The first two of these three little pieces, which last about a minute each, were written as a birthday-present for my friend Andrew Rawstorne, who is a churchwarden and heroic organist of St. Lawrence Church, Preston-on-Wye in Herefordshire.

The first piece, Prelude, is an aerobic curtain-raiser; the second, Wholly Waffle, is intended to be played over and over again during the distribution of Communion until the congregation runs screaming from the building.

In contrast, the third piece, Elegy, is a much more serious matter. It is a lament for the daughter of two much-loved friends who (probably as a result of post-Covid depression) took her own life in June 2023. It ends with a cry of rage.

Giles Swayne 2025