The prelude “O God, Thou Faithful God” (O Gott, du former Gott) is from a collection of 66 chorale improvisations for organ solo by Sigfried Karg-Elert (1877-1933).  The improvisations were composed between 1906 and 1908 and published in 1909 and 1910.  Karg-Elert immersed himself in traditional German Lutheran Chorale tunes and dedicated the organ works to French composer, organist, and educator, Alexander Guilmant (1837-1911).  The harmonic voice is deeply cosmopolitan, drawing heavily on French Impressionism with colorful and chromatic shifts. The collection, Opus 65, was an immediate success in the United States and the United Kingdom.  Because of German nationalism, the German climate grew hostile toward Karg-Elert’s internationally oriented French influential organ works, and his music was unfairly neglected during his life time in Germany.

The postlude “Marche Triomphale” (Nun Danket alle Gott) was No. 59 of Opus 65.  The organ work uses a grand Romantic organ texture to build an exultant chorale march.  It is also scored for brass quintet and organ. Sigfrid Karg-Elert played this organ work on his organ recital tour of the United States in the 1920’s.