Fantasia & Fugue on a
Gregorian Theme
for two pianos
Duration: c. 11’00”
RUSSELL NADEL
(2003)
Program Notes:
This piece is based on a “Requiem” theme I found in the Liber Usualis, a wonderful treasury of the prayers, chants and lessons
used by Roman Catholic monks first published in 1896. The most singular thing about the music contained in this volume is
that the music, when separated from the religious texts, can still stand quite well on its own. This theme is at first presented
literally in the first movement, and is then developed, harmonized, and elaborated upon throughout the course of the
movement, and is combined with various counter-themes of my own composition. In the second movement, I altered the even
note values of the original chant to make the theme into a fast mixed-meter fugue subject, and developed it in the traditional
fugue style (with expositions, episodes and middle entries). I then composed another fugue entirely of my own creation, and
made the second movement into a large double fugue by superimposing the two themes at the end of the movement. Both
movements give ample opportunity for the pianists to show off both their lyric and interpretive sensibilities and the technical
“chops” required to play exciting, pyrotechnic piano music. This piece is dedicated to Drs. Nancy Roldán and Noel Lester,
with great admiration and appreciation.
— Russell Nadel
September 2003
Copyright ©2003 Russell A. Nadel. All rights reserved.
dedicated to Nancy Roldán and Noel Lester
Fantasia and Fugue on a Gregorian Theme
I. Fantasia
*

                                     






p dolce

 
 ad lib.




pp
 





 ad lib.





Piano II













 













 
 

   

  




    


ppp




 







 





  
Piano I
RUSSELL NADEL
e = e sempre
Lento e legato (q = 60)


  
  

II


  
mp
       




 


 
I
B
molto
rit.
II

      


 

  

  



 
 


 

       


14



A tempo


pp


 
      

  

mp




 
 
    


mp
p

 
    

mf
     








mf

   


  
 



  
 
 
  
  


mp



poco f
     



 
pp 

 

    

    
p
* Merge all grace notes smoothly into the melody.
©2003, 2004 Russell A. Nadel. All rights reserved.

 


 

    

 
ppp
rit.

I
    

  
   
9
A


   
   





ppp




pp

 
 






             
pp sotto voce
2
C Più mosso (q = 69)

  
       
  
20
3
mp dolce
  




pp
 






I
II

                    
  


 











  


 
pp  
3
      
     





 

pp


3





25
  
 





     
I
 
p


II

 


  
 
mf



pp legato





      


   
  
 





     

mf
   


D
         



3
3


   




(loco)
p
  

3
     

 




     


  
3
mf
3

31
   
I
II
E
 



    
3
    
 

 



 
 
 
 
3
      

     




3
mf
 
  


         




   
       

 

(loco)


 
 



 

      
mf marc.

mf

         





 

             
mfp



p




3
Lo stesso tempo, ma con bravura
 F
         
 
   


  
35
f
I
  


  

mf
II
     

mf  





mp

ff
f




3
 





3




    

 
 






     
  
  
 

 





   
 


fmp

 
  
I

 



II





 
 
39




 



II






  

   

 









      


    





 

   
  

 
3
  
  

3
3
sim.

   




    

  






    


  
 



3




    


I




37
 



 
 




3
    




  

  



4
41
 
I




 




 
 
mp
   

 

  
p sub.
 


(loco)

II



 
  
ppp sub.






3
  
 







  
 
  
   


   
cresc. poco a poco

ff

 
 
 







      
 
   



 



 
   


cresc. poco a poco
3






ff


 
 
















 

 

 





 

(loco)




42
I
II


G
44
 
 
3


3
  
 
mf
 
 
ff

II


mf


 
 
 






m.d.
m.s.
 

 





3
ff
I









     



     
  
  

 
m.s.

mp
3








   


  
 
 
   
  

  

    
3
m.s. 3
 
  
3




 




m.s.

 

 



 
 

   


 


     
   

 


 
 
 




    








    



   


II
poco rit.
53
I



II




 
l.v.
I


pp lontano

 






 


 
 
l.v.



pp  

 

 
 pp
  



   




        
 
 



  








p


 
  
accel.
   
 
   
  
mp




    
pp

pp


pp

            



           
p dolce
 
Meno mosso (q = 60)

 



     







  
Lento, calmo (q = 60)
l.v.
  


    


     
 
mf

     
    







 







  
5
H
3
I
 



 

48


m.d.


  


 

m.d.
3
 



II
     

     
3
46
I
3


   


   
 


           
mp
12
II. Fugue
Piano I
Piano II



Presto marziale, h._ h = 46 (q = c. 230)



mf

   

f 
(senza )
     
 

 

  
12
I
II



 








mf legato




 






     



    



    






   






  


                 
   
 
 
 
 


























f
 


   










 




    

pp

  



        


      
 







 3
  









 

  
 


  

A


 



I
 







3




                          
 
   
   
 


ff
(senza )

     
    






 

6
II






 



 


  
p
      










p

          



pp
13
B
 
18
I
II


      
 

p
    





f
f
 

      




 


     


        



 
 
pp sub.
p
 


mp









      


3
sfz p
f
 



   



3
  
p sfz p
f


  


   




p
     


   
 








 


p
f

   


 

24
I

      

pp 
  

  

mp

 
 


II








 
II

 

  







 
p




   




  




p
f





3
f
3
 
  
 





f 

3




 
 

f








 




     

pp

    
p
   



3
3

  

f
  







 




f
mf legato



mp
p
       





  

29
I
mf












           



3

  

C
3
    




    


 
mp






14





  

34
I

 
 

II
 



  
  
mp
p

   


 

  



p
mf

D


     




 




 
 


 


 


mf
 






      


f

        



mp
3






                         

 

 




 
 

mp 


p
mp
  
 
 p sub.

mp
 

f




   


40
I
mf

  

  


      



 




     










mp

 







ff








  
  
  



mp
mp


      



mf
mp
mf
   

  

    



q=q



    









 
   
   

                      

  

  

f
   



q=q
 
II

E
45
I
p
f


     
II




 




        




f





 




p

          

 
 





          



  

   
  







mp









    


      
 


 





 











15

  
I

 


50










55

I
f

mp
   
 

 

cresc.
     
  



 
 

59
 
I

 

mp delicato


 



 

  

 
 


 






    



 
 







    

mfp


 
ff  





  

 
f










  
ff




f

 







  
3
f




       


2
fff
3
3

 
 


ff 


3
3




  
 

   
   
3



ff



3
p
 

 


pp


 

 

mp cresc.








  



 
 


mp






   
  
1

 
 
mf

       
 
p





cresc.
 
 
G
mp
mp

 
 

mp
f

  

   
    


  
3



               

 
(f)

              




f
mf
p
        
   





f

     

mp
f

q = q mf

p dolce



 
 
       
  

      

II

mf  


 

p


mf
II
   

  
 





mp
       
II

F




      
      

f
mp


