The organ music of Richard Wayne Dirksen (1921–2003)
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Citation
Abstract
Richard Wayne Dirksen wrote an immense amount of music, most of which has remained unpublished since his death. Before his death he created a very thorough archive of all his compositions, including published scores, manuscripts, computer engraved scores, and other ephemera. This archive resides in the music library of Washington National Cathedral, where Dirksen worked for decades.
This paper will explore Dirksen’s organ music from two perspectives, biographical and analytical. It will trace influences on Dirksen’s musical development throughout his career, including his youth, college years, and adulthood. It will also use aspects of the music itself to identify patterns and commonalities within the organ music to try to identify stylistic hallmarks of his organ music that give it its identity.