Beulah

COMPACT DISCS

Between 1993 and 2001 Beulah established itself as an award winning and highly accliamed classical music and middle of the road compact disc label. Now we are re-issuing the best performances from our back catalogue.

1RF3 English Organ Music

The wealth of English organ music owes its being to the distinctive character of the English instrument. English organ building is itself distinct from the continental traditions, and is a reflection of the history of the Church in England. Whereas in Germany, the Lutheran service places great emphasis on congregational hymn singing, the Royal Charters which newly established the Cathedrals of England with their "Organist and Master of the Choristers, ten Choristers and six lay vicars" established the "English Choral Tradition" and the necessity for organs to accompany choirs in their liturgical role. The absence of any continental choral tradition to speak of, is naturally reflected in the quality and specification of the instruments found in continental Europe. The continuity within the English tradition of organ building is best understood in studying those who, over time have advised Churches and Cathedrals upon the registration of their instruments. The convention that the consultant also gives the inaugural recital has ensured that those Cathedral Organists or music college professors who understand the nature of the beast and the importance of tonal and dynamic versatility are commissioned as advisors. The Tickell organ at St. Barnabas is part of this tradition, and even included members of the choir on the specification committee.

English organs were described as "sweet" in a survey of 1634 by members of the Military Company of Norwich who toured English cathedrals just a short time before Cromwell's army destroyed many organs. At the time of the restoration in 1660 such organs as survived were one manual. The new organs that followed the Reformation saw developments such as a second choir manual for Durham's new organ of 1683 and the introduction of an enclosed celestial organ in addition to the great in the Temple Church London in 1684. The next development was of great significance to English organ builders. In 1712 Abraham Jordan built and organ in St. Magnus the Martyr in London that had the enclosed organ with a front grill that could be opened and closed by a foot pedal. This was the first swell organ, an important feature of English organs. The final major development came in 1803 when the new organ for St. Mary Magdalen Church Newark had a separate pedal organ built into it. Until this time pedal notes had been drawn down from the manuals. The Tickell organ on this disc is a direct descendant of these developments in English organs.

The disc opens with Sir William Harris' (1883-1973 )Flourish For An Occasion, a conservative piece published as late as 1948. As organist at St. George's Chapel Windsor this work was an inevitable composition as this chapel is an essential element of royal traditions. Harris was an archetypal establishment man having studied and later taught at the Royal College Of Music he also held appointments as organist of New College Oxford and at Christ Church Cathedral Oxford. In contrast John Stanley (1718-86) although Master Of the Kings Band for some years must have been a somewhat unconventional person. Although blind from the age of two he succeeded in becoming a noted conductor, organist and composer. The Voluntary played here reflects his character. The Voluntary was considered a casual adjunct to the Anglican service in Stanley's time. The Voluntary had developed through the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries as a fully composed work that did not utilise a plainsong theme. By the eighteenth century Voluntaries were many and various and often reflected something of their organist composers. Thomas Arne(1710-78) is better known for music associated with the theatre. He did play the harpsichord much to hs father's displeasure and the Introduction and Fugue played here comes from one of his numerous keyboard concerti. William Russell's (1777-1813) style of Voluntary is a world away from the previous generation and hints at some of the vulgarities to come in Victorian England. Hubert Parry (1848-1918) born in Bournemouth, son of an English country gentleman has had his musical style described by his contemporaries as "Miltonesque", Although born a gentleman his music bore the zeal of the rebel. His Fantasia and Fugue in G written towards the end of his successful life in 1913 quickly became standard repertory for many organists. If Parry is considered one of the best English composers of the late nineteenth century then Herbert Howells surely hold such a position for much of the twentieth century. Howells (1892-1983) like William Harris was both long lived and much admired in his time. Howells Three Rhapsodies written during the First World War demonstrate a deep commitment to the organ, showing both gentle restraint and the instrument's ability to deliver at full power. The Toccata of Patrick Gowers(born 1936) was written for Simon Preston who premiered the work at The Royal Festival Hall on London's South Bank in 1969.This virtuoso work, opening with full organ fanfares and steams of fast moving semi-quavers so one of the true fully great English toccatas of the twentieth century. It can be compared with the great French toccata, but still maintains those harmonic and rhythmic qualities intrinsic to the tradition of Stanley through to Howells. We end with Peter Maxwell Davies' (born 1938)Three Organ Voluntaries. Although they may seem on first hearing to be unconnected with any English Organ Tradition they do in fact show an affinity with previous generations, notably Stanley, as they were clearly written with a smile! Psalm 124 is described as being "after David Peebles" but the pedal reminds us of an earlier tune. O God Abufe is "after John Fethy" and All Sons of Adam is "after an anonyms sixteenth century motet".

The Organ at St. Barnabas, Dulwich

Following a disastrous fire on 7th December 1992 the new church is centred around an alter placed under a glass spire and below the East window is located the organ enclosed on three sides by brick work. William McVicker, organist at St. Barnabas specified three requirements for the new organ that it should be able to lead a large congregation (200 to 400 people), accompany a choir of up to 50 singers, and be able to respond to the demands of visiting choirs and orchestras. The Northampton based firm of Kenneth Tickell were contracted to build the organ. The project was complicated by the fact that at the time of design and throughout most of the organ's manufacture there was no church building and therefore an unknown acoustic. The congregation at St. Barnabas are in the words of William McVicker "hearty singers". The congregation responds to painting the words of a hymn using the organ's colours. This require a powerful Swell able to produce both dramatic and subtle effects along with diapason choruses of nobility and power to lead the singing firmly. The resulting organ has a 58 note compass with three manuals, Great, Swell and Choir and a Pedal Organ. It is a tracker action machine. A full story of the organ's development and construction is contained in a booklet available from the Parish Church of St. Barnabas, 40 Calton Avenue, Dulwich, London SE21, price £2.50(inc post and packing within the UK).

Matthew Morley (b. 1968)

Matthew's organ studies began as a music scholar at Tonbridge School. In 1986 he was awarded a place at the Royal academy of Music in London to study the organ with Christopher Bowers Broadbent, the harpsichord with Virginia Black, and piano accompaniment with Geoffrey Pratley.

Matthew has since established himself as a versatile recitalist and accompanist on the organ and piano, and has performed in many of Britain's cathedrals, in New York, Washington D.C., Vancouver and in Cape Town, South Africa.

As organist and pianist he works with many leading choirs and ensembles. Since 1993 Matthew has been Assistant Director of Music at St. Bride's Church, Fleet Street, London, with whose he has made a number of acclaimed broadcasts and recordings. In 1998 Matthew was appointed Assistant Chorus Master to English National Opera.

Recording in St. Barnabas

A modern glass church in urban South London presents unique recording problems. The week prior to recording the church ambient temperature had peaked at 32° C. By the time we came to record rain had arrived and the internal gutters proved very noisy. Everything was now cooling down and our organ tuner, Michael Buttolph was very much in demand.

The organ was designed to operate in a church full of people. An empty church changes the sound. Our engineer Iestyn Rees tried to find a position for his M-S pair of Schoeps microphones that produced a sound approaching that we had heard when David Hill gave a recital on the instrument to a full church.

The Crew

Nick Morgan was not only the producer, editor and Mr. Morley's page tuner but he also made the tea! Iestyn Rees was our larger than life award winning engineer ably assisted by Morgan ("The Boy") Roberts . Paul Edmonds was the tape operator with his trusty Nagra.

Acknowledgements

Our thanks go to William McVicker and the staff at St. Barnabas , and to HenPen Music of Letchworth who gave financial support to the production of this disc.

These notes have been compiled from contributions by Geoffrey Silver, Nick Morgan, Matthew Morley, by Barry Coward who also had the original idea for this disc and has seen it through to publication.

Contents

Although no longer availabe on disc you can download the tracks for only £0.79 each or £7.99 for the whole disc from [iTunes Plus]