Dudley Buck

Synopsis

American composer, organist and teacher

• 19 Mar 1839, born in Hartford, CT
• 1855-57 or 1858-62, Hartford, attended Trinity College
• 1857-60, Leipzig, studied music with Hauptmann, Rietz, Schneider and Moscheles
• 1860-62, Dresden, followed Schneider to Dresden
• 1862-63, Paris, followed Schneider to Paris
• 1862 or 1863, Hartford, organist at North Congregational Church
• 1869-71, Chicago, organist at unknown location
• 1871, left after the great Chicago fire and went to Boston, organist for the Music Hall Association. He played on the Walcher organ there, which served as the model for the organ in the Salt Lake Tabernacle, built by Joseph Ridges after studying the organ in Boston. The Walcher organ was very significant in American organ history. Many concertized there, playing transcriptions, Bach, and new compositions.
• 1871, Boston, faculty member at New England Conservatory.
• 1875-1901, New York, assistant conductor of Theodore Thomas Orchestra
• 1877-1901, New York, organist and choirmaster at Holy Trinity Church
• 1877-1901, New York, director of Apollo Club
• 6 Oct 1909, died in West Orange, NJ

He is best known for his composition, Concert Variations on the Star-Spangled Banner. He composed many church-based works of well. He played a central role in the establishment of organ and choral music in America, and he was the first American composer to write an organ sonata. His music used lyricism, genteel restraint, and stylistic propriety. His music held popular appeal without sacrificing artistic substance.

For details, see the Wikipedia article on Dudley Buck.

List of Organ Works

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Opus	Title	Year
Op. 22	Grand Sonata in E-flat major	1866
Op. 23	Concert Variations on the Star-Spangled Banner	1868
Op. 26	Triumphal March	????
Op. 27	Impromptu Pastorale	????
Op. 28	18 Pedal Phrasing Studies	????
Op. 35	Rondo-Caprice	????
Op. 37	Overture to William Tell (Transcription)	????
Op. 38	Andante from Beethoven's Sonata Op. 28 (Transcription)	????
Op. 39	Overture to Stradella (Transcription)	????
Op. 40	Two Transcriptions from Schumann's Pictures from the Orient	????
Op. 51	Variations on a Scotch Air (Annie Laurie)	????
Op. 52	At Evening (Idylle)	????
Op. 59	Variations on The Last Rose of Summer	1877
Op. 77	Sonata no. 2 in G minor	1877

He also composed other short pieces and transcriptions.

Background and General Perspectives on Performing These Organ Works

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Registration and Organs

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See the footnote in the "Notes" section at the bottom of the page

Fingering and Pedaling

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Articulation and Phrasing

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Ornamentation

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Tempo and Meter

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Scores and Editions

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Recordings

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``````` ===Free Online===

• Concert Variations on the Star-Spangled Banner as performed by John Hong on YouTube
• Grand Sonata, Allegro con brio as performed by Paul Vasile on YouTube

Pay to Listen

• Concert Variations on The Star-Spangled Banner as performed by Stanley H. Cox on NAXOS
• Organ Sonata No. 2 as performed by William Osborne on NAXOS
• Variations (Op. 51) as performed by Herbert Walton on NAXOS

Other Resources

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Notes

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