Festal March Published in 1889 then been lost/unpublished!

Piece Published in 1889, then been lost/unpuiblished, then one assistant organist at Hereford Cathedral have a copy!!  And now I have a copy of a copy!!!

Festal March in Bflat
George Robertson Sinclair

George Robertson Sinclair (28 October 1863 – 7 February 1917) was an English cathedral organist, who served at Truro and Hereford cathedrals.
( And have to point out already here, that he was working with Sir Edward Elgar - Enigma variations, Pomp.. and more).

Many of the scores, that my friend share with me, have been courtesy of Dr. John Henderson, Librarian of the Royal School of Church Music.

My friend received an email from Henderson with the score to this piece I play here, Festal March in Bflat.  He wrote: "An old friend of mine, one assistant organist at Hereford Cathedral was reading our book and noticed that we had marked George Robertson's Sinclair's Festal March as being lost/unpublished. It is not in any UK libraries but he has a copy and has scanned it for me. You sometimes mention about "rare scores" - well this truly is!!…”

Piece Published in 1889. then been lost/unpuiblished, then one assistant organist at Hereford Cathedral have a copy!!  And now I have a copy of a copy!!!

Here is my version/performance of it.  Not the first, but probably the second in a LONG time!  It’s not an easy piece, especially the pedal part. It seems that Edward Elgar, a close friend of Sinclair, had great admiration for Sinclair's "skillful organ pedalling". This pedal-playing skill appears to be "mentioned" in the 11th variation in Elgar's famous "Enigma Variations". The variation, "Allegro di molto: is headed G.R.S." and portrays Sinclair's bulldog, Dan, falling into the River Wye, and in Elgar's words: "paddling upstream to find a landing place; and his rejoicing bark on landing. Sinclair said: 'Set that to music.' I did, here it is."

This is a grand march, a brilliant piece. As an amateur, I can’t play as fast as it should be. It's a demanding piece, hidden difficulties….And the pedal part at the end is terribly awkward and difficult, but sound wonderful with Organteq!
Here is my version/performance of it.  Nice to do this rare music with Organteq Not the first, but probably the second in a LONG time! Recorded using headphones . One more recent composer again, (28 October 1863 – 7 February 1917)

https://forum.modartt.com/uploads.php?f...air%20.mp3

For those interested in history, here is more about Sinclair:

As a young man, Sinclair was destined for the Anglican priesthood, but in 1880 his father died and Sinclair needed to earn a living immediately. He became the first cathedral organist of the new diocese of Truro. He moved from Truro to become organist of Hereford Cathedral in 1889, where he remained for the rest of his life.

At Hereford, Sinclair was conductor of eight Three Choirs Festivals between 1891 and 1912, working with leading British musicians of the day, including Edward Elgar, who incorporated into his Enigma Variations a portrait of Sinclair and his bulldog.

1879 he became assistant organist to Charles Harford Lloyd at Gloucester Cathedral and parish organist of St Mary-de-Crypt, Gloucester.

In 1880, Edward White Benson, first Bishop of Truro, asked Ouseley for advice on a suitable organist for the new Truro Cathedral. Ouseley recommended Sinclair, who was appointed, aged 17. He designed the four-manual organ built by Father Willis, and assembled and trained a choir.

In 1889 he became organist of Hereford Cathedral, where he made a great reputation for his dedication and accomplishments.
As an organist, accompanist, and solo player Dr. Sinclair occupied a very high place in technical attainment and sympathetic feeling.
He died suddenly in Birmingham, aged 53, after conducting a rehearsal of the Birmingham Festival Choral Society.

When I was playing, recording and listening to the March, I was like when you find your lost wallet! My mouth hanging open listening and looking to this rare score that was said being lost/unpublished and old. Suddenly a copy!
It is an amazing life enriching experience to hear and play this old piece, to play this ”forgotten” music, me an amateur, despite the difficulties in the music