Fridolin Dallinger: Praeludium & Toccata.

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This work, written in 1981, begins with a quiet prelude marked andante sostenuto, with the right hand playing a quiet reed. An initial reading left the writer wishing the composer had developed this more instead of which, the pedals take over and, in the absence of any particular registrational advice, leaves the rest to the player's imagination. Perhaps this was the composer's intention but it does leave the rest of the movement, admittedly quite a short one, to meander until the opening two bars of the right hand are repeated towards the end. The deliberate avoiding of consonance except by coincidence seems perhaps a tad clichéed. The toccata is altogether more interesting with strong rhythmic elements and an almost tarantella like drive. In 10/8, the dominant rhythmic force is provided by a dotted crotchet/crotchet motif in the pedals which is soon reinforced by high block chords and the appearance of the initial right hand idea again in the pedals. Later on, the movement takes on an altogether more demonic character as pedal fifths and thirds appear presumably to give a drum effect all the time maintaining the dotted crotchet/crotchet rhythm.This movement could be great fun to play but it will need a strong instrument in good order, plenty of bright, buzzy sounds and an agile player of at least first diploma standard.

AH