Frederick Stocken: Lament for Bosnia [John Lubbock-New Queen's Hall Orchestra].

I felt inspired to write a piece about faith as a response to the Catholic Church's 'Year of Faith' from 2012 to 2013. The music that became Faith is an exultant toccata-like piece with a motto theme in the pedals based on how the words 'I believe' might be sung. It became apparent that I had some more music brewing for the other so-called 'theological virtues', Hope and Love, although, to make a more satisfying succession of three pieces, with Love as the centre of the group and Hope as a climax, I changed the traditional order of listing the virtues - Faith, Hope and Love - to that of the title. The whole piece lasts about ten minutes, with each movement in the region of three to four minutes -- a similar scheme to my Archangels -- and I always intended that each of the pieces might be suitable for the liturgy on its own, or that all three might make a satisfactory recital group. The sound recording was made in a single take, like a live performance, at St Mary's, Woodford, London on 24 February 2014. Many thanks to Jay de Cock, who made the sound recording, and Rachel de Cock, who made the video.

I felt inspired to write a piece about faith as a response to the Catholic Church's 'Year of Faith' from 2012 to 2013. The music that became Faith is an exultant toccata-like piece with a motto theme in the pedals based on how the words 'I believe' might be sung. It became apparent that I had some more music brewing for the other so-called 'theological virtues', Hope and Love, although, to make a more satisfying succession of three pieces, with Love as the still centre of the group and Hope as a climax, I changed the traditional order of listing the virtues - Faith, Hope and Love - to that of the title. The whole piece lasts about ten minutes, with each movement in the region of three to four minutes -- a similar scheme to my Archangels -- and I always intended that each of the pieces might be suitable for the liturgy on its own, or that all three might make a satisfactory recital group. The sound recording was made in a single take, like a live performance, at St Mary's, Woodford, London on 24 February 2014. Many thanks to Jay de Cock, who made the sound recording, and Rachel de Cock, who made the video.

I felt inspired to write a piece about faith as a response to the Catholic Church's 'Year of Faith' from 2012 to 2013. The music that became Faith is an exultant toccata-like piece with a motto theme in the pedals based on how the words 'I believe' might be sung. It became apparent that I had some more music brewing for the other so-called 'theological virtues', Hope and Love, although, to make a more satisfying succession of three pieces, with Love as the centre of the group and Hope as a climax, I changed the traditional order of listing the virtues - Faith, Hope and Love - to that of the title. The whole piece lasts about ten minutes, with each movement in the region of three to four minutes -- a similar scheme to my Archangels -- and I always intended that each of the pieces might be suitable for the liturgy on its own, or that all three might make a satisfactory recital group. The sound recording was made in a single take, like a live performance, at St Mary's, Woodford, London on 24 February 2014. Many thanks to Jay de Cock, who made the sound recording, and Rachel de Cock, who made the video.

The 124th Chorale Prelude commissioned by the Orgelbüchlein Project - listen to the end to hear a brief explanation. You can find out more about the project through joining the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/152549298119245/ or following on Twitter: @orgelbuchleinP Composer: Frederick Stocken [sponsored by Rebecca Hirst and Patrick Hartley, in celebration of their first wedding anniversary] World première: William Whitehead, Bloomsbury Organ Day, 28th January 2017. The image of the chorale melody is the version in Gotha (1648), as transcribed by John Scott Whiteley.

St Michael's Cornhill, online recital series autumn 2020 Performed by Frederick Stocken Programme: Frederick Stocken - Mysterium Fidei 1; Restless Spirit 2; Intimations 3; Searching 4; Prayer 5; Awakening 6; Faith Percy Buck - Sonata no.2 1; Fantasie 2; Cantilene 3; Finale, quasi rondo Recorded by Steve Garnett

Frederick Stocken: Symphony for the Millennium [Vernon Handley- Royal Philharmonic Orchestra].

Frederick Stocken playing his Archangels on the Grant, Degens & Bradbeer organ at St Mary's, Woodford, London. (Sound recording by Lucia Aiche, video by Viveca Dutt) Programme notes by the composer: Archangels was inspired by the three archangels in the Bible. St Gabriel dwells upon the events of the Annunciation. The quiet hymn-like chords of the opening imagine the initial appearance of St Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary in an atmosphere of mystery and solemnity. These chords and its simple bass melody are repeated and developed during the course of the piece as the musical temperature gradually rises. The final climax imagines the moment when Our Lady assents to becoming the Mother of God. St Raphael contemplates the healing actions of the archangel as described in the book of Tobit. This meditation on the subject of healing, and especially spiritual healing, is depicted by music that is serene and tranquil; it unfolds slowly, often using long sequences, and enjoying the quieter sounds of the organ. St Michael was inspired by the account of the archangel in the book of Revelation; at the end of time St Michael is victorious over Satan. This final movement of the triptych is a vigorous toccata with the melody usually in the pedals. In all three pieces I had in my mind those classic images of the archangels as supremely magnificent creatures with gigantic wings -- the figuration in each movement is intended to convey something of the movement of those celestial wings. www.frederickstocken.com

Frederick Stocken playing his Archangels on the Grant, Degens & Bradbeer organ at St Mary's, Woodford, London. (Sound recording by Lucia Aiche, video by Viveca Dutt) Programme notes by the composer: Archangels was inspired by the three archangels in the Bible. St Gabriel dwells upon the events of the Annunciation. The quiet hymn-like chords of the opening imagine the initial appearance of St Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary in an atmosphere of mystery and solemnity. These chords and its simple bass melody are repeated and developed during the course of the piece as the musical temperature gradually rises. The final climax imagines the moment when Our Lady assents to becoming the Mother of God. St Raphael contemplates the healing actions of the archangel as described in the book of Tobit. This meditation on the subject of healing, and especially spiritual healing, is depicted by music that is serene and tranquil; it unfolds slowly, often using long sequences, and enjoying the quieter sounds of the organ. St Michael was inspired by the account of the archangel in the book of Revelation; at the end of time St Michael is victorious over Satan. This final movement of the triptych is a vigorous toccata with the melody usually in the pedals. In all three pieces I had in my mind those classic images of the archangels as supremely magnificent creatures with gigantic wings -- the figuration in each movement is intended to convey something of the movement of those celestial wings. www.frederickstocken.com

Frederick Stocken playing his Archangels on the Grant, Degens & Bradbeer organ at St Mary's, Woodford, London. (Sound recording by Lucia Aiche, video by Viveca Dutt) Programme notes by the composer: Archangels was inspired by the three archangels in the Bible. St Gabriel dwells upon the events of the Annunciation. The quiet hymn-like chords of the opening imagine the initial appearance of St Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary in an atmosphere of mystery and solemnity. These chords and its simple bass melody are repeated and developed during the course of the piece as the musical temperature gradually rises. The final climax imagines the moment when Our Lady assents to becoming the Mother of God. St Raphael contemplates the healing actions of the archangel as described in the book of Tobit. This meditation on the subject of healing, and especially spiritual healing, is depicted by music that is serene and tranquil; it unfolds slowly, often using long sequences, and enjoying the quieter sounds of the organ. St Michael was inspired by the account of the archangel in the book of Revelation; at the end of time St Michael is victorious over Satan. This final movement of the triptych is a vigorous toccata with the melody usually in the pedals. In all three pieces I had in my mind those classic images of the archangels as supremely magnificent creatures with gigantic wings -- the figuration in each movement is intended to convey something of the movement of those celestial wings. www.frederickstocken.com

The New Oxford Organ Method is the breakthrough organ tutor from Anne Marsden Thomas and Frederick Stocken. Published by Oxford University Press 2020 (https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-new-oxford-organ-method-9780193518322?cc=gb&lang=en&) Available for purchase on Amazon: https://smile.amazon.co.uk/New-Oxford-Organ-Method/dp/0193518325/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3EK9IQBF8BOJ8&dchild=1&keywords=new+oxford+organ+method&qid=1603394455&sprefix=new+oxford+org%2Caps%2C144&sr=8-1