The recital gets off to a great
start with Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in C major, BWV 547 with its largely
pastoral prelude featuring a ritornello-like (a short recurring passage)
construction. This is followed by a closely argued five-part fugue based on a
single bar subject which has many wayward modulations and unexpected entries. Both
movements have an unexpected ‘rhetorical pause’ at their conclusion which seems
to provide a unity of structure. This late work, probably composed in the 1740s,
may have been one of Bach’s last pieces for organ. It is given an exhilarating
performance by John Hosking.
C.S. Lang is universally known by
organ music enthusiasts for his dynamic Tuba Tune. It has been recorded
dozens of times. So, it is refreshing to discover that Hosking has chosen to
include the Introduction & Passacaglia in A minor, op.51 composed in
1952. It is quite definitely in the
post-romantic tradition but looking over its shoulder to Bach’s Passacaglia in
C minor, BWV 582.
Equally conservative in sound is
the Variations sur un Noël Bourguignon composed by André Fleury at the
end of the 1950s. This work seems to span the years between the seventeenth
century French classical tradition and the more complex passagework prevalent
in the 20th century. It is a charming piece which makes an ideal set
of Christmas variations. I understand that they are a wee bit easier to play
than Marcel Dupré’s
Variations sur un Noël but they are no cinch! Satisfyingly played here.
I will pass over the saccharine
pieces by Leon Boëllmann, the ‘Ave Maria’ for soprano, violin, harp and organ,
and the ‘Ave verum corpus’ for soprano and organ. I hold my hand up and concede
that they a well performed, but sound just a wee bit too like Andrew Lloyd
Webber for my taste. Equally, syrupy is the present organist’s ‘In the halls of
our patronage’ written for soprano and harp.
My interest is aroused again by
the characteristically French-sounding Toccata by John Hosking. This work takes
its place with the great Toccatas of Vierne, Widor, Gigout and especially
Dubois. A wee bit pastiche, but great stuff.
Another Toccata (2003), this time for solo harp, is the technically difficult
piece by Guillaume Connesson. It has a delicate, filigree sound, full of
vibrant cross-rhythms and just touch of jazz. It often sounds like a theme-tune
for a TV romantic drama series. But an enjoyable piece for all that.
I did not warm to Lili
Boulanger’s Pie Jesu. This haunting piece has little to generate
devotion or to give the dead any kind of ‘everlasting rest’. It was originally
scored for high voice, string quartet, harp and organ. The string quartet has
been dispensed with here. About as far away from the hackneyed exemplars by Gabriel
Fauré and Andrew
Lloyd Webber as you could get. This is
the only work that Boulanger wrote using a Christian text: it has been
suggested that she may have been working on a full setting of the Requiem Mass.
Despite my reservations, it is beautifully sung by Olivia Hunt.
I usually enjoy the organ music
of Sigfrid Karg-Elert. However, this lugubrious Symphonic Chorale, op.87 no.3
'Nun ruhen alle Wälder' for soprano, violin and harp composed in 1911 is hard going. And it is the longest piece on this CD! The opening organ sections are not bad. It is
just that the rest of the music seems to me to be a long-winded ramble and a
dirge. The title translates ‘Now all the woods are resting.’ To me, this music
certainly does have a somnolent effect, and I am not a tree…
All is back to as it should be
with the French composer Marcel Dupré’s
frenetic ‘Toccata’ from the Organ Symphony No.2, op.26. It is a fiery and
compelling work that is always guaranteed to give a satisfying conclusion to a
recital. Played with aplomb here.
I found the booklet rather
difficult to read. The font is very small. A lot of information is presented in
these pages, although the order of discussion is very different to the track
listings. Dates for some of the music are not given. The texts of the vocal
works are included along with translations where appropriate. There is detailed
biographical information about the performers. A full specification of the
impressive four-manual organ is printed, along with a brief historical outline.
The original one manual Hill instrument was installed in 1824, with the most
recent rebuild being in 1998. At this time the organ was enlarged, with a
‘solo’ manual and a new oak case. It is an impressive instrument.
The recording is excellent with a
good balance achieved, especially when other soloists are accompanied by the
organ. I note the recording date is
given as 21-22 November 2019: A wee bit previous.
I guess that I was disappointed
that the programme did not feature any music by William Mathias. In 1972, he
founded the St Asaph Festival which is going strong to this day. And he is
great composer of music for organ! I would willingly have swapped the turgid
Karg Elert or the mawkish Boëllmann for any one (or more) of Mathias’s works.
Track Listing:
Johannes Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) Prelude and Fugue
in C major, BWV 547 (1740s)
Craig Sellar (C.S.) LANG (1891-1971) Introduction and
Passacaglia in A minor, op.51 (1952)
André FLEURY (1903-95) Variations sur un Noël
Bourguignon (1959/60)
Léon BOËLLMANN (1862-97) Ave Maria for soprano,
violin, harp and organ, from Six Motets (c.1887)
John HOSKING (b.1976) Toccata in F sharp major (2017)
Guillaume CONNESSON (b.1970) Toccata for solo harp
(2003)
Léon BOELLMANN Ave verum corpus for soprano and organ,
from Six Motets (c.1887)
Lili BOULANGER (1893-1918) Pie Jesu for soprano, harp
and organ (1918)
John HOSKING ‘In the halls of our patronage’ for
soprano and harp (2018)
Sigfrid KARG-ELERT (1877-1933) Symphonic Chorale, op.87
no.3 'Nun ruhen alle Wälder' for soprano, violin and harp (1911)
Marcel DUPRÉ (1886-1971) Toccata from Symphony No.2, op.26
(1929)
John Hosking (organ); Olivia Hunt (soprano); Xander Croft
(violin); Bethan Griffiths (harp)
Rec. St Asaph Cathedral, 21 -22 November 2018?
Willowhayne Records WHR 058
With thanks to MusicWeb International where this review was
first published.
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