Prelude for Orchestra
Martha Beck
The Prelude for Orchestra was composed in 1976 on commission from the Albany Symphony Orchestra and its music director, Julius Hegyi, and was recorded at that time in Troy Music Hall (later known as Troy Savings Bank Music Hall). It is a free composition, written for large orchestra with exotic instruments, multiple percussion, and organ. From my personal knowledge it was inspired by the vision of a blue sky dotted with clouds, some light and fleecy, some dark and menacing.
Impressive. I like it.
Thank you Jonathan!
very nice. i am not familiar with martha beck carrigan, but i enjoyed this prelude. what other things has she written over the years? the organ sure gives it a strange effect! turbulent and lofty all at once!
Dinah, that is a very lovely comment and is deeply sympathetic to the sort of person my mother was. She wrote very little music outside of the perhaps 150 teaching pieces, most of which were published and which in their genre were as good as anyone’s. I grew up with that music and will eventually re-engrave it and put it on my website, but right now I am more concerned with her concert music, which are just a few pieces. The next post will be a computer rendering of her piano quintet of 1926, which I will post when I make a few improvements to the way Finale (the engraving program) renders the music. Watch for it; I’m pretty sure you will like it.
Wonderful piece!
Thank you Kris!
This is one powerful work. I would love to see more orchestras program this work. Did she compose anything else for orchestra? I look forward to the piano quintet when you post it.
Dear Kevin, I have the score of the Quintet engraved but not the Prelude, which is a lot of work. And it is the only thing she composed for full orchestra. Fortunately I have experience in reading my mother’s handwriting, and I would like to get that done this summer. I really appreciate your interest.
Best wishes, Will