Weir: The Tree of Peace (2016)

Judith Weir’s “The Tree of Peace”, one of her more “approachable” pieces, requires a greater keyboard and pedal compass than is available on many parish organs. That shouldn't stop you playing it. Here's one solution.

Starting registration: soft 8’4’ flutes and viola on Swell; 8’4’ flutes on Great, 16’ subbass plus Swell on Pedal (*no other coupling*, and do not couple Great and Pedal pistons). Prepare bright 4’4’2’ on Choir.

Bar 1 – 15: mezzopiano, LH on Swell, RH on Great, play at written pitch. Quite straightforward.

Bar 16 – 29: both hands on Swell, still mezzopiano. I take some of the lower RH notes in bars 16, 17, 28 and 29 with the LH thumb to get a better legato on the top line – can post details if anyone is interested.

Bar 30 – 44, animato, mezzoforte, clear, bright: take 8’ flute off Great and couple Choir to Great; add bright 4’2’ to Swell; cancel Pedal 16’ but leave Swell to Pedal. Play LH where written, play RH on Great an octave lower than written. There’s some contorted fingering in this verse to improve the legato (for example, last beat of RH in bar 42 is 4543). I find it easier to play the opening C in LH, bar 43, on the pedal, both because it gives the LH more time to get into position, and because the remaining LH notes can be played more smoothly, but be sure to release the pedal promptly.

Bar 45 – 65, energico, forte, clear, strong: Add Principal 4’ to Great and couple Great to Pedal. Both hands on Great, an octave lower than written; Pedal also an octave lower than written. At some point after bar 52 you need to add 16’ stops to the Pedal and move up an octave (i.e. play where written). I find it easiest to do this at bar 61, where I can move my left foot from Eb up to Db while hitting a Pedal piston with my right foot. At bar 65, reduce Swell to original 8’4’ flutes and viola, and move LH to Swell.

Bar 66 to end, molto mosso: Reduce Great to 4’ flute plus Choir 4’ flute (leave Swell and Pedal as is, but take off Great-to-Pedal). If that seems too soft on your organ, you could leave the Choir as 4’4’2’. Play RH on Great an octave lower than written, LH on Swell at pitch.