Great European Organs No 95
Rudolf Muller, Steinmeyer organ, Monastery Church, Marianhill, Wurzburg, Germany
PRCD 1127
“Bach is the beginning and the end of all music”. This quotation from Reger ends the programme notes, restating the structure of this well balanced recital, beginning with JSB’s Prelude & Fugue in G major and ending with Reger’s Fantasie & Fugue on B-A-C-H. This long running series continues to present superb recitals on organs of note from throughout the continent. The organist here has been familiar with this instrument for 10 years and certainly uses it to great effect. Amongst the less familiar items on this recording are Zsolt Gardonyi’s Hommage a F. Liszt & Eugene Reuchsel’s Recuillement et Beatitude.
The Harrogate Harrison
David Halls, Harrison & Harrison organ, St Wilfrid’s Church, Harrogate
PRCD 1114 77’25
This is another enjoyable CD. I was not aware of this organ before, little changed since its installation in 1928. As with the previous CD the organist here has a long association with the instrument. The programme begins and ends with trumpets (Charpentier’s Prelude to the Te Deum and the organist’s own Sound the trumpet). I particularly appreciated the inclusion of 2 pieces by Ernest Farrar –Elegy and A Wedding Piece and Chorale Prelude on Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme by Flor Peeters. The 3 longest works here are Rheinberger’s Sonata No 6 in E minor and Jesus Guridi’s Triptych of the Good Shepherd together with Bach’s Prelude & Fugue in B minor.
Carl Rutti Symphony – The Visions of Niklaus von Flue / Caspar Diethelm –Last works for string orchestra
Maria C. Schmid, Sop Marin Heini, organ Mario Schubiger, percussion.
State Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra of Novosibirsk. Rainer Held, conductor.
GUILD GMCD 7407/2 92’46
This CD transports the listener into an exciting soundworld. The work is scored for solo soprano and supported by organ, percussion and string orchestra. The mystical texts come from Brother Klaus (von Flue), the patron Saint of Switzerland. Rutti writes with both drama and introspection. Full texts are included in the booklet. The second CD consists of three works for string orchestra by Caspar Diethelm –Passacaglia, Consolation and Now the path completes the circle. This music provides a contrast with the first CD.
The Complete Psalms of David Volume 6 (Series 2)
Choir of Lincoln Cathedral. Director- Aric Prentice. Organ -Charles Harrison.
PRIORY PRCD 1115 69’45
Another long running series from Priory is the recordings of the complete Psalms sung to Anglican chant. I have long enjoyed my set of the first series. Here is Volume 6 of the 2nd series. The booklet states “We are attempting to use chants hitherto unrecorded and the psalms are set down from Day 1 to Day 30”. Full texts are included in the booklet making this a useful devotional aid. Here we have Psalms 78-88. A number of different chants and composers are featured including Stainer, Brewer, Howells and CS Lang. The first psalm shows imaginative use of no less than 6 chants, providing variety and to complement the text. Other psalms use just one or two chants. The accompaniment is varied and together with the choir shows a familiarity with these words and music that come from the regular pattern of cathedral worship.
Nowell Sing We – Contemporary Carols Volume 2
Choir of Worcester College, Oxford. Stephen Farr (conductor & organ)
RESONUS RES 10138 72’35
Here is another enjoyable collection of contemporary Christmas music. It is recorded in the spacious acoustic of the college chapel to good effect. Punctuating the vocal pieces are individual movements from Nico Muhly’s O Antiphon Preludes. It is good to hear the organ as a solo instrument as well as in accompanying mode. There are many familiar composers here, alongside a few less well known – Gabriel Jackson, Edmund Rubbra, Lennox Berkeley, Richard Rodney Bennett, John Scott, Colin Matthews, Herbert Howells, Peter Maxwell Davies, Philip Moore, Giles Swayne, Haflioi Hallgrimsson, Francis Pott, Grayston Ives, Richard Lloyd, Michael Finnissy & Jamie W Hall. There are a variety of styles including the more exuberant (Jackson Nowell sing we), the dissonant (Swayne O magnum mysterium) and pieces based on chant (Finnissy Ave regina coelorum) In line with previous recordings from this company the booklet is in PDF format. As with the Psalms collection this is more music to be immersed in.
Debussy – Images – Preludes II
Marc-Andre Hamelin, piano
HYPERION CDA67920 70’36
Claude Debussy Piano Music Vol III
Michael Korstick, piano
SWR MUSIC HANSLER CLASSIC CD 93.319 79’35
Here are 2 releases of Debussy’s piano music. Both include Images I & 2. The first CD also includes the complete Preludes Bk 2. Korstick has Images oubliees, 6 Epigraphes antiques, Morceau de concours, Hommage a Haydn, La plus que lente and Ballade.
These are both very good recordings. Perhaps Korstick’s playing is a little more reflective in places than Hamelin’s. It depends what you are looking for but I prefer the slightly more unusual repertoire from Korstick, including the lovely La plus que lente. It should be remembered, however, that this CD is part of a series.
Domenico Scarlatti Complete Keyboard Sonatas Vol 15
Orion Weiss, piano
NAXOS 8.573222 79’20
I have to confess that the listing on this CD did not excite me. I still wonder at the prospect of at least another 14 volumes of this music! However, I really enjoyed listening to it. There is a surprising variety within the programme which is played with commitment and style. Apparently 555 of Scarlatti’s keyboard sonatas survive so this could be another long-running series. I would like now to compare with some of the other volumes.
SP 25/11/14