This occasional research paper by Desmond Hunter reconsiders approaches to the performance of Byrd’s keyboard music based on a re-examination of the evidence in the sources, informed by the experience of playing and studying this music over many years. He also draws on research by other scholars and performers of Byrd’s keyboard music.

The College promotes an awareness of today’s music through the examination syllabuses, and some of Cecilia McDowall’s organ works have been set for study at ARCO in 2024-5.  The composer reveals her influences, inspirations and motivations in a fascinating interview with RCO Chief Examiner Stephen Farr, who gave the first performance of her First Flight in 2021.

Stéphane Mottoul improvises two pieces in the Early Romantic style and discusses the typical structure and harmonic progressions for this music, and comments on how to create a suitable registration scheme.

In this second film in a series of short films on improvisation, Stéphane Mottoul, Organist at the Hofkirche, Lucerne, continues work on improvising a partita in Baroque style based on a hymn tune.

Stéphane Mottoul, Organist at the Hofkirche, Lucerne, explains how to improvise a partita in Baroque style based on a hymn tune. He begins by discussing the harmonisation of the hymn melody, and then explains how to construct three variations using the hymn tune as a basis: a ricercar, a trio chorale, and a chorale with figurations. 

A talk on Spanish and Portuguese organ music in the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries, written and presented by Martin Schmeding. This is the set history period for ARCO written papers, 2 July 2022-January 2023.

A talk on Brahms and the organ, written and presented by Martin Schmeding (Professor of Organ, Hochschule für Musik und Theater, Leipzig), of particular interest to FRCO students.

Andrew McCrea discusses how to approach the organ repertoire question of the CRCO written paper with particular reference to Stanford’s Six Short Preludes and Postludes, Op.101 and Op.105, the set repertoire for July 2022–January 2023.

A recorded talk by Robert Sholl, with downloads, designed to help candidates the history of organ music written papers at FRCO, but also useful to others interested in French organ music from 1920-2000.