Organ Recital 4/10/11

[mercia]

crikey - a whole organ recital on Radio 3, when was the last time that happened?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0159w8d

not a very inspiring programme though (and all performed at breakneck speed I fear)

[David Underdown]

Well there were a couple during the Proms

[mangerton]

True, but there used to be one a week - in fact, I think there used to be two a week.

And as mercia says, it's not the most inspiring of programmes.

[mercia]

true. I forgot about the proms.

I wonder if WM will do one of his (renowned) improvisations as an encore.

[Serial_Apologist]

not a very inspiring programme though

Indeed - and typically sad given we can already predict every note of every piece to be played - transcribed or not - unless we're of the tribe RW has already attracted R3 via Breakfast.

[Mahlerei]

I'm all for more organ music on R3, but this is such an unadventurous programme. If I had a buck for every time I heard the Widor Toccata I'd be a rich man.

[mercia]

are these really WM's favourite pieces as stated in the spiel?

[Simon]

Well, absolutely! How on earth can they possibly schedule such populist trash? Talk about dumbing down! All the stuff that the lumpen proles will know and nothing challenging at all. What a wasted opportunity.

[VodkaDilc]

Well, absolutely! How on earth can they possibly schedule such populist trash? Talk about dumbing down! All the stuff that the lumpen proles will know and nothing challenging at all. What a wasted opportunity.

Not such a bad programme, surely? Some good Bach, Liszt and Vierne; a couple of entertaining transcriptions (I hope we have passed the days of looking down our noses at such things) and Widor to finish. I think I'd enjoy the experience of that programme in that building; perhaps there's no hope for me.

What does alarm me is realising that young Wayne is about to be 50!!

[mercia]

perhaps there's no hope for me.

I fear not .......................... only joking !!!

I'm afraid I can't see the point of transcriptions when there's so much "genuine" organ music to choose from, perhaps there's no hope for me

[VodkaDilc]

I fear not .......................... only joking !!!

I'm afraid I can't see the point of transcriptions when there's so much "genuine" organ music to choose from, perhaps there's no hope for me

I really enjoy some transcriptions. I think it was Thomas Trotter's 1986 CD on the Birmingham Town Hall organ that first gripped me. Lemare's Mastersingers is great fun!

[Serial_Apologist]

Talk about dumbing down! All the stuff that the lumpen proles will know and nothing challenging at all.

All their own fault of course, it goes without saying.....

[mercia]

er, well, BWV 565 was ok apart from some strange added notes at the end, but I guess you can add whatever you like. BWV 547 taken at a nice pace, best item of the evening (IMO). preferred his improvisation on BACH to Liszt's. Vierne taken at a very fast pace, some details lost I thought, Rossini transcription I thought made the instrument sound like a barrel organ, Saint-Saens slightly better. I had to switch off in the final improvisation, excruciating. Still can't believe these are WM's favourite works.

[Ventilhorn]

I'm all for more organ music on R3, but this is such an unadventurous programme. If I had a buck for every time I heard the Widor Toccata I'd be a rich man.

But how often have you heard it played properly? (Not at a wedding where the local church organist is struggling with the unrepairable organ; to the accompaniment of the the bride's screaming six-month-old daughter)?

VH

[Contre Bombarde]

er, well, BWV 565 was ok apart from some strange added notes at the end, but I guess you can add whatever you like. BWV 547 taken at a nice pace, best item of the evening (IMO). preferred his improvisation on BACH to Liszt's. Vierne taken at a very fast pace, some details lost I thought, Rossini transcription I thought made the instrument sound like a barrel organ, Saint-Saens slightly better. I had to switch off in the final improvisation, excruciating.

I never comment on organ concerts or Choral Evensongs in the UK on the basis that the performers may be known to me. I have not met Mr Marshall so feel less constrained in this instance.

I heard only 1) the Fugue from BWV 565 which I thought OK but could have done without the odd ending and the exceptionally long final chord, 2) the Vierne, which I thought was dreadful; far too fast and banged out in a rather mechanical fashion, and finally 3) the first part of the final improvisation. I'm sorry to say this, but I thought the part I heard before my groans caused Madame Voix-Céleste to turn the system off , was unstructured, unmusical and similar to a first-term improvisation student's effort.

I cannot understand why this particular event with its unremarkable programme was chosen for a live broadcast nor the reverence that the corporation seem to have for Wayne Marshall's organ playing. This will almost certainly be the only concert of its type broadcast for the forseeable future and it is a pity that the marginally interested listener probably had his or her negative feelings about the genre reinforced.

I happened to be in Birmingham on Monday and took my parents along to the Town Hall for Thomas Trotter's lunchtime concert. He too played the Finale from Vierne I and even though I know the piece inside out I still felt that real "chill and thrill" one can get only from a faultless performance on a wonderful instrument. There was none of that last night.