to the notion of a piece composed for him with -- "One of my favorite hymn tunes is "Christ Jesus Lay in Death's Strong Bands" (Christ lag in Todesbanden)."

 

 Subsequently Meyer's program was bought out by Milan Digital, and I use another SourceForge-supported software sampler.

 

As Bach has given many harmonizations of this hymn tune, I chose to make a reflection on the overall sweep of these various versions with decorative inner voices, a changing meter between four and five, and the recurrent reference to false cadences in various guises.

Kirk Meyer

 

Born in Golden, Colorado, Kirk Meyer began piano instruction at age four. He has attended Martin Luther College, studying organ with Wayne Wagner and piano with Mrs. Bethel Balge. He has accompanied recitals, played in orchestras, composed music, and played piano and organ at many churches. He writes that he is now married and travels for concerts with his wife, Lawanda.

 

The entire work is here, , an MP3 file [ 6.14 MB, 6' 40" ]

 

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 piano-vocal score.

Reflection on "Christ lag in Todesbanden"