English Town Hall Organ - Philharmonie Duisburg
Gustav HOLST (1874-1934)
Jupiter from The Planets op. 32 [8:23]
George Friedrich HANDEL (1685-1759)
Concerto for Organ and Orchestra op. 4 no. 5 [9:10]
Louis VIERNE (1870-1937)
Claire de lune from op. 53 [9:05]
Carillon de Westminster from op. 54 [6:22]
Frank BRIDGE (1879-1941)
Adagio in E [6:20]
Allegro Marziale [4:07]
Edward ELGAR (1857-1934)
Nimrod from Variations on an original theme op. 36 [3:44]
César FRANCK (1822-1890)
Final op. 21 [13:14]
Roland Maria STANGIER (b. 1957)
Improvisation [10:29]
Zsolt GÁRDONYI (b. 1946)
Grand Choeur [7:00]
Roland Maria Stangier (organ)
rec. August-September 2010, Philharmonie Mercatorhalle, Duisburg,
Germany
ACOUSENCE RECORDS ACO-CD 10710 [77:54]
An organist’s first reaction to this CD is a rather blank
expression. For a German concert hall to commission a brand
new organ in the style of a 19th or 20th
century English Town Hall organ is a little surprising, given
the historic and respected tradition of organ building in Germany.
However, the liner-notes explain that the City of Duisburg requested
an organ that would be truly suited to secular music, so turned
to the English tradition of large and versatile instruments,
once found in every large town. Examples would include the instruments
at Reading Town Hall and The Royal Albert Hall. These would
have been played weekly, giving the average person access to
orchestral music via transcriptions as well as English favourites
such as the organ works of Hubert Parry. The repertoire chosen
for this recording couldn’t be more appropriate. Orchestral
transcriptions and English masterpieces were obvious choices.
The French works, improvisation and the contemporary work act
to show the adaptability of this instrument, and this player.
German composers were deliberately avoided to negate comparison
with “real” German instruments but it would have
been interesting to hear how this music would have been treated.
Dame Gillian Weir plays Bach and Liszt on the organ of The Royal
Albert Hall, London, as well as English pieces and transcriptions
(Priory PRCD 859).
The first Vierne piece showcases the soft stops beautifully
and the composer’s tonal language is emphasised by the
slightly exaggerated string stops. The full force of this colossal
instrument is realised at the climax of the ever popular Carillon
de Westminster, based on Big Ben’s chimes. Powerful
forces are also employed for Bridge’s Allegro Marziale
which is played assertively, and beautifully contrasted with
Elgar’s Nimrod. Stangier’s playing is easily
comparable to English virtuosos such as Thomas Trotter. Stangier
handles the organ with just as much imagination.
Stangier’s improvisation was conceived to demonstrate
each of the different groups of stops on the organ. His French
style of improvisation - he studied with Daniel Roth of S. Sulpice,
Paris - works well with the forces available. Particularly enjoyable
is the scherzo-like movement for the flute stops.
This is a really interesting disc which is a true credit to
the new organ at the Mercatorhalle in Duisburg.
Hannah Parry-Ridout
The organ is the real star of this recording.