1. Études Espace I. Rocks
2. Études Espace II. Piping
3. Études Espace III. Chorale

The titles of the three Études relate to the overall name of the work: literally, studies in space. I was thinking about physical space and volume a lot when writing the piece in 1986 and was particularly interested in resonance and decay – that seemed appropriate for an organ playing in the normally ambient church or cathedral acoustics.

So the first étude is meant to be granitic in mood and block-like in structure – hence the title, ‘Rocks’. Probably images of cliffs and mountains are not out of place for a piece drafted near the southern German alps and completed on the Illawarra escarpment.

In the second étude, ‘Piping’, I was thinking about a distant air-born melody – possibly Celtic in mood and hence the title and the idea of a freely decorated simple melody with a resonating echo-style accompaniment.

In the third étude, the idea was the slow-moving and profound homo-rhythmic chorale but made up of gradual additions of melody notes to form large harmonic masses. As in the second étude there is a simple melody underlying the buildup of resonances and then at the end a slow-moving harmonic passage tracing a harmonised version of the melody.

The work was commissioned by 4MBS-FM, Brisbane Fine Music Radio, with the financial support of the Music Board of the Australia Council and was composed in the second half of 1986.

© Andrew Schultz, 1986

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Andrew Schultz – Études Espace

Calvin Bowman, Grand Organ of Melbourne Town Hall, Melba Pantheon recording – Gothic Toccata, Melbourne 2007.

1. Études Espace I. Rocks

1. Études Espace II. Piping

1. Études Espace III. Chorale

© This recording is copyright and is intended for private listening use only. It may not be broadcast or distributed without permission.

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