Naji Hakim may be best-known as an organist and a composer of
organ music; but, as this release makes clear, he also composed
- and still does - orchestral music and concertos including one
for violin and three for organ. The Second Organ Concerto is scored
for organ and orchestra while the First and Third Concertos are
scored for organ and strings.
Påskeblomst (“Easter Flower”)
for strings is a theme and variations on a hymn composed in 1910
by Carl Nielsen. In fact, it would probably be more appropriate
to describe the various movements as free fantasias on Nielsen’s
hymn tune. The music is by turns serious, lyrical, meditative
and joyfully dance-like, particularly so in the last section.
The whole amounts to a wonderful work, superbly written for strings,
full of contrasts and of nicely judged string textures that sometimes
bring Britten’s equally imaginative
Frank Bridge Variations
to mind. It definitely deserves wider exposure.
In the
Concerto No.1 for Organ and Strings composed
as a commission from the Dutch Orgelkring Heeswijk organ festival,
the organ does not really stand out but is more like a
primus
inter pares sometimes playing a more orchestral part than
a truly concerted one. The three movements are laid out in the
traditional mould with two lively outer ones framing a slower,
more meditative central Andante alluding to fragments of plainchant
and Gregorian hymns.
Improvising on plainchant hymn-tunes is part of any organist’s
diet; and, as many other organist-composers before him, Hakim
composed paraphrases on such hymn-tunes. His recent
Esquisses
Grégoriennes clearly belong to that tradition of
improvisation. The unnamed annotator mentions that the
Esquisses
might be regarded as an organ mass in five movements :
Nos
autem (Introitus),
Ave maris stella (Offertorium),
Pater Noster (Elevation),
Ave verum (Communion)
and
O filii et filiae (closing music). Whichever way you
look at it, this set of improvisations is remarkably done and
full of imagination.
Hakim mentions Debussy, Stravinsky, Poulenc and even Gershwin
as models for and influences on his music. However, Poulenc is
the one that immediately comes to mind when listening to the
Concerto
No.3 for Organ and Strings although Hakim’s work
is far from being a mere blue-print of Poulenc’s deservedly
popular concerto. The outer movements quite often display that
sort of nonchalance often associated with the French composer
with dancing, carefree, catchy themes that stay with you once
heard. The middle movement is a set of variations “of texture
rather than key” on a Maronite melody. Hakim’s Third
Organ Concerto is another marvellous piece and a most welcome
addition to the repertoire. Incidentally this work is dedicated
to Franz Hauk who recorded a number of rare works for organ and
orchestra on the Guild label.
As far as I can judge, performances are excellent and superbly
recorded. Jan Lehtola clearly enjoys the music and plays it with
much zest and assurance. This hybrid CD sounds remarkably well
even when played on a normal CD player.
In short, this well-filled release provides an excellent introduction
to Hakim’s generous, honest and superbly crafted music.
It will appeal not only to “organ buffs” but also
to those who respond to accessible contemporary music.
Hubert Culot
Tracklist
Påskeblomst for Strings 18:57
1. Hymne 0:50
2. Modéré 1:46
3. Tumultueux 0:59
4. Véhément 1:01
5. Recueilli 2:20
6. Gaiement 1:18
7. Animé 0:51
8. Ardent 2:10
9. Orné 2:52
10. Dansant 4:44
Concerto 1 for Organ and Strings 19:16
1. Vivace 7:34
2. Andante 5:02
3. Allegro 6:31
Esquisses Grégoriennes 13:49
1. Nos autem 3:05
2. Ave maris stella 3:09
3. Pater noster 1:36
4. Ave verum 2:19
5. O filii et filiae 3:33
Concerto 3 for Organ and Strings 23:59
1. Allegro 7:51
2. Moderato 8:54
3. Allegro 7:01
Jan Lehtola (organ) 
[76:43] 
