Notes on this Blog

Update: September 2010; Overall ratings of recitals are now to be stated as being out of 10, rather than 5. This increases the relative objectivity of the respective ratings between recitals.

This blog started in July 2010, as an e-resource with two main goals:
  1. To review, impartially, organ recitals that I attend in the UK, so that potential and actual members of the audience, and the performer alike, can read what I hope is a fair, balanced and unbiased account of events.
  2. To allow people who missed a recital they may have wished to attend to see what it was like, and what they missed (or didn't miss).



I am independent, and am not in any way affiliated (or at all directly or indirectly associated) with any bodies or venues named on this blog. I review all performances in the same way, so as to achieve and maintain my stated goals.

From now on, under 'Attendance' I will just report a rough number, rather than commenting on whether it is 'good', 'poor', 'excellent' etc. This is because attendance figures can be impacted by so many empirical variables (such as time, place, weather, a bus braking down, a blues concert down the road etc.) that it is not really accurate or meaningful, nor is it fair on the recitalist, to comment on numbers in this way.

I remain anonymous here, as to not do so impacts the impartiality of my postings.

I hope that people are reading these (what I hope come across as objective and fair) reviews with interest.

Regards,
The Blogger

Wednesday 4 August 2010

Central Methodist Church, York: Friday 2nd July 2010, Robert Sharpe

Central Methodist Church, York
Friday 2nd July 2010
Robert Sharpe: Director of Music - York Minster.

The Programme:
  • Praeludium in G minor. Dietrich Buxtehude (1637-1707)
  • Folk Tune & Sortie. Percy Whitlock (1903-1946)
  • Schmucke dich, O liebe Seele, BWV 654. JS Bach(1685-1750)
  • Prelude & Fugue in G, BWV 541. JS Bach(1685-1750)
  • Solemn Melody. Henry Walford-Davies (1869-1941)
  • Suite from 'Henry V'. William Walton (1902-1983)
    March - Passacaglia - Touch her soft lips and part - March
  • Clair de Lune. Louis Vierne (1870-1937)
  • Carillon-Sortie. Henri Mulet (1878-1967)

Price: £6 (plus 'exit charge' retiring collection)
Attendance: Low, around 20.
Star Rating: 4/5 ****

The recital programme was interesting and varied, not only on paper, but to hear also. We opened bountifully with the rather enjoyable Buxtehude Prauludium, which was executed with great zeal. Various catchy and interesting pieces were played, and a new one to me was the Walton Suite from 'Henry V', with its rather interestingly named third movement. The closing March was a repeat of the first, and rounded the piece off nicely. Clair de Lune, an emotive piece to say the least, was the calm before the storm when it came to the Carillon-Sortie, which showed off the brilliantly voiced Trombas/Trombone family of stops and formed a most uplifting finale.

Whilst performed to an intimate group, this recital was delivered with the usual high standards that have come to be expected of Robert Sharpe. His playing held forth not only his own enormous accuracy but the characteristic voicing of this instrument at Central Methodist in York was displayed well - do get along to hear this if you can! We look forward to hearing more of Robert in the future.
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