Prelude and Postlude for June 4th, 2023 (First Sunday after Pentecost/Trinity Sunday)

0:00 I. Sehr ruhig 8:39 II. Trio pastorale 12:17 III. Fugue This week we have a rather interesting piece, the “Pfingsten-Sonate“ or Pentecost Sonata by Wilhelm Rudnick (1850-1927) who was mostly a church composer of the late Romantic era. This sonata is based on the chorale “O Heil’ger Geist, kehr bei uns ein“ (O Holy Ghost, come to us) which uses the same tune as “Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern“ which is usually sung at Epiphany. The first movement is written as a long, slow crescendo in d minor, coming to its fullest point when it switches into D Major, and a few bars later the chorale tune starts in the pedal. A second statement of the chorale is largely in the treble, though the pedal comes in again as well. The second movement is a trio which while not based on the chorale seems to go with it, and the fugue is entirely based on the opening of the chorale. After a ritardando and some cadenza-like figures, a final slow statement of the chorale