Those musicians who would give me the honour of according their attention to these pages should not be astonished at the simplicity and at the same time the diversity of style of these short pieces. Their aim - above all others - is to be useful and to serve some purpose, either liturgical (as Introït, Offertory, Elevation, Communion or Exit), or educational. They will also find their place in concerts. Each of these Pièces Blanches (White Pieces) revolves around an elementary idea, often taking as a starting point atone colour or a mixture of tone colours particular to the organ. The title of this Suite can be explained first of all by the use of the white keys only (which gives a kind of "reserve of sound" both modal and diatonic, a balance which is not without its charm), but also by the fact that each of these pieces is dedicated to a young couple who are friends of the composer - the latter having not been able to resist sketching by musical means a few traits of character of these friends, while at the same time wishing to pay homage by each movement to a composer particularly admired by him.
Thomas Daniel Schlee
