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Divided into seven books Guilmant’s 18 Pièces nouvelles, were published in 1904. The 16th piece, from the 6th volume, is this Paraphrase sur un chœur de «Judas Maccabæus». Handel’s famous and popular chorus is given varied treatment - from the opening fanfares in dialogue between various divisions of the organ, followed by a fugue and reaching a suitably rousing conclusion on the tutti. Whilst Widor sought to elevate the organ by breaking new ground (and was perhaps more gifted compositionally to do so, more, at least in his second set of organ symphonies), Guilmant aimed to elevate the instrument by creating a great diversity of useable music that was accessible to, and playable by, a wider circle of organists in his day who could thus offer music in the church services that was worthwhile, decent and gave the organ its imperial voice once again: following of the glories of Grand siècle, the quality of French organ music collapsed during the Revolution becoming poor at best, dire more often… The chorus of 'Judas Maccabeus' is sung around the world as the Easter hymn 'Thine be the glory' - so it makes a good voluntary/postlude for Easter masses - as here at Worth Abbey on Sunday 30 April 2023.
