Organ Music of John Redford

​Although musicologists have long been aware of the amazing wealth and quality of English organ music of the first half of the sixteenth century, this repertoire, unlike English vocal music of the same period, remains practically unknown. Many organists are however acquainted with the contemporary Italian, German and French organ music, which, subject to its strict modal rules, has rightly been described as being heavy and lacking the easy gait of that of John Redford and his school. Alongside real little gems, Redford’s longest piece in three-part counterpoint with its plethora of contrasting ideas, using the extremes of the C-a´´ keyboard, is best described as a Fantasia. For most listeners, only its title, Precatus est Moyses, indicates its liturgical background; other pieces in this genre include the long Felix namque settings by Tallis found in the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book.
​The fault of this appalling neglect lies primarily with editors who have not respected the well-known fact that English organs of the period were pitched half an octave higher than the normal organ of today; this music therefore obviously needs to be transposed if the player is to glean the slightest idea of how it should sound. I have therefore transcribed most of Redford’s contrapuntal organ music so that it can be played at something like the pitch at which it was intended to sound. The music may be viewed here. I have also recorded a number of the pieces; they may be heard here.
​I dedicate this work to the memory of Dominic Gwynn and Martin Goetze who recreated organs of the period. For details of these instruments, known as  “The English Organ Project”, see www.goetzegwynn.co.uk/organ/the-new-wetheringsett-organ and www.goetzegwynn.co.uk/organ/the-wingfield-organ

​See also my article Early English Organ Music - a victim of neglect and misunderstanding, in «Informazione Organistica e Organologica», VII (2026).

View or download PDF Transcriptions of the Music here.