Richard Wagner

The Mastersingers of Nuremberg

Edwin Lemare (*1865), one of the most famous British organists around 1900, composed 180 pieces for the organ and 60 further works, while the number of his organ transcriptions comes to 270. Preferring a musically exciting performance to a faultless interpretation, Lemare criticized the organ concert programmes of his time to be too academic. He commented on the art of organ transcription: 'I am not one of those who would say that the organ can ever imitate the orchestra. This it can never do, but I consider that a great amount of orchestral music can, when played on a good instrument, be made most effective.' The present arrangement of the overture of Wagner's 'Mastersingers of Nuremberg' is a perfect example of these words.