Emma Lou Diemer

My earliest love for music was playing the piano and making up little pieces for it as a young child. And as I approached college-age and beyond it was my intent to have my piano music (which had become more extensive) made known. For many years this was not to be, except in elaborate piano parts to many of my choral works. However, at age 13 I had become organist at my church in Warrensburg, Missouri—First Christian Church—and this affinity with the organ led to many a work for that instrument beginning with some pieces written after graduation from Yale in 1950.

The first to be published was Festival Voluntary for the Feast of St. Mark in 1957, followed by a 1959 setting of “He Leadeth Me” published by Oxford in 1969. About this time I decided to write some shorter hymn settings for my own use in church, and the first collection in this genre was Ten Hymn Preludes from 1960 that Carl Fischer published. From that time to the present 23 collections of hymn settings have come forth, some at the instigation of Dale Wood, who was the editor at The Sacred Music Press until his death in 2003. Each year he would  phone me (email not being in use then) and ask for a new collection, often suggesting public domain hymn tunes from earlier times, and invariably responding to the result with characteristic enthusiasm. Some of these settings were rather adventurous, and Dale would usually put these at the end of a collection.

There is quite a variety of style in my organ music. The hymn settings are more like little tone poems preserving the mood and intent of the text. But in some of the music techniques such as bitonality, tone clusters, minimalism, fragmentation are  used as well as examples of canon and other contrapuntal devices. I have always felt that rhythm is a neglected element in organ writing (and performance). So there are many dance-like settings, various uses of rhythmic obstinato, some jazz feeling. Deliver me from writing standard, tonal, boring organ music (although I guess I’ve written some of that, too!).

My favorite concert pieces are “Fantasie” and “Toccata” from 1958 and 1964, both Oxford publications. Though officially OP they may perhaps be found at Allegro Music in UK. Another major work is Four Biblical Settings from 1993. Sandra Soderlund premiered these and Gail Archer recently programmed them, also Barbara Baird and a few others. I have written many commissioned works for Joan Devee Dixon: pieces based on the psalms for organ and percussion, flute, trumpet, trombone, brass and percussion. However, it is the hymn settings, being easier and on familiar tunes, that most often receive exposure.

I incorporated the use of a synthesizer at the Casavant at First Presbyterian in Santa Barbara in 1985, and wrote several works that combine organ and tape.

One thing I have never wanted to be known only as was “organ composer” (as are Widor and others). A pipe organ is the most exciting, powerful, varied acoustic instrument in existence, but it has been rewarding to also write for orchestra, band, chamber ensembles, voices.

ORGAN AND ORCHESTRA:

• Concert Piece for Organ and Orchestra, 1977 (Seesaw, 1977), comm./prof.
• orch., 10’. Premiered by the University of Oregon Symphony Orch., Karen
• Keltner cond., Emma Lou Diemer, organ, 1985.
• Concerto in One Movement for Organ and Chamber Orchestra: “Alaska”, 1995,
• comm./prof. orch., 15’. Premiered by Arctic Chamber Orchestra, Madeline
• Schatz, cond., Emma Lou Diemer, organ, at Davis Hall, University of Alaska,
• Fairbanks. Recorded by Marilyn Mason and the Prague Radio Symphony cond.
• by Paul Freeman, Oct. 2003, for release on Albany Records in 2004. Score available from Lauren Keiser Music Publishing.
• ORGAN ONLY:
• Festival Voluntary for the Feast of St. Mark, 1957 (St. Mary’s Press, 1957–OP).
• Hymn setting on He Leadeth Me, 1959 (Oxford Univ. Press, 1969/Allegro Music, 2012).
• St. Anne, 1951 (Shawnee Press, 1974).
• Fantasie, 1958 (Oxford Univ. Press, 1967/Allegro Music, 2012).
• Ten Hymn Preludes, 1960 (Carl Fischer, 1967).
• Seven Hymn Preludes, 1965 (Shawnee Press, 1968).
• Toccata, 1964 (Oxford, 1967/Allegro Music, 2012).
• Fantasy on “O Sacred Head”, 1967 (Boosey & Hawkes, 1970). Also
• published in James R. Briscoe’s Contemporary Anthology of Music by Women,
• Indiana University Press, 1997.
• Toccata and Fugue, 1969 (Seesaw, 1976).
• Celebration, Seven Hymn Settings, 1970 (Augsburg Publishing House, 1975).
• Three Fantasies on Advent/Christmas Hymns, 1970 (Augsburg, 1979).
• Declarations, 1973 (Seesaw, 1976).
• Jubilate and Contrasts, 1976 (in Preludes and Postludes, Vol. 4, Augsburg, 1976).
• Little Toccata, 1978 (in Jon Spong Collection of Organ Music, Arvon Publications, 1978).
• With Praise and Love, Vol. I, Settings of 19th Century Hymn Tunes, 1978 (The
• Sacred Music Press, 1978).
• Hymn Preludes and Free Accompaniments 2, 1978 (Augsburg, 1978).
• With Praise and Love, Vol. II, Settings of 19th Century Hymn Tunes, 1979 (The
• Sacred Music Press, 1979).
• Carols for Organ, 1979 (The Sacred Music Press, 1980).
• Elegy for Organ Duo, 1982 (Seesaw, 1988), D, 10’. Premiered by Marilyn
• Mason and Michele Johns, Univ. of Michigan, 1982.
• Suite of Easter Hymns, 1984 (The Sacred Music Press, 1984).
• Little Suite, 1985 (Augsburg, 1985).
• Folk Hymn Sketches, 1986 (The Sacred Music Press, 1987).
• Hymn settings Antioch and Galilee in The AGO 90th Anniversary Anthology of
• American Organ Music (Oxford University Press, 1988).
• Preludes to the Past, Organ Settings of Enduring 19th Century Hymn Tunes,
• Vol. 1, 1989 (The Sacred Music Press, 1990).
• Preludes to the Past, Organ Settings of Enduring 19th Century Hymn Tunes,
• Vol .2, 1990 (The Sacred Music Press, 1991).
• Preludes to the Past, Organ Settings of Enduring 19th Century Hymn Tunes,
• Vol. 3, 1991 (The Sacred Music Press, 1992).
• Eight Hymn Preludes, 1992 (Augsburg Fortress, 1993).
• Psalms for Organ, 1992 (The Sacred Music Press, 1993).
• God With Us, Eleven Pieces for Organ, 1994 (The Sacred Music Press, 1994).
• Praise! Eight Hymn Preludes, 1994 (The Sacred Music Press, 1995).
• We Praise Your Name, Suite for Organ on “Grosser Gott”, 1995 (The Sacred
• Music Press, 1996). Commissioned by South Dakota Chapter, American Guild
• of Organists.
• Communion Hymns for Organ, Musc for Celebration and Introspection, 1995
• (The Sacred Music Press, 1996).
• God and Country, settings of national songs, 1996 (The Sacred Music Press,
• 1997).
• A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (Eine Feste Burg) and When John Baptized by
• Jordan’s River (Rendez a Dieu), 1977 (Laudate! Vol. 4, Concordia Publishing
• House, 1997).
• Seasonal Psalms, Vols. 1 and 2, 1998 (SMP, 1999).
• Psalm Interpretations, Vols. 1 and 2, 1999 (The Sacred Music Press, 2000).
• Glory and Praise, familiar praise and worship songs for organ, 1999 (The
• Sacred Music Press, 2000).
• Deliger den Himmel Blaa (Bright and Glorious Is the Sky), 1999. (Conners
• Publications, 2000). Commissioned by Carson Cooman.
• Four Biblical Settings, 1993, 19’. (MorningStar Music Publishers, 2001).
• Commissioned for American Guild of Organists Far West Regional Convention
• 1993. Premiered by Sandra Soderlund at Convention, First Presbyterian
• Church, Santa Barbara, CA, June 1993.
• Scherzo, 1996, 5’. (MorningStar Music Publishers, 2001). Written for David
• and Carolyn Gell.
• Psalm 151, 1999, 7’. (MorningStar Music Publishers, 2001). Premiered by ELD
• at University of the Ozarks, 1999. Written in honor of Alvin Broyles.
• I Come with Joy: Variations on “Dove of Peace”, 1996, 10’. (Zimbel Press,
• 2001). Commissioned by Centenary United Methodist Church, Winston-
• Salem, NC in honor of Ray Egbert. Premiered by John Mitchener.
• Variations on “Reformation”, 1997, 7’. (Zimbel Press, 2001). Commissioned by
• Reformation Lutheran Church, Washington, DC. Premiered by Eileen
• Guenther, May, 1997.
• Variations on “Rendez a Dieu”, 1999, 21’. (Zimbel Press, 2001). Commissioned
• by Alvin C. Broyles for Joan Dixon Broyles. Premiered by Joan Dixon in Paris,
• France, April 1999. Recorded by Joan Dixon Broyles in 2000.
• Variations on “Abide With Me”, 1999, 8’. (Zimbel Press, 2001). Commissioned
• by Joan Dixon for Alvin Broyles’ 80th birthday in August, 1999.
• Bring Many Names on the hymntune WESTCHASE, 1999. 5’. (Zimbel Press,
• 2001). Commissioned by First Congregational Church UCC, Bloomfield, MI in
• honor of the retirement of their minister, Paul Kittlaus.
• Prelude on St. Paul’s Cathedral. 2000, 5’. Tune by Paul Bryan. (Gemini Press,
• 2000).
• Bereden väg för Herran, 2001. 5’. (Theodore Presser, 2002). Commissioned by
• the American Guild of Organists.
• Celebration for Organ, 2001. Commissioned by Graham Metson in honor of
• Marian Metson. (Zimbel Press, 2001).
• Aria, 2002. 3’. (Zimbel Press, 2002). For St. Valentine’s Day. Written for
• Marilyn MacKenzie Skiöld.
• I Have Decided to Follow Jesus, 2002, 3’ (Zimbel Press, 2002). Jazzy.
• Come, Come Ye Saints, 2002, 3’. (National Music Publishers, 2003). Written for
• Mahlon Balderston.
• Ragtime for Organ Pedal Solo, 2003, 3’ (Zimbel Press, 2003). Written for
• Carson Cooman.
• Toccata and Fugue, 2003, 6’ (Zimbel Press, 2003). Written for Daniel Kepl for
• the Santa Barbara Chamber Music Festival 2003.
• Beneath the Cross, 2003, 7’ (Zimbel Press, 2003). Commissioned by
• Worthington United Methodist Church, Worthington, OH, in honor of
• William Haller.
• Variations on “Alleluia”, 2003, 6’ (Zimbel Press, 2003). Commissioned by Whit
• Matteson in honor of his wife, Susan Georgine Soderstrom Matteson.
• Come, Come Ye Saints, 2004, 4’ (National Music Publishers, 2005). Written in
• honor of Mahlon Balderston.
• Fantasy and Faith at Oxford, 2005, 10′ (Dixon-Broyles Productions, 2005).
• Commissioned by Dougie Fairhurst for the Oxford Town Hall concert series,
• and dedicated to Joan DeVee Dixon.
• Fiesta for Organ, 1996, 5’ (Schott, 2005).
• Adoring Praise, Two Hymn Settings (Lasst uns erfreuen and Variations on Adoro
• Te Devote), 2005, 10′ (MorningStar/Birnamwood Publications, 2005).
• Fantasy on Valet will ich dir geben and Hyfrydol, 2006, 6′ (MorningStar/
• Birnamwood Publications, 2007).
• I Danced in the Morning, 2006 (Zimbel Press, 2007). Commissioned by Martha
• Chapman.
• Variations on Endless Song, 2006 (MorningStar, 2008). Commissioned by
• Marilyn Mason.
• Lauda Anima, 1956 (Certosa Verlag, 2011).
• Festival Voluntary for the Feast of St. Mark. (Certosa Verlag, 2012).
• Organ Voluntaries on Saintly Tunes, 2010-12. (Augsburg Fortress, 2012).
• All Glory, Laud, and Honor. Hymn setting collection, 2014 (Augsburg Fortress, 2014).
• ORGAN PLUS OTHER INSTRUMENTS:
• Pianoharpsichordorgan (one performer or three), 1974 (Seesaw Music, 1976).
• “Laudate” for Trumpet and Organ, 1990 (Seesaw Music, 1991).
• Premiered in Santa Barbara, CA by Ronald Thompson, trumpet, and Emma
• Lou Diemer, organ, 1991.
• Suite Sunday for piano and organ or synthesizer, 1996 (The Sacred Music
• Press, 1997).
• Aria and Scherzo for C Instrument and piano or organ, 1997 (SMP, 1998).
• Psalms for Flute and Organ or Piano, 1998 (Seesaw, 1998). Written for
• Joan DeVee Dixon. Commissioned by Alvin C. Broyles. Premiered by Sue
• Lowcock Harris and Joan DeVee Dixon at Emmanuel Episcopal Church,
• Cumberland, MD, Sept. 1998.
• Psalm 121 for Organ, Brass, and Percussion, 1998 (C. Alan Publications, 2000). Written for Joan DeVee Dixon and the Emmanuel Brass. Commissioned by Alvin C. Broyles.  Premiered at Univ. of the Ozarks, Clarksville, AR, August 1998.
• Psalm 122 for Bass Trombone or Tuba and Organ, 1998 (Ensemble
• Publications, 1999). Written for Bryan Anton and Joan DeVee Dixon.
• Commissioned by Alvin C. Broyles. Premiered at Cathedral of St. Andrew,
• Little Rock, AR, August 1998.
• Psalm 1 for Bass Trombone and Organ, 1998 (Ensemble Publications, 1999) .
• Psalms for Organ and Percussion, 1998 (C. Alan Publications, 1999).
• Written for Joan DeVee Dixon. Commissioned by Alvin C. Broyles.
• Psalms for Trumpet and Organ, 1999 (Tap Music Sales, 2000). Written for
• John Anthony and Joan DeVee Dixon Broyles.
• Time Pieces for trumpet and organ, 2009. Written for Colby and Carson Cooman. (Zimbel Press, 2009).
• Variations on Old One Hundredth for piano and organ, 2009. (Zimbel Press, 2009).
• UNPUBLISHED ORGAN WORKS
• Diademata, 1956.
• Romantic Suite, 1983, 4 movements.

by Emma Lou Diemer