Composer/Author: HEALEY, D. Arranged/Written for: Ensemble Instrumentation: 2S-2A-2T-2B
Score and parts
Tokkata: a homage to Dietrich Buxtehude
is the second oft wo pieces based on the organ music of great seventeenth century composers, the first piece being Toccata per l’Elevatione, based on the music of Frescobaldi and completed in 2007. Healey has had a fondness for the music of Buxtehude since 1952, when his parents bought him a book of early organ music containing two works of this. The music of this North German master has been characterized by its clear and vivid imagination, which of course, lends itself to modern elaboration (this characteristic is also to be found in German painting from the Medieval and early Renaissance periods). It is a generally accepted, that the music of Buxtehude was important in the early development of. J.S.Bach.
This single-movement homage consists of some 20 short sections, the majority of which are inspired by gestures and motives selected from works for which Healey had long held an affection, such as the Preludes and Fugues in F sharp minor, G minor, E minor and D minor
as well as the Toccata in D minor. Healey does not make any direct use of material from Buxtehude’s work, but uses his techniques as a jumping-off point. His motives are of the present day and make use of scales and techniques not found in the seventeenth century; for example, in the short semiquaver solo pedal passages (frequently found in Buxtehude’s works), Healey used doublings at the double octave, the octave and the twelfth, as an organist would, but he constantly changed this registration within a short phrase.
The work was requested by Claudia Tesorino for her Saxophone ensemble SAXONORAS, but it can also be played on an octet. It was composed during 2014, being completed on June 11 th
, and was premiered on November 6 th
of that year at the Gedächtnis-Kirche, Berlin
Derek Edward Healey
(born May 2, 1936 in London) is an English composer, organist and music educator. His more than 50 published works include orchestral and chamber music pieces, an opera and several organ and choral works.
