Prom 3: Sunday, 17th July, 2011 at 4.00 p.m. (Organ recital)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

BBC PROMS 2011

Live from the Royal Albert Hall, London

Presented by Louise Fryer

British organist Stephen Farr puts the mighty Albert Hall instrument through its paces in a programme which celebrates two musical anniversaries and includes the world premiere of a major new work.

The anniversary composers are Jehan Alain, the French organist born in 1911 and killed in World War II, and Franz Liszt, whose music for organ is the match, in virtuosity and sheer elan, of his more familiar works for piano.

Concluding the programme, Stephen Farr gives the first performance of a characteristically imaginative new work for organ by the British composer Judith Bingham. This suite of pieces depicts a lavish, but imaginary, ceremonial crown in which is framed seven fabulous gemstones of legend. Each movement of the suite takes one of these jewels to represents an aspect of royalty, good and bad - such as divinity and splendour, but also treachery and cruelty, representing the best and the worst of the human race.

Alain: Litanies
Liszt: Prelude 'Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen' (arr. Winterberger)
JS Bach: Chorale Prelude 'Erbarm dich mein, o Herre Gott', BWV 721
Judith Bingham: The Everlasting Crown (World Premiere)

Stephen Farr (organ).

[french frank]

I think I'm right in saying this is the only Prom in which a soloist is one of our own forum members. Best wishes to Stephen Farr.

The major work is the Judith Bingham world premiere, The Everlasting Crown, which lasts about 35 minutes. There's a programme note here.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

It does look like an interesting programme. I shall be listening to it in full, even though I'm not such a great organ enthusiast. I've never heard the Liszt.

[ardcarp]

EA 'Litanies' is IMO a great piece. Hope you enjoy it.

[Serial_Apologist]

Jehan Alain was once referred to as the swearing parson of French organ music. Swearing has progressed a good deal further in the meantime.

[mangerton]

I'm looking forward to this. Watching the Open, so will record and listen this evening.

I'm distressed though to see that the organ is still being "put through its paces". What a dreadfully demeaning cliche! Could the organ not simply be played?

Please!

[french frank]

I'm distressed though to see that the organ is still being "put through its paces". What a dreadfully demeaning cliche! Could the organ not simply be played?

Please!

Well, with the Glagolitic Mass on Friday, the organ recital this afternoon and the Gothic this evening its paces should have been thoroughly put through!

[mangerton]

Well, with the Glagolitic Mass on Friday, the organ recital this afternoon and the Gothic this evening its paces should have been thoroughly put through!

This is something up with which we should not have to put.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

EA 'Litanies' is IMO a great piece. Hope you enjoy it.

I did. Very much.
I do wished they'd just let the organist play and let us listen to some fine playing of some stunning music. Speech is just so inferior to music.

[ardcarp]

I'm distressed though to see that the organ is still being "put through its paces"

This chimes with the objection Susan Tomes (I think it was she) had to being announced as 'at the piano'. Would you be 'at' the clarinet or 'at' the violin?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I suppose it is slightly different in that if you are playing a clarinet or violin, you do carry it with you, whereas unless you are Angela Hewitt, you don't take your lpiano with you everywhere.

But it is rather a clumsy phrase, commonly used for electronic organ players in working men's clubs.

[french frank]

Isn't the equivalent phrase, more and more often heard, 'on (the) violin', 'on (the) clarinet'?

Any views on the Bingham work?

[Serial_Apologist]

Isn't the equivalent phrase, more and more often heard, 'on (the) violin', 'on (the) clarinet'?

Any views on the Bingham work?

Ordinary. And the Liszt pieces? Turgid. Thank heavens therefore for the two Alains!

S-A

[Pianorak]

. . . unless you are Angela Hewitt, you don't take your piano with you everywhere.

. . . or Krystian Zimerman, Anton Kuerti, Horowitz, Jorge Bolet and probably quite a few more.

I think “at” the piano is ok – what I find totally unacceptable is “on” (the) piano which is also frequently heard nowadays. But oddly enough I think “on” is ok in a jazz context.

[Serial_Apologist]

. . . or Krystian Zimerman, Anton Kuerti, Horowitz, Jorge Bolet and probably quite a few more.

I think “at” the piano is ok – what I find totally unacceptable is “on” (the) piano which is also frequently heard nowadays. But oddly enough I think “on” is ok in a jazz context.

Yes indeed - for jazz it would be "So-and-so on piano". Some jazz pianists actually play IN the piano, mind...