Britten Thematic Catalogue

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BTC812 THEME FOR IMPROVISATION

For organ
Composition date: Oct 1936
First performance: 12 Nov 1936 >>
Type of performance: Concert performance
Location: St John's Church, Red Lion Square, London
Performance details:

André Marchall org

Genre: Solo organ

Notes

The six-bar theme was composed for a concert, given under the auspices of the Organ Music Society, by the blind French organist, Andre Marchal (1894-1980). The second half of the recital was given over to a four-movement Symphony improvised on themes supplied by four English composers: Alan Bush (Fugue), Britten (Scherzo), Walton (Adagio) and Constant Lambert (Toccata). Felix Aprahamian had invited Britten to provide a theme and the composer dispatched his contribution on 16 October.

The submitted themes were printed by Boosey and Hawkes for the Organ Music Society. The manuscript source is missing.

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