Notes and Editorial Reviews
The two halves of this new CD on the American Alto label are drawn from recitals first published by NPC more than a decade ago, the garish artwork of their covers making Alto's look the height of chasteness. More recently the two originals reappeared on Regis, with the highly dubious titles "Organ X-plosion I: Danse Macabre" and "Dambusters!: Organ X-plosion II" (FRC 8013, 8104). The Regis discs are still available on the internet at around the same price as this Alto, although the latter is far easier to find in stock.
The two parts of English organist extraordinaire Kevin Bowyer's 'recital' add up to a hugely entertaining hour-and-a-quarter, with truly something for all tastes. There are the 'Dick
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Barton' and 'Housewives' Choice' themes for fans of the old BBC Light Programme, and Nigel Ogden's Penguins' Playtime for those with fond holiday memories of Blackpool Tower. For the higher-minded, in a surprisingly effective transcription by the great French organist Louis Vierne, there is Rachmaninov's famous Prelude in C sharp minor. How about Eric Coates's 'Dam Busters' march and Kenneth Alford's
Colonel Bogey for the military man, or even the - weirdly original-sounding - 'Postman Pat' theme for youngsters, composed by Edward Marsh, who elsewhere provides a number of appealing arrangements. There is music loud enough to rouse the dead (Danse Macabre) and gentle enough to relax them again (Chanson de Matin).
Finally there are some classy original items, from Norman Cocker's uplifting Tuba Tune ('Tuba' as in the powerful reed stop) to the virtuosic originality of Marco Bossi's Etude Symphonique. Bowyer rounds off in style with another original work, the barnstorming Toccata by the shamefully neglected Belgian composer-organist, Joseph Jongen.
Bowyer is in fine form, as he always seems to be, making light of countless bravura passages for hands and feet, and making the most of the many fun pieces without ever turning them into kitsch. The back cover describes Bowyer as "in a mood to amuse", but this is more than that - he is giving listeners the chance to appreciate some of the power and range of the "King of Instruments" whilst being thoroughly entertained by tuneful, rousing and evocative music.
Sound quality for both parts is about as good as it is possible to make an organ recording, and the tracks are beautifully edited. The two English organs are mighty beasts indeed, with very impressive dynamic ranges and the capacity to rock the foundations of the surrounding neighbourhood. The booklet thoughtfully provides a few lines about each work from John Henderson and James Murray, and a brief specification of the instruments.
-- Byzantion, MusicWeb International Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
Toccata Giubiloso, for organ by Jeremy Nicholas
Performer:
Kevin Bowyer (Organ)
Period: Contemporary
Written: 1986
Date of Recording: 1998
Venue: De Montfort Hall, Leicester
Length: 3 Minutes 38 Secs.
2.
Danse macabre in G minor, Op. 40 by Camille Saint-Saëns
Performer:
Kevin Bowyer (Organ)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1874; France
Date of Recording: 1998
Venue: De Montfort Hall, Leicester
Length: 7 Minutes 49 Secs.
3.
Morceaux de fantaisies (5), Op. 3: no 2, Prélude in C sharp minor by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Kevin Bowyer (Organ)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1892; Russia
Date of Recording: 1998
Venue: De Montfort Hall, Leicester
Length: 4 Minutes 6 Secs.
4.
Devil's Galop by Charles Williams
Performer:
Kevin Bowyer (Organ)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1944; England
Date of Recording: 1998
Venue: De Montfort Hall, Leicester
Length: 1 Minutes 38 Secs.
5.
Peguins' Playtime, for organ by Nigel Ogden
Performer:
Kevin Bowyer (Organ)
Period: Contemporary
Date of Recording: 1998
Venue: De Montfort Hall, Leicester
Length: 2 Minutes 29 Secs.
6.
In a Persian Market, intermezzo-scene for chorus & orchestra by Albert W. Ketèlbey
Performer:
Kevin Bowyer (Organ)
Period: Modern
Written: 1920; United Kingdom
Date of Recording: 1998
Venue: De Montfort Hall, Leicester
Length: 6 Minutes 9 Secs.
7.
Etude Symphonique for Organ, Op. 78 by Marco Enrico Bossi
Performer:
Kevin Bowyer (Organ)
Period: Romantic
Written: Italy
Date of Recording: 1998
Venue: De Montfort Hall, Leicester
Length: 4 Minutes 36 Secs.
8.
Tuba Tune for Organ by Norman Cocker
Performer:
Kevin Bowyer (Organ)
Period: 20th Century
Written: by 1922; England
Date of Recording: 1998
Venue: De Montfort Hall, Leicester
Length: 4 Minutes 36 Secs.
9.
The Dam Busters by Eric Coates
Performer:
Kevin Bowyer (Organ)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1955; England
Date of Recording: 2000
Venue: The Hill, Royal Hospital School Chapel,
Length: 4 Minutes 13 Secs.
10.
In Party Mood by Jack Strachey
Performer:
Kevin Bowyer (Organ)
Period: 20th Century
Written: England
Date of Recording: 2000
Venue: The Hill, Royal Hospital School Chapel,
Length: 4 Minutes 14 Secs.
11.
Marche aux Flambeaux by Frederick Scotson Clark
Performer:
Kevin Bowyer (Organ)
Date of Recording: 2000
Venue: The Hill, Royal Hospital School Chapel,
Length: 4 Minutes 15 Secs.
12.
Marche funèbre d'une marionette by Charles Gounod
Performer:
Kevin Bowyer (Organ)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1872/1879; France
Date of Recording: 2000
Venue: The Hill, Royal Hospital School Chapel,
Length: 4 Minutes 30 Secs.
13.
Colonel Bogey by Kenneth Alford
Performer:
Kevin Bowyer (Organ)
Period: 20th Century
Written: by 1913; England
Date of Recording: 2000
Venue: The Hill, Royal Hospital School Chapel,
Length: 4 Minutes 36 Secs.
14.
Chanson de matin, Op. 15 no 2 by Sir Edward Elgar
Performer:
Kevin Bowyer (Organ)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1897; England
Date of Recording: 2000
Venue: The Hill, Royal Hospital School Chapel,
Length: 2 Minutes 54 Secs.
15.
Toccata for Organ in D flat major, Op. 104 by Joseph Jongen
Performer:
Kevin Bowyer (Organ)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1935; Belgium
Date of Recording: 2000
Venue: The Hill, Royal Hospital School Chapel,
Length: 4 Minutes 39 Secs.
16.
La vallée verte, toccata for organ, Op. 5/3 by Edward Marsh
Performer:
Kevin Bowyer (Organ)
Period: Contemporary
Written: 1996
Date of Recording: 1998
Venue: De Montfort Hall, Leicester
Length: 5 Minutes 4 Secs.
17.
Stars and Stripes Forever by John Philip Sousa
Performer:
Kevin Bowyer (Organ)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1897; USA
Date of Recording: 2000
Venue: The Hill, Royal Hospital School Chapel,
Length: 3 Minutes 46 Secs.
18.
Parade of the Tin Soldiers, for orchestra (Parade der Zinsoldaten), Op. 123 by Leon Jessel
Performer:
Kevin Bowyer (Organ)
Period: Modern
Written: 1905
Date of Recording: 2000
Venue: The Hill, Royal Hospital School Chapel,
Length: 3 Minutes 28 Secs.
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