Henry Smart's Fifty Preludes & Interludes for the Organ.

ForewordHenry Smart was born in London in 1813. His Mother was a descendent of Robin Hood, the outlawed Earl of Huntingdon! His Father was an eminent musician being Leader of the Philharmonic Society, Drury Lane Theatre and also of the Italian Opera. His Uncle was Sir George Smart, organist to Her Majesty's Royal Chapel. In 1823 his Father died of Typhus Fever whilst on a trip to Dublin. The young Henry was fascinated with engineering and mechanics but very soon became noticed as a gifted musician. He was to construct a pedal board which he attached to his Mother's Square Piano in order to practise Bach's little known Preludes and Fugues for the organ. He taught himself the French Horn and had rather a disastrous experience with the Violin! He became organist at Blackburn Parish Church (now Cathedral) and returned to London to take up the post at St Philip's Regent Street in 1835. Smart's eyesight deteriorated throughout his life and eventually he would dictate compositions to his devoted daughter Clara. He died of liver cancer in 1879 and in his last days was working on proofs of his Organ Postlude in E flat with his daughter. His death produced many accolades and marks of respect from the profession and to this day his name remains firmly associated with much used hymnody and popular organ music.During the Summer of 1864, Smart travelled to Paris with his friend William Spark (organist at Leeds Town Hall). They visited the organ works of Cavaillé-Coll and there met Lefébure-Wély, organist at St. Sulpice. The pair also visited the organ loft of St. Sulpice and Smart produced a twenty-five minute improvisation for a group of 'excitable' French organists who were 'quite lifted off their feet' and Lefebure being unable to restrain himself, kept exclaiming in excited tones, Superb, superb, superb! ' After parting from their 'kind and vivacious French friends, Smart remarked 'Now I'm rather dry and I'd give five shillings for a draught of good English beer'. After some time searching, the pair happened to pass a courtyard where they heard a man call out 'Pot of 'alf an 'alf waiter!'. 'That's my language' said Smart and after draining two tankards said 'thank God for bitter beer when you're thirsty!'Smart's knowledge and familiarity with the French organ world may explain his work on Fifty Preludes and Interludes as there are parallels with César Franck's L'Organiste (1892), and other publications of short pieces in various keys pour orgue ou harmonium which fill short liturgical gaps if improvisation is not a possibility. Smart's set, published by Boosey & Sons in 1862, predates Franck's 59 pieces by thirty years. The liturgical need for such pieces would be well catered for by many French organist-composers including Franck, Vierne, Tournemire and Langlais.In producing a new edition of the Fifty Preludes & Interludes, I have hoped to give those studying the organ a collection of charming and useful exercises as well as material which may be used for practising transposition. The original landscape cloth-bound publication, measuring 10 by 7 presented the pieces on two staves. For clarity and I have transferred these to three staves. The archaic use of slurs has been represented as in the original with one or two alterations. Smart gives no indication as to registration, tempo or dynamics. This is left to the individual player and the range of stops at their disposal. Smart's compositional style is said to differ from his more Gallic style of improvisation. These fifty Preludes and Interludes give us a glimpse into the late 19th century organ loft and make a welcome and useful addition to this genre.Robert Fielding.Notes taken from Henry Smart: His Life and Works by William Spark, Reeves, London, 1881.