{"id":2463,"date":"2015-08-13T17:21:53","date_gmt":"2015-08-13T16:21:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.larkreviews.co.uk\/?p=2463"},"modified":"2015-08-13T17:21:53","modified_gmt":"2015-08-13T16:21:53","slug":"cds-august-2015-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/?p=2463","title":{"rendered":"CDs August 2015: 2"},"content":{"rendered":"
THE ST PAUL\u2019S GEM<\/strong><\/span><\/h6>\n
TIMOTHY WAKERELL, Drake organ in the OBE Chapel, St Paul\u2019s Cathedral, London<\/strong><\/span><\/h6>\n
PRIORY PRCD 1130<\/strong><\/span><\/h6>\n

This recording celebrates William Drake\u2019s last complete new instrument, built in 2012. The organ incorporates elements which hark back to the instrument built for the cathedral by Smith c.1703.
\nMuch of the programme on this CD features music of around that time, including pieces by Buxtehude, Bohm & Bach as well as earlier music from John Bull & Sweelinck. The two longest works are JS Bach\u2019s Toccata & Fugue in F (BWV540) & CPE Bach\u2019s Sonata in F. There are also later works by Brahms, Gade & Saint-Saens. A wonderful programme to introduce this new organ.<\/p>\n

HOLST \u2013 THE PLANETS \/ ST PAUL\u2019S SUITE<\/strong><\/span>
\n SIMON JOHNSON, organ of St Paul\u2019s Cathedral, London<\/strong><\/span>
\n PRIORY PRCD1144<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

This recording was also made at St Paul\u2019s, but this time on the cathedral\u2019s main organ. I have a love\/hate relationship with large-scale transcriptions \u2013 appreciating and enjoying some and wondering why some others have been attempted. I have very much enjoyed this disc which couples Peter Sykes\u2019 arrangement of The Planets<\/i> with Simon Johnson\u2019s own transcription of the St Paul\u2019s Suite<\/i>. For The Planets<\/i> he says, \u201cThe organ of St Paul\u2019s was, of course, a willing partner and the notorious acoustic- so often the cause of debate in relation to musical performances- seems to help project the scale and metaphysical properties of Holst\u2019s original conception in a positive dramatic way\u201d The cathedral choristers add their voices to the final movement, Neptune<\/i>, bringing this work to a suitably mystical end. The organist describes his work in translating the St Paul\u2019s S<\/i>uite for the organ as the\u201d reverse of reducing\u00a0 a massive score\u201d. It provides an apt and contrasting accompaniment to the main work. This is a thrilling CD!<\/p>\n

BRAVURA!<\/strong><\/span>
\n FRANCESCA MASSEY, organ of Durham Cathedral<\/strong><\/span>
\n PRIORY PRCD 1137<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

This is a very enjoyable programme of twentieth century works from Britain, France & Scandinavia given by the current assistant organist at Durham. Francesca Massey uses the cathedral organ to great effect in performing this mostly unfamiliar repertoire. Opening with a substantial Fantasia <\/i>by York Bowen, with the two other large works being Messiaen\u2019s Diptyque <\/i>and Matthias\u2019 Variations on a hymn tune <\/i>(based on the Welsh tune, Braint<\/i>). Dupre\u2019s Prelude & Fugue in F minor <\/i>\u00a0features alongside works by Lindberg, Alain, Hovland and ending with Empyrean <\/i>by the organist\u2019s former teacher, Francis Pott.<\/p>\n

GREAT EUROPEAN ORGANS Nos. 94\u00a0 & 96<\/span><\/strong>
\n MARCO LO MUSCIO, organs of Stadtpfarrkirche, Maria Himmelfahrt, Landsberg am Lech, Germany<\/span><\/strong>
\nPRIORY PRCD 1124<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
St Bernard\u2019s Church, Baden-Baden, Germany PRIORY PRCD 1125<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

These two recordings both contain a highly eclectic mix, each making up a very interesting programme. The Italian organist\u2019s interests and musical tastes are obviously wide ranging and serve to show off these two unfamiliar organs to great effect.<\/p>\n

Both CDs include a number of short 17th<\/sup>\/ early 18th<\/sup> Century pieces, from composers such as Hanff, Kneller, Hass, Buxtehude and JS Bach. The second CD also includes a slightly longer piece by JC Rinck.
\nBoth discs include music from the organist\u2019s own hand as well as substantial works by the contemporary composer Andreas Willscher (Variations on a theme by Paganini<\/i> (1st<\/sup> CD) Prelude, Choral & Variations on Greensleeves <\/i>(2nd CD). I particularly enjoyed the inclusion on each disc of music by keyboard virtuoso Rick Wakeman (Neogothic-Catherine Parr<\/i> (CD 1) & Judas Iscariot <\/i>(CD 2)). Other rarities include music by Distler, Part, Buttstett & Orff and a variation on a Bach Prelude by Steve Hackett, Horizons.<\/i><\/p>\n

These two CDs include so much of interest but each also makes for a very enjoyable listening experience in its own right. I look forward to further collections of this ilk.<\/p>\n

THE COMPLETE PSALMS OF DAVID VOL 8, SERIES 2<\/strong><\/span>
\n CHOIR OF WORCESTER CATHEDRAL, Organist\u00a0 CHRISTOPHER ALLSOP, Directed by Peter Nardone<\/strong><\/span>
\n PRIORY PRCD 1140<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I have enjoyed previous recordings in this series and this is no exception. This collection covers Psalms 105 \u2013 118 and uses chants not previously used in the series. There are well known composers included here including Howells, Attwood, How and Turle. Amongst the less familiar composers are Robin Doveton & Conrad Eden. There are also chants by the director of the choir. Four of the psalms last over 9 minutes. All are presented with much attention to detail, word colouring etc and some of the verses are in minor keys. As with other recordings in this collection full texts are included. A useful devotional aid and a further contribution in the cataloguing of this wonderful repertoire that forms the basis of the sung worship of the Anglican choral tradition.<\/p>\n

LOYSET COMPERE (c1445-1518)<\/span><\/strong>
\n ORLANDO CONSORT<\/span><\/strong>
\n HYPERION\u00a0 CDA68069 \u00a0 \u00a0 68\u201922<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Due to the findings of recent scholarship the work of this composer is now regarded as more significant in the development of vocal music than it was previously thought. Now believed to pre-date Josquin and Obrecht his is a name that should be more widely known.<\/p>\n

This is sublime music performed with such care and musicianship by the Orlando Consort.\u00a0 This is mostly a collection of four part songs but begins with a setting of the Magnificat. <\/i>Mostly sung in French, full texts are provided. The final track, in Latin, O bone Jesu<\/i>, is a mystery, attributed to Compere but with other claims to its authorship. A lovely CD and an important document of this early music.<\/p>\n

HERZ \u2013 PIANO CONCERTO No 2\u00a0 (THE ROMANTIC PIANO CONCERTO 66)<\/strong><\/span>
\n HOWARD SHELLEY, piano\/conductor, TASMANIAN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA<\/strong><\/span>
\n HYPERION CDA68100 \u00a0 \u00a0 65\u201910<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I was not aware of this long running series or of the composer Henri Herz (1803-1888). This composer, whose 200 works (including eight piano concertos) have been\u00a0 largely forgotten, deserves to be rediscovered.\u00a0 Alongside the Piano Concerto No2 in C minor<\/i> are Grande fantaisie militaire sur La fille du regiment, Fantaisie et variations sur la marche d\u2019Otello de Rossini <\/i>and Grande polonaise brillante<\/i>. An enjoyable CD which should prompt further research into this composer\u2019s output.<\/p>\n

Stephen Page<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

THE ST PAUL\u2019S GEM TIMOTHY WAKERELL, Drake organ in the OBE Chapel, St Paul\u2019s Cathedral, London PRIORY PRCD 1130 This recording celebrates William Drake\u2019s last complete new instrument, built in 2012. The organ incorporates elements which hark back to the … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2463"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2463"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2463\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2464,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2463\/revisions\/2464"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2463"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2463"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2463"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}