When I first started to listen to
classical music, I used to hear much about the Three Bs – Bach, Beethoven and
Brahms. As a child of the fifties/sixties, I wanted to add a fourth - The
Beatles. I enjoy their entire repertoire from the LP Please Please Me
through to Let it Be and, from their first hit single, My Bonnie/The
Saints (with Tony Sheridan) to the various solo albums and songs issued by
individual Beatles after their final break-up in 1970.
No Beatle fan will need to be told of the significance of St Peter’s Church, Woolton: it was the place where John Lennon and Paul McCartney first met. This historic occasion took place on Saturday, 6 July 1957. The event was the church’s annual summer fête. There were many entertainments including the Crowning of the Rose Queen, a display by the Liverpool Police Dogs, a Fancy Dress Parade, the Band of the Cheshire Yeomanry and the Quarry Men Skiffle Group. That evening, there was a Grand Dance in the church hall, with music provided by the George Edwards’ Band and the Quarry Men. This latter combo consisted of John Lennon, Eric Griffiths, Colin Hanton, Rod Davis, Pete Shotton and Len Garry. Their “set” included Baby let’s play house, Maggie May, Cumberland Gap, Railroad Bill, Putting on the style and Come go with me. After the performance, John was introduced to the fifteen year old Paul. Lennon was impressed by McCartney’s ability to tune a guitar, his knowledge of rock and roll song lyrics, and his playing of Little Richard numbers. The rest, as they say, is History! Strangely perhaps, Cristina Garcia Banegas does not play any of the early songs.
It is useful to realise that not all these are original Beatles compositions: Till there was you was show tune written in 1950 by Merdith Wilson and was covered by the Fab Four in 1963.
Cristina Garcia Banegas hails from Uruguay. For many years, she was the Chair of Organ Studies at the country’s University School of Music. A major interest is the realisation and performance of Latin American Baroque music. In 1987 she founded the International Organ Festival of Uruguay. Banegas gives organ recital in many parts of the world and is in demand as a jurist in competitions.
The organ at St Peter’s Church, Woolton was originally installed in 1895 by the renowned Hull firm of Foster and Andrews. It was rebuilt during 1945 by Liverpool organ builder Rushworth and Dreaper. Further modifications were made by David Wells (another local firm) in 1994. It is a large instrument for a parish church. There are three manuals with 38 speaking stops. The full organ specification is given in the booklet.
The liner notes do not offer the dates of each song. I have provided these, except for the two medleys. Further, there are no timings given. I have used those which appear on the CD player display. Whilst talking about time, it seems to me that 41 minutes is rather miserly. Presto charge £13.25 for this CD: that is not the greatest of value. I concede that this would have been the length of a contemporary album back in the sixties. The booklet is printed in Spanish and English and is well illustrated.
Does this recital work? It does! Cristina Garcia Banegas is sympathetic to the repertoire, and uses some delicious registrations, for example in Fool on the Hill. Perhaps the slower and more thoughtful songs sound best on this instrument. The opening When I’m sixty four really needs all the effects of a cinema organ for a superlative effect. I am not sure why the soloist has to vocalise “Number 9” during the medleys: this came from the avant-garde collage Revolution 9 on the White Album. This is not played here.
I thoroughly enjoyed this CD. What appealed to me most is the thought that if John and Paul had heard the organ on that day some 65 years ago, it would have sounded very much the same as it does today. It is good to know that worship (what the church was designed for) continues to this day. The organ is regularly used, despite being augmented by the inevitable “music group.”
Track Listing:The Beatles (1957-1970)
When I am sixty-four (1966)
Till there was you (1950)
Strawberry Fields for ever (1966)
In my life (1965)
Lucy in the sky with diamonds (1967)
I will (1968)
Because (1969)
We can work it out (1965)
Medley 1: Come together/Something/My Love/Across the Universe/I me mine/Fool on the Hill
If I fell (1964)
Julia (1968)
The long and winding road (1969)
Medley 2: Golden Slumbers/Carry that weight/You never give me your money/The End
Cristina Garcia Banegas (organ)
rec. 9 & 10 July 2019, St Peter’s Church, Woolton, Liverpool
DRAMA MUSICA DRAMA012
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