Gerald Hendrie: Complete Organ Music Volume 1

Gerald Hendrie is an English scholar, composer, organist, pianist, and harpsichordist. There is a Wikipedia article, here as well as a short biography provided by The Society of Old Framlinghamians, here. Hendrie himself gives a good introduction to his life and times in the booklet included in the present CD, available to download at the Toccata Records webpage. I am beholden to it in the preparation of my review. 

Le Tombeau de Marcel Dupré was written over a two-year period, 1990-92. It consists of three preludes/toccata and fugues, and Two Sketches on the name BACH. Hendrie insists that they are not “parodies” of Dupré’s remarkable Trois Préludes et Fugues, op.7 (c.1912) (not 1918 as stated in the liner notes) or his Deux Equisses, issued in 1946. Yet even a cursory hearing suggests that the Frenchman was a model: they “hold up a mirror to them and endeavour to reflect something of the style and spirit of each.”  The opening Toccata displays the virtuosic passage work in both pedals and manuals typical of the genre. The Fugue is quite jazzy and ends with a jazz players added sixth chord. The following Prelude and Fugue is quiet, slow, and restrained. The third example, in G minor, presents a rapid, but sustained will o’ the wisp Prelude, followed by an energetic Fugue. It is based on the notes B-A-C-H and its retrograde. Equally airy is the first of the Two Sketches on BACH, whereas the second is “bold and dramatic” bringing the sequence to a stunning conclusion.

I am not sure whether Le Tombeau de Marcel Dupré ought to be played as a collection or whether it is fine to excerpt. To be sure, the preludes/toccata and fugues were all published separately. On the other hand, it is satisfying to hear the complete work. It lasts for about 34 minutes.

The Sicilienne: Hommage à Maurice Duruflé was finished in 2022 and was dedicated to the present recitalist. As the title suggests, it was inspired by the eponymous movement from the French composer’s Suite, op.5 dating from 1933. Both are episodic in structure and use a similar “lilting rhythm.” It is a beautiful tribute.

qually convincing is the Choral: Hommage à César Franck written in 1990. It commemorated one hundred years since his death. Hendrie’s methodology was to study Franck’s organ music as well as the Prelude, Aria, and Finale for piano to create a Chorale No.4 in C minor as a pendant to the Trois Chorals completed by the Belgian in the last year of his life. Hendrie’s Hommage is a long work, lasting nearly 14 minutes. It is sectionalised, with a slow introspective opening, a loud bridge passage leading to a reflective ‘choral’ and then slowly but surely building up to a restrained climax and then continuing with rapid figuration and a powerful peroration. The piece subsides to end quietly. My only concern was to wonder when it was to “get going,” but once it did, it certainly blows the cobwebs out of the organ pipes.

Specula Petro (loosely translated as Mirrors of Peter) is a twelve-tone composition. The composer states that it was “much influenced” by Olivier Messiaen’s Livre d’orgue (1951) and Malcolm Williamson’s Fons Amoris (1955-56). Certainly, Hendrie has used the serial method to define “pitch, rhythm and structure.” The impact of the work is characterised by a series of short, but contrasting, “statements.” It would make a splendid recital piece, appealing to folk that may find the Messiaen exemplar a wee bit long.

The final work on this CD is the Sonata: In Praise of St Asaph/Mawl i Asaff Sant completed in 1994. It was dedicated to the memory of the late William Mathias who had died in 1992. The four movements look at various aspects of St Asaph’s career. Hendrie explains that his sonata is “partly twelve-note and partly tonal.”  The opening movement reflects St Asaph’s call to his vocation, “anguished at first” but soon becoming tranquil. Plainchant is used here. The brilliant rough and tumble Fugue follows, reflecting “the vigour and rough simplicity of everyday medieval life,” but still dominated by the church. The Interlude, which has hints of Messiaen’s more contemplative music, is quite lovely. It represents St Asaph at prayer, possibly in the monastery founded by St Kentigern (or Mungo). The finale is a “paean…of praise for St Asaph.” Use is made of the Scottish hymn tune St Asaph in this toccata’s progress. It is a big, powerful statement, clearly designed to “bring the church down.” The entire sonata represents the holy man’s journey from darkness to light and from denial to acceptance.

The comprehensive liner notes, compiled by Gerald Hendrie, also include “reflections” on the music by Tom Winpenny.

The recital is performed on the Harrison and Harrison organ built in 1962. It was the first English cathedral instrument “to be voiced and built on neo-classical lines.” A full history of the instrument, as well as the all-important specification is given in the booklet. The recording well reflects the ambience of St Alban’s Cathedral.

Gerald Hendrie has a great champion in Tom Winpenny, who is currently Assistant Master of Music at St Alban’s Cathedral. He gives a committed and technically outstanding performance of each piece.

I look forward to hearing the subsequent volume of this cycle of organ music.

Track Listing:
Gerald Hendrie (b.1935)
Le Tombeau de Marcel Dupré (1990-92)
Sicilienne: Hommage à Maurice Duruflé (2022)
Choral: Hommage à César Franck (1990)
Specula Petro (1968)
Sonata: In Praise of St Asaph/Mawl i Asaff Sant (1994)
Tom Winpenny (organ)
rec. 1-2 June 2022, Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban, St Albans, Hertfordshire, UK.
Toccata Classics TOCC0684