Malcolm Archer plays the organ of Wells Cathedral

All of the works on this recording were chosen to show off the versatile and eclectic nature of the pipe organ in Wells Cathedral, which is particularly at home when playing music from the romantic and twentieth century periods. Like many cathedral organs, the instrument has seen change over the years; change in fashion certainly, but also change in terms of the wide and varied use which a cathedral organ receives. As a result, the instrument has been enlarged in order to satisfy the requirements placed upon it, especially in terms of its ability to cope with a breadth of recital repertoire and to increase its effectiveness in the Nave and Quire. From the instrumentÕs early origins, pipework by Samuel Green was incorporated in the 1857 instrument by Henry Willis. Much of this instrument survives today, having been rebuilt twice by Harrison and Harrison of Durham, who still look after the organ.

Henry Willis was a great friend of Louis Vierne, the blind organist of Notre Dame de Paris and composer of three works in this programme. Carillon de Longpont is based on the theme of the Carillon peal at the town of Longpont in France and this theme is first heard in the pedals, and then continued throughout the piece in various different guises. This work, together with the beautifully impressionistic Arabesque and lyrically charming Lied come from the 24 pieces in free style, which were intended to be played on either organ or harmonium.

Camille Saint-Sa‘ns was born in Paris in 1835 and studied composition with Gounod. For twenty years he was organist of the church of the Madeleine in Paris, but today he is remembered as far more than a church musician. He composed throughout his life and his large output of orchestral works, concertos, piano and chamber works, not forgetting an opera, has ensured his reputation as one of the leading French romantic composers. He was also a considerable author. Fantaisie in E flat begins with a con moto section played on three manuals using contrasting sounds, and is followed by an extrovert and exuberant Allegro.

Georgi Alexandrovitch Mushel was born in Russia in 1909 and taught composition and piano in Tashkent. He wrote several large scale orchestral works as well as several for the organ. His Toccata comes from a three movement suite originally published by Peters in a volume called ÔSoviet Organ MusicÕ, the other movements being Aria and Fugue. The Toccata is an attractive and highly rhythmic work based on a pattern of repeated quaver figurations.

This disc features three very different works based on the chorale tune Vom Himmel hoch. The first is a Toccata from the Advenit suite by the American composer Garth Edmundson. Virtuoso keyboard writing heralds the first entry of the theme in the pedals, later to be heard in the manuals on full organ. The second, Weihnachten, is from the seven pieces opus 145 by Reger and he later combines the tune with the carol ÔSilent Night,Õ creating a magical section which recaptures the composerÕs experience of hearing this carol played distantly on a bugle in the first world war trenches. The third setting of Vom Himmel hoch is by another German, Karg-Elert, who wrote prolifically for the organ and was also a well travelled recitalist in his day. His works have a distinctive harmonic style and an ingenious sense of craftsmanship.

Another work by Reger featured here is the Toccata and Fugue Op 59. Reger was born in Bavaria in 1873 and died in Leipzig in 1916. Like Brahms, he has been described as a classical-romanticist and he always shows complete mastery in his handling of form and texture, often using well-established formal structures. He held various academic positions in Germany and was greatly influenced by the virtuoso organist Straube of St. Thomas Church, Leipzig, for whom he wrote many of his large scale and elaborate organ works. The final track on this disc is RegerÕs Dankpsalm from the seven pieces, opus 145, which has many contrasts of mood and culminates in a highly chromatic and declamatory harmonisation of the chorale Lobe den Herren.

I wrote my three pieces, Intermezzo, Sicilienne and Prelude on Noel Nouvelet between 1996 and 1998, and although conceived separately, they work well together as a suite. Intermezzo has an elusive atmosphere based on an opening of murmuring quavers and was written in Chicago while I was acting Organist and Choirmaster of St. LukeÕs Episcopal Church, Evanston. Sicilienne is in three sections, and opens with a haunting melody which recurs in the third section, this time with left hand semiquaver figuration. Prelude on Noel Nouvelet takes an almost tongue in cheek look at this well known Christmas melody.

The Largo opus 71 no.2. by Flor Peeters is dedicated to Nico Zeyen and was originally written as the slow movement of a sonata for trumpet and organ, but was transcribed for the organ by the composer. While I was a student at Cambridge, I had the opportunity to hear Baron Flor Peeters play at his own cathedral in the Belgian town of Mechelin. His fine recital included some of his own music which he would frequently play on his many concert tours to England and other countries.

Malcolm Archer, January 1999
©1999 Lammas Records

The King of Instruments from the Queen of Cathedrals

All of the works on this recording were chosen to show off the versatile and eclectic nature of the pipe organ in Wells Cathedral, which is particularly at home when playing music from the romantic and twentieth century periods. Like many cathedral organs, the instrument has seen change over the years; change in fashion certainly, but also change in terms of the wide and varied use which a cathedral organ receives. As a result, the instrument has been enlarged in order to satisfy the requirements placed upon it, especially in terms of its ability to cope with a breadth of recital repertoire and to increase its effectiveness in the Nave and Quire. From the instrument's early origins, pipework by Samuel Green was incorporated in the 1857 instrument by Henry Willis. Much of this instrument survives today, having been rebuilt twice by Harrison and Harrison of Durham, who still look after the organ.