Westminster Cathedral

[parsfan]

I wonder if any other discussion board inmates attend the weekly 1645 Sunday recitals. Not many by the size of the audience. We have had some stonking recitals since Easter. Darcy Trinkwon gave an authoritative and thrilling account of Vierne 2. Roger Fisher treated us to a powerful rendition of the Reubke.

 

While Robert Quinney is much missed from the home team, Thomas Wilson has proved himself to be an exciting talent.

 

Programming a 30 minute recital must concentrate the mind. Therefore, I was slightly disappointed by Stephen Disley's recital yesterday. He played the Reger Introduction and Pasacagglia and the Willan Intro, Pas and Fugue. I regard Disley as being in the fornt rank of todays players, but to hear both these dense works in one short recital was a bit much.

[pcnd5584]

Thank you for this information - I had missed the fact that these recitals take place. I would really like to hear this instrument live. Unfortunately Sunday is the worst possible day for me - I hardly ever get a Sunday off. So I will have to look-out for mid-week recitals.

[Guest Roffensis]

I wonder if any other discussion board inmates attend the weekly 1645 Sunday recitals. Not many by the size of the audience. We have had some stonking recitals since Easter. Darcy Trinkwon gave an authoritative and thrilling account of Vierne 2. Roger Fisher treated us to a powerful rendition of the Reubke.

 

While Robert Quinney is much missed from the home team, Thomas Wilson has proved himself to be an exciting talent.

 

Programming a 30 minute recital must concentrate the mind. Therefore, I was slightly disappointed by Stephen Disley's recital yesterday. He played the Reger Introduction and Pasacagglia and the Willan Intro, Pas and Fugue. I regard Disley as being in the fornt rank of todays players, but to hear both these dense works in one short recital was a bit much.

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D'Arcy Trinkwon is also playing an excellent programme at Canterbury Cathedral this coming Saturday, 1st July at 7.30. One to go to, he is a stunning Organist.

His repertoire is amazing. I'm certainly going.

 

Richard

[Jeremy Jones]

Most Sunday afternoons used to find me on a pilgrimage down Victoria Street, starting off with the 4.45 pm recital at Westminster Cathedral and then moving on down to Westminster Abbey for the 5.45 pm recital. The cathedral recital is always a bit frustrating as it is treated as the prelude to the 5.30 pm Mass, and there are always a multitude of people either walking around gawping (tourists) or those wing a singled minded step making their way down the central aisle with a look of serenity in their eyes (Mass celebrants). Whereas at the Abbey, all visitors are ejected at 5.30 unless they wish to stay for the organ recital, and the recitalist therefore gets the undivided attention of a sizeable audience.

 

Unfortunately, I don't go so often nowadays, mainly because the quality of recital at both venues can be so variable, and I've had my fill of sitting through poorly planned and rehearsed programmes played by organists who are unfamiliar with these huge organs. Best bet is to go along when present or former members of the home team are playing, e.g. Robert Quinney, Andrew Reid, Martin Baker, Daniel Cook, Ashley Grote, Ian Keatley, James O'Donnell, Matthew Martin.

[Richard McVeigh]

Roger Fisher treated us to a powerful rendition of the Reubke.

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He played myself and a few others the recording of this which someone had done at the recital at his earlier today and it sounds thrilling. I think he'll always be known for his performance of the Reubke which he did at Chester in the 70's(?), he said he really enjoyed playing the instrument and was very keen on it, he liked the way the mixtures are right aobve the console which apparently was very exciting!

[madorganist]

D'Arcy Trinkwon is also playing an excellent programme at Canterbury Cathedral this coming Saturday, 1st July at 7.30. One to go to, he is a stunning Organist.

His repertoire is amazing. I'm certainly going.

 

Richard

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Any idea of what he's playing? Couldn't see anything on the cathedral web site

[parsfan]

The current series of Sunday Afternoon recitals is nearing its summer break and Chris Eastwood ended his distinquished two year tenure as Organ Scholar. The highlight of his recital was Matthew Martin's composition 'Chimera' which, I think, will find a permanent place in the repertoire.

 

The recital ended with Matthew joining Chris for Leighton's Dialogues on 'Martyrs'. I wonder what prompted Leighton to compose this piece as the tune is austere to say the least. The only recording that I can recall, of the piece, is by the Cleobury brothers.

 

Hearing the piece made me think back to Sundays at church in Dunfermline. If there is one tune that is redolent of drab, austere, joyless Scottish worship, it is Martyrs.

 

Robert Burns refers to it in his 1785 poem 'The Cotter's Saturday Night'

 

The cheerfu' supper done, wi' serious face,

They, round the ingle, form a circle wide;

The sire turns o'er, with patriarchal grace,

The big ha'bible, ance his father's pride:

His bonnet rev'rently is laid aside,

His lyart haffets wearing thin and bare;

Those strains that once did sweet in Zion glide,

He wales a portion with judicious care;

And "Let us worship God!" he says with solemn air.

 

They chant their artless notes in simple guise,

They tune their hearts, by far the noblest aim;

Perhaps Dundee's wild-warbling measures rise;

Or plaintive Martyrs, worthy of the name;

Or noble Elgin beets the heaven-ward flame;

The sweetest far of Scotia's holy lays:

Compar'd with these, Italian trills are tame;

The tickl'd ears no heart-felt raptures raise;

Nae unison hae they with our Creator's praise.

 

 

Give me Italian trills any day.

[parsfan]

Another stunning recital last Sunday by Colin Andrews. The highlight was the Prelude and Fugue in G (BWV 550) by JSB. Haven't heard this before and I came away wondering why it doesn't feature more frequently in recitals. Tricky to play?

[mgp]

Another stunning recital last Sunday by Colin Andrews. The highlight was the Prelude and Fugue in G (BWV 550) by JSB. Haven't heard this before and I came away wondering why it doesn't feature more frequently in recitals. Tricky to play?

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Its on the new FRCO syllabus so maybe it will see more outings!