Christmas Bells: Organ Music from Belfast Cathedral - RES10293

Christmas Bells: Organ Music from Belfast Cathedral

£12.99
Total playing time [78:29]

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Matthew Owens (organ)
The Harrison & Harrison Organ of Belfast Cathedral

For this recording Organist Matthew Owens presents a diverse recital of some of the greatest Christmas music ever written for the instrument. Traditional tunes, whether Lutheran chorales, plainchant, French noëls, or medieval carols, have provided the inspiration for much Christmas organ music throughout the years, with much of this programme made up of pieces based on such tunes, from J.S. Bach’s Canonic variations on Vom Himmel hoch to Louis-Claude Daquin’s Noël Suisse.

This recital also draws on more contemporary sources and presents several world premiere recordings including Howard Skempton’s Christmas Bells and Gary Davison’s Seven Versets on Divinum Mysterium, both of which were written specially for this recording.

Album Booklet (PDF)

Tracklist

J.S. Bach (1685–1750)
Canonic Variations on ‘Vom
Himmel hoch, da komm ich
her’, BWV 769a
1. Variation I
2. Variation II
3. Variation III
4. Variation IV
5. Variation V

Alexandre Guilmant (1937–1911)
6. Livre de Noëls, Op. 60, No. 2:
Introduction et Variations sur un
Ancien Noël Polonais

Philip Moore (b.1943)
7. A Fugal Flourish on
Personent Hodie *

Louis-Claude Daquin (1694–1772)
8. Nouveau Livre de Noëls:
XII. Noël Suisse

Matthew Owens (b.1971)
9. Prelude on ‘Yorkshire’ *

J. G. Walther (1684–1748)
Partita ‘Lobt Gott, ihr Christen,
allzugleich’
10. Partita I
11. Partita II
12. Partita III
13. Partita IV
14. Partita V
15. Partita VI
16. Partita VII
17. Partita VIII

Flor Peeters (1903–1986)
18. 30 Chorale Preludes, Op. 70, No. 3:
Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her
(From heaven above to earth I come)

Philip Moore
19. Prelude on Irby *

Philip Wilby (b.1949)
20. Ding Dong! Merrily on High *

Gary Davison (b.1961)
Seven Versets on
Divinum Mysterium *
21. Verset I
22. Verset II
23. Verset III
24. Verset IV
25. Verset V
26. Verset VI
27. Verset VII

Alexandre Guilmant
28. Livre de Noëls, Op. 60, No. 1:
Noël Écossais

Franz Liszt (1811–1886)
29. Weihnachtsbaum, S.186: III. Die Hirten
an der Krippe (In dulci jubilo)

Flor Peeters
30. Ten Chorale Preludes, Op. 68, No. 7:
Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern
(How brightly beams the morning star)

Howard Skempton (b.1947)
31. Christmas Bells *

Garth Edmundson (1892–1971)
32. Christus Advenit (Second Christmas
Suite): IV. Toccata on Vom Himmel hoch

“

'It’s beautifully articulate, though, and it creates a soothing atmosphere that totally transports you to a quiet pew in Belfast Cathedral.'

- BBC Music Magazine

'It’s beautifully articulate, though, and it creates a soothing atmosphere that totally transports you to a quiet pew in Belfast Cathedral.'
BBC Music Magazine

'Garth Edmondson’s Toccata on the same melody which, while often heard at Christmas, is too spectacular and – especially when, as heard here, the chorale theme is thundered out with monumental power on the Belfast 32 foot Bombardon and recorded with tremendous presence – spine-tingling'
MusicWeb International

'[A] brilliant recital by Matthew Owens. This is a great collection of seasonal organ music, much of it referencing traditional carols.'
Lark Reviews

Credits
© 2021 Resonus Limited
Ⓟ 2021 Resonus Limited
Catalogue No. RES10293
Producer, engineer & editor: Adam Binks
EAN: 5060262793220
Cover image: Christmas Bells by Morgan Studio (shutterstock.com)
Release date: 29 October 2021