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McKee Variations

a composition for organ by Robert Train Adams
masterlist : organ

Duration

7 minutes

Description

Like the Passacaglia on Spirit, this work was originally envisioned as a way to strengthen congregational singing of a--for this congregation--new tune. The first movement I wrote was what ended up being the Finale. Becuase I didn't intend any other movements, it has both a loud, bolder section (the A material) which occurs on either side of a softer, more meditative section (the B material). I thought that the ABA form would be pretty complete. It gave me the opportunity to play with the tune in two different environments, and gave the congregation several opportunities to hear the tune.

I was surprised when I decided that at least a softer introductory piece was needed. This intro, based on a two-measure chord progression that repeats throughout the entire movement, would give a better lead-in to the A material of the next movement. It also allowed me to put the melody in the pedal, a device I enjoy doing. The pedal solo is the B section of this movement, with an unadorned statement of the melody in the right hand making up much of the surrounding A sections (again, an ABA form). During the B section, the right hand presents the melody in a somewhat free canonic form, making a rather neat duet, even if I do say so myself!

But wait! No sooner was this movement nearing completion than I thought of another way to start things off. So my intro became a Meditation, and this new material, which I thought of as an overture, became the actual first movement. Unlike the other two, it is not in ABA form, although it does bring back the opening material twice more in different key areas, so that there is a loose A A' A' form. What I find most interesting is that there is no clear statement of the melody, although there are plenty of fragments (after all, I had just written two other movements with plenty of statements of the hymn tune--I wanted something different!). Even though it is the first movement that the congregation hears, it leads to the next movement for a clear statement of the tune.

In keeping with my preoccupation with ABA form, the three movements together hint at this form, with the first and third being louder and more energetic, and the second quieter and more reflective. One result of writing what became the first two movements was that, as I played over the Finale, I found that I wanted to do something more with a couple of the statements of the melody. I started swinging part of the A statements, saving the more complex statement for the second A. It's a modest homage to the African-American roots of the tune.

The three movements make a nice, extended--if somewhat dramatic--prelude, or can function as prelude, offertory, and postlude (although my congregation wants more than two minutes of prelude!).  Overall, this is a somewhat challenging work.

Score Excerpt

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Sound File

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