It’s not British but…Maurice Duruflé ’s Prélude sur l'introït de l'epiphanie op. 13 (c.1960)

Maurice Duruflé’s (1902-86) Prélude sur l'introït de l'epiphanie op. 13 was written in response to a commission by the musicologist and organologist Norbert Dufourcq. It was included in the anthology Preludes à l’introït, the 48^th part of the series Orgue et liturgie, issued by long-winded Éditions musicales de la Schola cantorum et de la Procure générale de musique. It was published in 1961. This collection of pieces were designed to be played between the ‘Asperges me’, the preparation for the Mass, and the beginning of the Introit antiphon which is taken from the Proper Mass of the Day. 

Duruflé’s Prelude was originally without opus number but was later allocated op.13 by the composer’s wife, Marie-Madeleine Durufle (1921-99).  The exact dating of this work is unknown, but is thought to be around the same time as the Quatre Motets sur des thèmes grégoriens, op. 10 and shortly before the Fugue sur le thème du  Carillon des Heures de la Cathédrale de Soissons op. 12 (1962).

The tune of cantus firmus is based on Gregorian chant. The composer has chosen the seasonal second-mode plainsong introit for the Feast of The Epiphany:

The text is: Ecce advenit dominator Dominus: et regnum in manu ejus, et potestas, et imperium Deus judicum tuum regida: at justifiam tuam filio regis (Behold the Lord the ruler is come: and the Kingdom is in His hands and power, and dominion Give to the King Thy judgement O God: and to the King's son Thy justice).

The entire work consists of 53 bars and is written in straightforward ternary form. The three parts are similar lengths (17, 18, 18 bars). The opening and closing sections use the melody from ‘Ecce Advenit’, and the middle section ‘Dominator dominus’ (See above). Duruflé uses the chant as inspiration and does not quote it precisely. The Récit or Swell organ, registered ‘Plein Jeu’ (full chorus) is used throughout, with the ‘trompette’ taking the ‘cantus firmus’ (fixed melody). This is a pre-existing melody forming the basis of many polyphonic compositions. This combination of stops points up the celebratory nature of the Feast of the Epiphany. The progress of the music is characterised by constant alteration of tempos as well as irregular bar lengths. Time signatures include 5/8 and 9/8. This gives the music a fluidity that perfectly reflects the characteristics of Gregorian chant. The composer has adopted an elastic use of accents and rhythms which are also apparent in his Quatre Motets sur des themes grégoriens, op. 10. The achievement here is how Duruflé weaves a flowing, complex, modal counterpoint around the melody.  The overall effect is to create a sense of stasis or timelessness, despite the Prélude being just over two minutes in duration.

Maurice Duruflé gave the premiere performance of the Prélude sur l'introït de l'epiphanie op. 13 on 4 May 1961 at St Merry, 76 Rue de la Verrerie in Paris. The same day the Quatre Motets were also premiered.

The overall impression of the Prélude is summed up by a perceptive comment by J. Connolly (2013). He writes that:

‘[Durufle’s] vocal and organ compositions…are concert works, they are liturgical in aesthetic, bound to their Catholicism, and yet more liturgically-minded and less theologically-planned than the works of Messiaen, the other great ‘Catholic’ organ composer of the twentieth century. That is to say that, unlike the, concert liturgies presented by Messiaen’s larger scale works, Duruflé’s pieces display a greater sensitivity. They are the work of a Catholic with a deep appreciation for the liturgy of the church, however, they do not display the same theological depth as that which we will see in Messiaen’s cycles.’

There are many recordings of Maurice Duruflé ’s Prélude sur l'introït de l'epiphanie op. 13. Several have been uploaded to YouTube. David M. Patrick’s excellent recording on the Harrison and Harrison organ of Coventry Cathedral is a perfect example.

Bibliography:
Connolly, D. The Influence of Plainchant on French Organ Music after the Revolution. Doctoral Thesis. Dublin, Technological University Dublin (2013)
O’Keefe, John, An Analytical Survey of the Organ Music of Maurice Duruflé, A thesis submitted to Professor Gerard Gillen, Department of Music, in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the Master of Arts in Performance and Interpretation, St Patrick's College, Maynooth.