Completed in May 2026, this work was informed emotionally by the depressingly exhaustive list of global conflicts occurring at the time of writing.  The title (‘in the time of wars’) reflects this perennial problem, but there is little description intended in the music – it is a personal, mostly abstract response to world events. The composer’s own ‘battle’ with ill health at the time intensified the process of writing.   Although the piece has its darker moments, there are also moments of lighter contrast, but these are treated sardonically, rather than frivolously.

Whilst the organ, unsurprisingly, is primus inter pares for a good deal of the work, the other forces are by no means subservient.  The motivically-driven material is constantly shared, and the motifs recur as if it is a one-movement concerto.  There is extensive use of quartal chording, cross-referencing and recapping of material throughout. 

The first movement contrasts its opening pomposo mood with several passages of scurrying semiquavers and numerous lyrical interpolations shared between the soloist and orchestra.  The brass quintet has the first of several brass choir-like episodes here, some suggesting a carillon: village bellringers, perhaps, their jubilant, albeit poorly synchronized pealing alluding to the possibility of peace. The resulting brittle dissonance however, (one of the frequent superimposed ‘collage’ effects), challenges that optimism.  Frequent use of brass mutes throughout the work gives an edge to the overall palette; likewise with the use of string pizzicato.

The elegiac slow movement refuses to relinquish the quartal harmony, and its opening melody is generated by the initials, or German transliterations, of four revered and influential composers: Edward Elgar (E, E). Benjamin Britten (B, B),  J.S. Bach (Bb, A C, B natural) and Dimitri S(c)hostakovitch (D, Eb, C, B = DSch). The movement opens with another carillon, the strings later also making their own reference of the same material.

The lively finale maintains the quartal chording in various styles, moods and textures with abruptly interpolated scherzo-like sections.  A brittle and ambiguous tonality persists, with a concluding burst of quartal chords, fff – unresolved, and yet uncomfortably triumphant. Essentially a scherzo movement overall, the complex structure could be condensed as: A  B  C  A1  A2  B1  D(cadenza  parodia) E  A3  F  A4(coda).

The Concerto is a re-worked and considerably extended version of the composer’s Sonata for Organ (2023), which was always intended to be revisited as a much larger work.

Performing Note:

Whilst in three movements, there should not be a huge gap between movements, ensuring fluency and concentration on the recurring ideas.  Dynamics should be interpreted as a relative guide only; the size and power of the organ alongside the prevailing space and its acoustic, will determine the appropriate balance, tempi and volume at any time.

Where a four manual organ is not available, registration is left to the discretion of the performer provided a wide range of imaginative tone colour is used, especially in the solo melody lines.

The brass group should not exceed a solo quintet. The strings required will depend on the size of venue and organ – but it is suggested that a minimum of 3.3.2.2.1 is used.

Richard Lambert – Great Malvern, UK.  May 2026

Duration :  c. 18’