I wonder why it’s taken me so long to get around to recording this: I’ve been singing it regularly for the better part of 15 years and it’s quite a simple accompaniment.

Take 4 of the voice, which I chose as the final, is marked by rather more emotion than might normally belong to such a piece. Recorded just after midnight (2026-06-02), after a very long day — and a few beers — without warmup. A little grittiness at the climax, yet I’m quite sure none of the meters showed peaking or clipping.

Take 8 of the organ (afternoon of 2026-06-03) was accepted. I did a few takes with flutes only, and with the Rückpositiv’s Viola 8’ added; I decided the viola gave too much of an edge to such a large organ.

The recording order for this was slightly different to how I usually do it: scaffolding (melody) track on the organ first (without metronome!), then voice recorded alongside it; finally, organ to accompany the voice. In previous projects I have recorded the organ accompaniment using the scaffold first, and then the voice last.

Because this whole recording was done without a metronome, the tempo is very organic — and the voice and organ sometimes go a little out of sync as a result; the first “in mortis examine” is a very prominent example. This is perhaps a more organic — almost “live” — style than I’ve accepted in the past.

I am rather pleased with the intonation overall. Because this is a flute-only registration, deviations from pitch in the voice part are quite obvious.

Registration

Piotr Grabowski’s Friesach sampleset.

• Pedal
  • Subbaß 16'
  • Gedackt 8'
• Manual I
  • Rohrflöte 8'
  • Holzflöte 8'
• Manual II
  • (swell half closed)
  • Nachthorngedackt 8'
• Couple I/II
• Couple II/P

Everything is played on pedals and manual II, except bars 18–21 (solo on manual I) and bars 38–43 (pedals and manual I).