Alfred Hollins: A Trumpet Minuet on Bespoke Regent Classic Organ

This delightful trumpet tune was written by Alfred Hollins (1865–1942). Alfred was blind from birth, and possibly a better pianist than he was organist (although W. T. Best seemed to hold him in high regard).

Hollins overcame the obstacle of his blindness in impressive fashion to become an international recitalist and a composer of modest success, writing over 50 pieces for the organ. Of these only a few continue to get an airing these days, probably the best known of them being the “Song of Sunshine” and this Trumpet Minuet.

The Trumpet Minuet is a jolly piece in three time, for which you will need a reasonably competent solo reed stop. It has a pseudo-baroque feel to it, with echoes of “The trumpet shall sound” from Handel’s Messiah.

Once you have picked up the main figures it is a relatively easy piece to play, and it repeats itself quite a lot, but you don’t have to play all the repeats. The accompanying parts in the left hand and pedals need to balance the solo trumpet, so the registration depends to some extent on the power of your trumpet.

Read more about this piece: https://regentclassicorgans.com/alfre...

About the Organ being played:
In 2015 Regent Classic rebuilt the organ at St Mary’s, Witney, a tale that you can read about in a separate story. The bespoke organ now has three manuals and an enlarged specification, with a separate choir division in the chancel.

Francis Rumsey, the organist at St Mary’s, and a consultant to Regent Classic, shares some of the recordings he’s made there in the recent past. These demonstrate the versatility and tone quality of the organ, as well as offering some interesting repertoire.

Read about the organ installation at St Mary's Witney: https://regentclassicorgans.com/insta...