This, I strongly suspect,
is a double debut CD. It is certainly
the first solo CD recital by Greg Morris
(b. 1976), who has been sub-organist
of Blackburn Cathedral since September
2000. It is also, quite possibly, the
first commercial recording to be made
on the cathedral’s Walker organ since
it was restored and enlarged by Woods
of Huddersfield. The history of the
instrument and details of the restoration,
completed in June 2002, are described
in an interesting note by the cathedral’s
organist, Richard Tanner, who is also
the producer of this present recording.
Greg Morris is clearly
an accomplished and discriminating organist
and he has chosen and balanced his programme
well so that several baroque pieces
not only show off different facets of
the instrument but also refresh the
listener’s musical palette between the
twentieth-century works. As will be
seen from the list of compositions,
all the music is suitable for the feast
of Pentecost and much of it is founded
on the plainchant hymn Veni Creator
Spiritus.
I liked the clarity
and sense of style with which Morris
plays the baroque music. I don’t find
the de Grigny especially rewarding but
I can appreciate that it is being done
well here. My own favourites among the
baroque performances here (perhaps inevitably)
are those of the two pieces by Bach.
The imposing yet vital Fantasia on Komm,
Heiliger Geist comes off
splendidly, the music majestic but dancing.
The exuberant chorale prelude Komm,
Gott, Schöpfer, Heiliger Geist
is no less successful.
The piece by the Swiss
composer, Carl Rütti, was new to
me though I have heard some of his vocal
music before and been impressed by it.
His Veni Creator Spiritus dates
from 1981 and is a most effective opener
to the recital. It’s cast in several
short sections and is almost a mini
set of variations. The powerful toccata
passages put me in mind of Messiaen
and the piece comes to a thunderous
end, which is splendidly voiced here.
Morris also includes music by the aforementioned
French master. His Messe de la
Pentecôte (1950) is
not, perhaps, quite so familiar as his
three great preceding masterpieces for
the instrument, L’Ascension,
La Nativité du Seigneur,
or Les Corps Glorieux but it’s
a fine work and more approachable, I
think than the subsequent Livre d’Orgue.
Here Greg Morris plays the final two
movements. Not only is it logical to
present two adjoining movements as excerpts
but the chosen ones also contrast well
and complement each other. The Communion
is packed with birdsong and Morris realizes
the complex rhythms well while letting
the music breath. Birdsong is present
in the concluding Sortie also. There
are also powerful episodes in this latter
piece and Morris conveys the splendour
very well.
Maurice Duruflé
was almost an exact contemporary of
Messiaen but though they shared a Catholic
faith their music was worlds apart.
In particular Duruflé eschewed
the sheer aural spectacle that we find
in Messiaen. Greg Morris gives a fine
performance of this subtle and often
elusive work. I like the way he realizes
the subtle tints of the Prélude.
He also paints the subdued colours of
much of the Adagio very well. In this
movement (track 15) there’s a rather
curious effect between 2’16" and
3’11" which I can best describe
as sounding like wind-borne harmonics.
I am sure this is a deliberate registration,
and fascinating it is, but how the effect
is achieved I have no idea. The concluding
Variations are built up patiently and
successfully to a majestic conclusion.
This is a most auspicious
debut recital. Not only does Greg Morris
play well; he also contributes interesting
and sympathetic notes. The recorded
sound is extremely good, capturing the
organ clearly and realistically within
a believable sound picture of the cathedral
itself.
John Quinn
Greg Morris (organ) 