Early English Organ Music - Simon Preston, Trevor Pinnock

Early English Organ Music
Simon Preston, Trevor Pinnock
Archiv 415 675-2

Anonymous: I smile to see how you devise. Byrd: Fantasia in C major. Tomkins: Voluntary in C major. Gibbons: Fantasia No. 10 in A minor. Purcell: Voluntary in G major, Z720. Farrant (attrib.): Felix namque. Bull: Prelude in D minor; In Nomine No. 11 in A minor. Stanley: Voluntary No. 10 in A minor. Greene: Voluntary in G major. Boyce: Voluntary No. 1 in 0 major. S. Wesley: Duet for Organ in C major.

English organ music before the mid-nineteenth century tended to commune with itself and must indeed often have given satisfaction to a mere audience of one, the player. The widely-acclaimed exceptions are the eighteenth-century concertos with orchestra, with Handel as the presiding genius, and the often exciting voluntaries of John Stanley, whose popularity with congregations must have been bad news for a tired verger wanting his supper. But these well-planted forms wilted and dropped when handled by lesser masters. It took a special sympathy to be able to exploit the capabilities of England's modest little organs. The even smaller organs available to composers of the sixteenth century were well suited to personal devotion in church or private pleasure at home. The organ Simon Preston plays for the earlier (Farrant to Purcell) pieces was bought for Knole House about 1605. Preston brings us as near to the heart of this music as we will ever get without playing ourselves. His technical mastery makes light of incredible difficulties and we are close enough to hear the various parts of the instrument spring smartly to life at his bidding. What is amazing is that the layout of the organ makes it necessary for the player to perform standing up—and in close proximity to the (human) blower too.

From Stanley to Sam Wesley we are hearing the Samuel Green organ at Armitage in Staffordshire, the one Preston used for the Handel concertos (also on Archiv Produktion). Though technically ideal for this programme, I find it tasty only in parts and its temperament makes certain regions of the Wesley duet (a splendid partnership, Preston and Pinnock) sound slightly sour. But I must not make too much of this, since it must be the elixir of life to some. There is absolutely no doubt of the quality of all these performances and the balance is excellent. Compact Disc ensures that no detail is missed, musical or mechanical. I suppose Farrant is the justification for the picture of St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, on the cover. It's perhaps misleading to show a majestic instrument of a much later date than the ones recorded.

G.R., Gramohphone Magazine