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Paul Edwards

List of Compositions

Paul Edwards is one of today's leading composers of (principally) choir and organ music.  All of the following are attractive and practical works

Recital

This piece was first published by Oecumuse in 1999, and it has now been re-mastered in a slightly larger font size. It is here re-issued together with a new colour cover and preface. ‘Iste Confessor’ is one of the great French tunes of the 18th century, and here it is subject, within a relatively short span, to an amazingly varied series of variations. It moreover has the priceless quality (for some of us at least) of sounding much more difficult than it actually is. Your publisher gives an occasional recital and has played this piece 3 times over the years. Each time the performance has been greeted enthusiastically.

Purchaser of this piece will all receive a complimentary copy of the ‘Voluntary for a City Church’

Organ Music

Dedicated to Ian Cann in celebration of his 50 years service as organist of Okehampton Parish Church, this straightforward music makes an ideal postlude, for absolutely anyone needing a tuneful easy out-voluntary.

This collection of nine organ pieces for a one-manual instrument was composed between the summer of 2004 and the winter of 2005.  It was requested by the Northampton & District Organists’ Association, in memory of Stan Tarry (1920 - 2002), who served as its President from 1999 to 2000. The suggestion was for a variety of styles and moods, suitable for pre- or post-service use, and for occasions both solemn and joyful.  Having similar aims, this collection nicely complements the Humphrey Clucas piece (above).

This issue is a companion to the best-selling Northamptonshire Miniatures op.428. Nos. 1 and 7 may be put together to form a two-part voluntary.

These beguiling and useful short pieces are designed for village church organs, and have either very limited and simple pedal parts, or are for manuals only throughout.

This set of pieces is dedicated to Paul’s colleagues and friends in the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Organists' Association

A new work by Paul is a real event for us all.  The idiom will be familiar to many but the ideas are worked with the expected elegance and true depth of feeling.  This issue would constitute a fine addition to one’s funeral repertoire.

This piece was written for the wedding of Paul’s cousin in September 2006.  Like Humphrey’s ‘Trouvailles’ this piece was played by your publisher in his church as soon as he had computer-set it.  Rich, dignified, a smashing out-voluntary if ever there was one !

This is another re-mastering of an Oecumuse issue, comprising two movements in a sort of 18th century style for manuals only. A scrap from the master’s notebook maybe, but most of us will find a use for it.

The hymn-tune ‘St. Godric’, by John Bacchus Dykes (1823-1876) was composed for the hymn ‘Lord of the worlds above’ in R.R.Chope’s Congregational Hymn & Tune Book, 1862. It was sung to the hymn ‘Thou God of truth and love’ (Charles Wesley) at the wedding of the dedicatees of this organ piece who are long-standing friends of the composer.
The idiom and writing are quite straightforward with a very simple pedal part, though the slow variation (no 6) is of gorgeous lushness.

This piece has featured on a new Priory CD recorded by Stephen Moore on the wonderful new organ in Llandaff Cathedral. Stephen says this piece in particular has been received with great interest. However it has proved difficult to track down because it was included in a 1999 composite volume entitled the ‘IAO Millenium Organ Book’ and not separately referenced. We are delighted that the IAO have given us permission to reprint this work as a separate item. The piece is based on the Victorian hymn tune of the same name by F.A.G. Ouseley. It delights in some exquisite harmonies and imaginative modulations, and none of these more effective than during the climax on the last page. Make no mistake - this is truly lovely music.

We regret this item is not available on Scorch. Sample pages can sent on request in pdf format.

An ex-Oecumuse issue now reprocessed. Useful voluntaries !

This is a splendid piece for the appropriate occasion.  It was first issued by Oecumuse in the early 1980s and has now been reset on computer to modern standards.

This Oecumuse re-issue (from 1985) is prompted by a customer request for a work which otherwise had slipped beneath the radar. Paul readily admits that he was in a ‘Delius phase’ at the time of writing, but there is no harm in that. These pieces are simply charming.
Sorry - not available on ‘Scorch’.

Four Pavans - Thomas Tomkins (1572-1656) – Thomas Weelkes (1576-1623) - transcribed with Geoffrey Atkinson

The dictionary tells us that a Tiento’ (in 16th- and 17th-century Spanish music) a contrapuntal piece resembling a ricercar, originally for strings and later for organ. Here it is presented as a light dance.

The hymn tune ‘Bow Church’ is by Gerald Bullivant (1883-1937) and can be found at no.206 in Hymns Ancient and Modern Revised (1950) (‘Jesus, still lead on till our rest be won’)

This is a simple but elegant and eloquent piece with which the composer is particularly pleased.

Herein lies a unique opportunity – please read on:

Paul writes in the preface to this work that the tune was written in 1993 without having any words in mind. He goes on to say that ‘In 1994, the gifted poet, hymn and carol writer Paul Wigmore (1925-2014) wrote for me a three-verse hymn to go with the tune.

The music may be performed in two ways:
1. The choir sings the unison hymn, as a communion motet, with the organ Versets following, using as many as time permits, and with repeats if necessary.
2. The Tune, and Versets - again as many as required and repeated as necessary, may be used as a stand-alone voluntary.

Please note that with the purchase of the score, you are licensed to print the hymn and text for choir use without further charge.

The first prelude is based on R, R. Terry’s lovely hymn tune ‘Highwood’ and the second on ‘Veni Emmanuel’. ‘Highwood’ has a simple pedal part and ‘Veni Emmanuel’ is for manuals alone. As always with this composer, the effectiveness of the writing is unquestionable.

This piece was originally written for clarinet and piano. This version for organ was first performed at St. Lawrence's Church, Willington on 28th July 2024. The style is unashamedly old-fashioned and redolent of Wolstenholme or Lemare. It would make a charming encore to a heavy-weight recital, or a cheerful summer service.

MP3 sound file available on request

Choir

Surely the Lord is in this Place - Jesu, that dost in Mary dwell - ‘Requests’ - There will be rest.

A fine collection of Paul’s latest works for unaccompanied chorus (in up to 8 parts). They are enjoyable to sing, though clearly the choir must confident with relatively mild dissonance, and must be able to sing in tune.
The simple but intense setting of ‘Requests’ is particularly affecting, and moreover is less demanding technically.

This strophic setting is the 3rd of Paul ‘Four Motets op 447’. We have decided to offer this separately as it is significantly easier, and calls for much more modest resources than the companion pieces in the set. Whereas these latter demand a fully competent and experienced choir, ‘Requests’ is not much more difficult than a hymn tune (though the music demands close attention to tuning and balance). It is a wonderfully effective setting of haunting verses by the Victorian poet Digby Mackworth Dolben (1848-1867) who died in a boating accident at a tragically young age.

This is a new edition of Paul’s wonderful hymn tune originally published by Oecumuse. It is very suitable as an anthem. The composer has said that of all his works, if he was only to be remembered by one thing, this would be it.

An Oecumuse publication which is reissued in response to demand, possibly as a consequence of it being broadcast on an R3 Evensong last year. (We regret that this item is not on the computer and that Scorch is not available).

Written in 2014 and first performed in Lincoln Cathedral in 2018, this setting is characteristic of the composer’s rich harmonic palette. It is a worthy companion to Paul’s earlier C# Minor setting, but slightly more straightforward in its demands.
As this is a paper file there is no MP3 sound file.

Oecumuse Re-issue

Last updated: 05 March 2025