Canticles from St Paul’s Cathedral, London
St Paul’s Cathedral Choir, conductor Andrew Carwood, organist Simon Johnson
HYPERION CDA68058 62’48
A highly enjoyable sequence of the familiar and the less well known. There are five settings of the Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis (Walmisley (Dm), Tippett, Gray (Fm), Stanford (Bb) & Wood (F). Alongside these are Walton’s Coronation Te Deum, Malcolm Archer’s Benedicite, omnia opera and the very effective Jubilate by Alec Roth which makes great use of the St Paul’s acoustic.
Hakim plays Hakim
Naji Hakim (& Marie-Bernadette Duforcet), Schuke organ of the Palacio Euskalduna of Bilbao, Vol 1
SIGNUM Classics SIGCD389 61’10
I have enjoyed previous recordings by Naji Hakim and here we have another good selection of his own compositions. The major work, Die Apostel (for organ duet) which is a set of meditational movements inspired by woodcuts of the Apostles by Lucas Cranach and taking a choral or Gregorian melody as the basis for each. Other tracks are Toccata, Petite Suite, an amusing take on Schubert’s Ave Maria, Hommage a Jean Langlais, Esquisses Gregoriennes and Arabesques. Rhythm and jazz stylings are major influences on Hakim’s work, as well as his drawing on the vast catalogue of liturgical and organ music of our ancestors. Whilst enjoying all of this music I found listening to it in one sitting a bit overwhelming.
Organ Sonata in C minor (Percy Whitlock) – Organ music from the Temple Church, London.
Greg Morris
SIGNUM Classics SIGCD379 72’53
I found this to be a very well programmed CD. Greg Morris gives fine performances on the Temple Church organ, with a varied recital including the neo-Romantic English sound of Whitlock, coupled with three French Romantic / 20th century works. These are Litanies (Alain), Cortege et Litanie (Dupre) and Choral No 3 in A minor (Franck).
The Merton Organ
Benjamin Nicholas plays the new Dobson organ, Merton College, Oxford.
DELPHIAN DCD34142 71’51
This is a showcase for the new Dobson instrument at Merton College, “only the third American-built organ to be sent to the UK since the Second World War”. Benjamin Nicholas gives a well balanced recital of varying styles and periods and the organ sounds very good indeed. Two Bach arrangements open the disk –Dupre’s arrangement of the Sinfonia from Cantata No 29 is vibrant but played with a welcome lightness and is followed by a beautifully restrained performance of Durufle’s arrangement of Ertodt uns durch dein Gute. It is good to have a Stanley Voluntary in A minor as well as music by Franck (Piece Heroique), Messiaen (Priere après la communion) and Mendelssohn (Andante with variations in D). Highlights for me were Langlais’ Dialogue sur les mixtures and Dupre’s Cortege et Litanie. Two pieces by Vierne close the recording – Clair de lune and Carillon de Westminster. In the context of this programme I even found it was possible to listen to Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor without rushing to skip the track!
Kenneth Leighton Organ Works Vol 1
Stephen Farr & John Butt , Rieger organ, St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh
RESONUS RES10134 79’07
This is the first of a three volume set of the complete organ works of Kenneth Leighton. Here are presented Six Fantasies on Hymn Tunes, Martyrs: Dialogues on a Scottish Psalm-tune (for organ duet), Improvisation in memoriam Maurice de Sausmarez and Missa de Gloria (Dublin Festival Mass). Stephen Farr conjures a huge variety of timbres from the Rieger organ and appears equally at home in this music – whether reflective or demonstrative. I particularly enjoyed the opening set of Hymn tune fantasies, all based on very familiar melodies including Veni Emmanuel, St Columba and Jesus bids us shine! I look forward to the remaining two volumes.
Lennox & Michael Berkeley Organ Works
Tom Winpenny, Harrison & Harrison organ of St Albans Cathedral
RESONUS RES10119 46’07
All of the music on this recording was new to me. It is very good to have this collection of the complete organ works of Lennox Berkeley together with works by his son Michael. Much of the music is reflective but the disk begins with a fiery Impromptu (Lennox). This, together with the Sonata from 1979 by Michael are world premiere recordings. Other works by Lennox are Three pieces for organ (nicely paired with his son’s Sonata), Andantino (arranged by Jennifer Bate) and Fantasia. The final work is the exuberant Wild Bells (by Michael) which has echoes of the French Toccatas and carillons. As with the Leighton CD extensive accompanying notes are available in PDF format.
The Golden Days of Summer – beautiful melodies for piano
Simon Clark, piano
TROIKA / Simon Clark Publishing (simonclark.uk.com) / Watchfire Music (watchfiremusic.com) approx 35’
This CD presents a number of Simon Clark’s compositions and arrangements for piano performed by the composer. He describes the pieces using the Mendelssohn-coined phrase “Songs without words”. The emphasis throughout is on well-crafted melody, used to good effect to create a relaxing sequence mostly inspired by the natural world. The programme includes the title track and the evocatively named Kamby Bilongo (River). A set of three piano preludes: Love, Spirit & Truth form a significant part of the programme and are my favourites. Two song arrangements are included – Feed my sheep and The Lord’s my Shepherd. I think these work less well as piano solos but it is good to have them included here. The recording begins with Chestnut Hill and ends with Christmas Morn so don’t be fooled into thinking this music can only be played at a certain time of year!
SP