Sigfrid Karg-Elert

Homage To Handel

The Homage to Handel for Organ was composed 'as an expression of thanks for having been elected as an honorary member of the Royal College of Organists in 1914. Karg-Elert responded to the honour with this work, calling oninspiration from a composer 'whom both England and German claim as their own', at the time of the commencement of hostilities between the two nations. Sigfrid Karg-Elert was a German composer active in the early twentieth centurywhose broad output is eclipsed almost entirely by his works for harmonium and Organ, instruments for which he was a gifted and prolific composer. His Organ works include the highly regarded Sixty-six Choral ImprovisationsandTwenty Choral Preludes and Postludes among others. Many of his works are active in Organ repertoire.