CD REVIEWS
THE ORGANIST (THE T.C. LEWIS ORGAN OF ALBION CHURCH)
JONATHAN
SCOTT - SBDRCD006
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Publication: The Organ
Date: February/April 2012
Reviewer: James Palmer
THE ORGANIST *****
Jonathan Scott plays the TC Lewis Organ of Albion Church, Ashton-Under-Lyne
This is the best
recording of an organ in a church I have heard in many years. The
quality of the sound is very fine, as one may hear at the outset -
the opening Allegro movement of Widor's Sixth Symphony in G minor.
The microphone placing appears to be ideal, and the full sound of
this remarkable late 19th- century Lewis organ is well caught without
a trace of overload.
This is claimed to be the first recording ever made on this instrument,
but I trust it will not be the last. Jonathan Scott has selected a
mixture of short items (Mozart's K 608 Fantasia is the longest, at
9'59''; Herbert Brewer's Chanson de Matin - see page 36 for
Jerrold Northrop Moore's feature on Elgar's organ music in this issue
- is the shortest, at 2'47"), which work extremely well.
This is really
fine playing on an unfairly neglected instrument (so far as commercial
recordings of it are concerned), and all in all it came as something
of a revelation to me. I hope that Jonathan Scott goes on to record
some major late 19th-century repertoire on this organ - he and the
instrument deserve it. The booklet contains excellent notes on the
music by the organist, a full specification and short history of the
organ, and some striking colour photographs. A most impressive achievement.
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Publication: Pipeline - In the Pipeline (Organ Society of Western
Australia)
Date: February 2012
Reviewer: Pastór de Lasala
On reading the biography
of Jonathan Scott, one can hardly fail to be impressed by the breadth
of music activity in which he is involved. Apart from being an organist,
he is also a harpsichordist, pianist and play the harmonium. In addition
to arranging and transcribing works, he has recorded piano music for
television. Jonathan collaborates as a duo with his pianist brother,
Tom. Together, they have produced over 20 CDs to great acclaim on
their own label.
The 1895 T.C. Lewis organ at Albion Church at Ashton-Under-Lyne
is largely original, having undergone a rebuilding by Rushworth &
Dreaper in 1953, the work including the provision of a new console,
electro-pneumatic action, the removal of the Tuba from the Solo swell
box and the borrowing of two pedal stops. The current instrument has
4 manuals and pedals with 47 stops. As a matter of comparison, it
is the younger sister to the important Lewis organ of 53 stops in
St Paul's Melbourne (1891).
If the ingredients for a successful CD are a diverse programme, playing
coming from the heart, variety of tone colour and communicating with
the listener, Jonathan Scott ticks all the boxes. By his own admission
in the introduction to the liner notes, Scott uses the words 'excitement'
and 'sheer enjoyment' in his desire to present this wonderful instrument.
From the start of Widor's majestic Allegro from the 6th Symphony until
the 1st Symphony, one cannot help but empathise with the successful
musical marriage of the performer's passion in the playing and his
being at one with the instrument.
The programme flows like a well organised banquet with judiciously
selected musical 'sorbets' providing a foil and aural relief to the
larger works. This factor plus the sheer array of colour create a
very pleasurable listening experience. Scott has seen fit to include
some of his own transcriptions, all of them very popular works, but
completely reworked here to good effect: the very pleasant pace of
the Pachelbel's Canon is complemented by fluid upper parts and tonal
hues.
Guilmant's March upon Handel's' Lift up your head, with its ceremonial
strides and contrasting contrapuntal central section, is beautifully
framed between the deliciously darting impish figures in Bossi's Scherzo
which return no less mischievous as Elves in Bonnet's eponymous work.
Scotts fine technique and clarity are most evident here. The
delightful episodes in the Widor are
no less spectacular, especially the notorious complicated one with
its multiple rhythms. If colour is a main feature of this CD, Ravels
Pavane pour une Infante Défunte is a prime example of this
with its line up of gorgeous solo reed voices. Lewis Tuba -
now fortuitously unenclosed - makes its noble appearance the Cocker
Tuba Tune.
Indeed, Mozart would have been satisfied to hear his Fantasy on such
a substantial instrument. After all, he did call the organ the
king of instruments'. The author was particularly reminded of
the Mozartian epithet some years ago whilst seated at his Edegacher
instrument in Salzburg Cathedral. Whilst we are treated to the grandeur
of this sizeable work with large choruses, the luscious episodes on
the exquisite harmonic flute are a pointed reminder of the more humble
origins of this piece which was written for a diminutive organ clock.
Without intending to look for any negatives, there is only one small
detail which stands out: the closing Allargando section of the Gigout
Toccata. This reviewer feels that there should have been a clear break
rather than drive on to the end. Although the distinct advantage of
this is to clear the air in the very generous acoustic
of a French cathedral, it also serves to prepare the change of rhythmic
movement in the closing bars. This is only a very minor and subjective/stylistic
point which should not, in any way, detract from the overall brilliance
of performance of the work.
Being a fold out format, the presentation case and twelve-page booklet
of this CD has excellent photos of the organs two cases, the
church interior and the performer. Scott has supplied succinct liner
notes on the pieces, details of the organ and its specification. The
whole product is handsomely and thoughtfully presented and may be
purchased online from their website. The website is most definitely
worth visiting and therein can be found a wealth of information. The
recordings page has tempting samples of both solo and duo works. Loosen
to purse strings and indulge. The France may have its Labeque sisters,
but the UK has the Scott brothers.
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