The primary purpose of this treatise is to afford churches and choirs of modest means another piece of sacred choral music that can be performed without the need for a large orchestra. This document explores the concept and issues of transcribing music that was originally scored for choir and orchestra to create a version for choir and organ. Josef Rheinberger’s Messe in C, op. 169, a multi-movement work for choir and orchestra that had not yet been transcribed for choir and solo organ, and a valuable work of sacred music in whole or in part, has been arranged to make it performable by a choir and organist of moderate ability. Transcriptions such as Fauré’s Requiem, Duruflé’s Requiem, and Handel’s Messiah served as models. The final score has been prepared using the 2005b version of Finale, a music publishing software used professionally in the music publishing business.
In addition to the final score the study provides information regarding the historical setting in which such organ transcriptions of orchestral works were especially popular, biographical information on Rheinberger, a description of the methodology used to create the arrangement, and a discussion of issues encountered by the performing organist in playing these types of transcriptions.
The organ arrangement of the Mass may be used in conjunction with other editors’ previously published vocal scores. The full choral part has, however, been included with the organ part in consideration of the situation where the organist and choir director is the same person.
