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<\/a><\/p>\nRichard Eldridge\u00a0 9 July 2012<\/p>\n
A large and appreciative audience were in attendance for the opening concert in the 24th<\/sup> annual season of organ concerts at All Saints Church. These concerts have a loyal local audience and also aim to attract visitors to the town during the summer. The Father Willis organ was once again to be heard in all its glory, on this occasion by former parish organist Richard Eldridge.<\/p>\n By his own admission Richard\u2019s programme was rather overbalanced in favour of the loud and fast. There were some fine virtuosic performances but, for me, it was the more reflective moments that\u00a0 were the most satisfying.<\/p>\n A slightly erratic rendition of Murrill\u2019s Carillon<\/em> was a good opener followed by Bach\u2019s Prelude and Fugue in A minor BWV 543. <\/em>Richard seemed much more at home with Mendelssohn\u2019s Sonata No 2<\/em> which allowed for more contrast in pace and registration, including a chance for the clarinet to speak out.\u00a0 A bright and breezy performance of Stanley\u2019s Voluntary No 8 in A minor<\/em> was very pleasing and included some exposure for the beautiful choir flutes. Franck\u2019s majestic Piece Heroique<\/em> came next, allowing Richard\u2019s knowledge of the All Saints organ a chance to come to the fore with numerous changes in registration and much excitement (if again a bit on the fast side).<\/p>\n After the interval the performer\u2019s own arrangement of material from Wagner\u2019s Mastersingers<\/em> Overture <\/em>and then Percy Fletcher\u2019s well-known Festival Toccata<\/em>. This was followed by perhaps the most interesting item in the programme. Anwyn <\/em>by P Homes is based on Welsh mythology and Richard felt very at home with this piece full of interesting and sometimes ethereal harmonies and registration, as well as passages of excitement and rhythmic intensity. Two contrasting pieces by Lefebure-Wely brought the programme to an end \u2013 a quiet Andante<\/em> and one of the two famous Sorties <\/em>\u2013 this one in Eb – always a crowd pleaser but again did it have to be so fast? A much quieter performance of Shubert\u2019s Marche Militaire<\/em> was a welcome encore.<\/p>\n Richard engaged the audience well throughout the evening with his often humorous anecdotes and explanations despite a breakdown with the sound system.<\/p>\n It is to be hoped that subsequent concerts in the season are as well attended. We heard that plans for the next (Jubilee) Season are already well underway. SP<\/p>\n Next Monday at 7.30pm D’Arcy Trinkwon<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Richard Eldridge\u00a0 9 July 2012 A large and appreciative audience were in attendance for the opening concert in the 24th annual season of organ concerts at All Saints Church. These concerts have a loyal local audience and also aim … Continue reading