Josef Rheinberger - Fuge (Organ Sonata No. 3, 3rd mvmt) - Ben Bloor

Fuge, the third and final movement from the Organ Sonata No. 3 in G major by Josef Rheinberger, performed by Ben Bloor in a live concert on the 5 manual, 90 stop 1951/2 Compton / 1985/2008 Wood of Huddersfield organ of Wakefield Cathedral on Tuesday 11th February 2025.

Josef Rheinberger is perhaps Liechtenstein's most famous composer, though he spent most of his life in Germany. He wrote 20 organ sonatas, all in different keys, sadly dying before being able to lay claim to having composed a full set of 24 in every key. Each one has a distinctive personality - stylistically, they toe the line between conservative romanticism and rigidly watertight counterpoint to produce something wholly satisfying to play and listen to.

The third organ sonata in G major is one of Rheinberger's shorter sonatas - just three brief movements, unified by a theme which is based on the eighth psalm tone of Gregorian chant. The final movement takes the form of an inventive chromatically-tinged fugue, against which the Gregorian melody acts as a secondary counter-subject.

Many thanks to James Bowstead and Alana Brook for the invitation to play and for facilitating the recital in Wakefield Cathedral.

Ben Bloor is Organist at the London Oratory Church and School Organist at Westminster School. For more information, please visit https://www.benbloor.com

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