Richard Ellsasser (1926–1972) was an organ prodigy and performed on all organs, classical, theatre,
large, small, pipe, and electronic. A prolific recitalist, his repertoire ranged from Bach to twentieth century, transcriptions,
and light popular music. In his program notes, he wrote “This sketch was written on a concert tour of the Midwest in 1948
with the temperature hovering over 100.” This quirky march is fun to play and is an audience favorite.
From a review in
Clavier from 1963: “Fantastic, yes, but never to the point of grotesquerie. This imaginative,
piquant, colorful, and often humorous Marche may well be used in a recital as an encore, or as a foil to more weighty and
conventional items. Clever touch: The perfect fifths played on soft 16' and 32' stops in the pedal part to simulate a bass drum.”
It is the first of a series of three published by R D Row in Boston:
2. Toward Evening, 3. Peaceful Waters.
Moderate.