Fugues and Full Pieces (organ) 111

Fugues and full pieces for organ

by Thomas Carter

Editor: Wolfgang Lindner

Content:
Preface:
Voluntary I & IV

The Irish composer Charles Thomas Carter (b.c.1 7 3 5 Dublin; died 12"' Oct. 1 8 0 4 London) spent his early youth as a chorister of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, was örganist to St. Werburgh's in 1 7 5 1 and held the post until the organ was destroyed by fire in 1 7 5 4. He resumed his position as soon as the organ had been rebuilt in 1 7 6 7, having in the meantime acted as organist at St.Peter's Church (1 7 5 7 - 1 7 6 3).1 In 1 7 6 9 he left Ireland for London and a career in the theatre. No doubt disappointed by this lack of success in this field, he applied for the post of organist at St.George's, Windsor but was not appointed.2
He composed songs, stage music (including a comic opera) and keyboard sonatas.3
Fugues and Full Pieces, Book the First, opera 37 (according to the chronology of Carter's compositions: recte op. 27) were published c.1 8 0 0 with the publisher A. Hamilton in London. The cover gives no specific instrumentation for these voluntaries, but the composer's indication of registration implies that the pieces were to be performed on the organ.

Wolfgang Lindner