Saturday 26 April 2014
Jonathan Bruce gathered an impressive number of local organists to celebrate the rebuilding of the Samuel F Dalladay organ in St Luke’s, Silvehill. He himself played for the setting of the opening of Charpentier’s Te Deum sung by the church choir and for the following Recitative, Aria and Choral by W D Armstrong. The bright and stirring Charpentier gave way to the gentle tones of the Aria and the rousing Choral.
Having a number of different performers allowed us to hear a wide range of registration, and Richard Eldridge’s presentation of Bach’s Prelude & Fugue BWV545 let us hear the steely upper work on the instrument and the potential North German sounds, in contrast to Nigel Howard’s softly voiced solo stops in the slow movement from Trio Sonata No3 also by Bach.
The final musical item in the first half was the ever familiar Toccata and Fugue in D minor played by Derek Carden, demonstrating the range of tone available and the fire the instrument can provide.
Before the interval Dr Brian Hick spoke about the importance of Samuel F Dalladay both as an organ-builder and as an inventor. The St Luke’s organ is a fine example of his work and the church are to be thanked and congratulated for their enthusiasm to maintain the instrument.
The second half opened with the Choir singing a setting of Schubert’s Marche Militaire, which led to a number of more romantic pieces after the classicism of the first half.
Jonathan Bruce played Dubois’ Cantelina Nuptiale with a delicate tremulo in the Swell followed by two movements from Boellmann’s Suite Gothique played by Derek Carden. Nigel Howard played Dubois’ familiar and popular Toccata before Richard Eldridge delighted with Lefebure-Wely’s Sortie in Eb, bringing a touch of the fairground into the church.
That same Gavioli sound was present when Jonathan Bruce played Turner’s Fairy Wedding Waltz before a rousing conclusion in Malcolm Archer’s Festival Finale.
A splendid evening and, hopefully, the first of many to celebrate an instrument of historical and musical importance.