Some Thoughts on the Baroque Organ Suite

Abstract

This article deals with the Baroque organ suite, which arose in France in the Reign of Louis XIV, when the tradition of publishing organ books was formed. And such books usually consisted of liturgical versets, grouped according to certain church tones. Since the musicological literature does not have a clear understanding of what an organ suite is as a genre, the author decided to clearly differentiate it among organ masses, magnificats and hymns that are similar in structure. In his opinion, an organ suite is an ordered collection of different musical pieces (usually from 6 to 13) in a single tone, without a common liturgical name. In total, there are approximately 75 such suites written by Nivers, Lebègue, Clérambault, Marchand and other masters of the French Baroque, although only a few samples are designated as Suite. Organ suites were not generally characterized by structural unification. However, they usually begin with a piece in the character of a solemn introduction, which is called Prélude or Plein jeu (by type of registration). The second most often is Fugue. Next follows a diverse group of textural and register genres. And as the completion of the entire suite, as a rule, are full-sounded Grand jeu or Plein jeu. At the same time, performance of the suites entirely “in one sitting”, as in modern concert practice, was not intended. French organ suites were addressed primarily to provincial organists, who could use individual pieces both as a guide for their own improvisations, and in the form of already “ready-made” versets for various services. If necessary, they could also combine these pieces, including other music. Therefore, any attempts of modern musicologists to find in the structure of the Baroque organ suite any purely musical meaning and to analyze them on the model of multi-movement compositions of later times have nothing in common with the authentic practice.

Keywords:

organ suite, organ book, French music, Baroque era, liturgical practice, alternatim, verset, church tone