This disc can almost be described as a “family affair”.
First, Charles Hylton Stewart’s father was Precentor of
Chester Cathedral when Charles was a boy receiving his musical
education. Secondly, after a couple of church positions the
younger Stewart became Organist and Master of the Choristers
at Rochester Cathedral, where one of his choristers and his
eventual assistant was Percy Whitlock, who referred to Stewart
as “my father in music”. When Stewart returned home
to Chester Cathedral he assumed that his friend Whitlock would
succeed him at Rochester, but this did not occur and Whitlock
moved to Bournemouth. The two men remained friends until Stewart’s
death in 1932, three months after taking over at St. George’s
Chapel, Windsor. Finally, Stewart’s musical descendant
at Chester, Philip Rushforth, is the soloist on this recording.
Stewart is perhaps best known for his Anglican chants, but here
we have five organ pieces based on hymn tunes, the first two
of which are dedicated to Percy Whitlock. They are simple works,
but with a fair measure of charm, especially those based on
the tunes Caithness and St. Peter. Babylon’s
Streams andCroft’s 136th
are more lively, the latter being the highlight of the set.
Whitlock’s Hymn-Preludes are decidedly more complex works
than Stewart’s. They make great use of the organ’s
reeds and also feature the mutation stops. Darwell’s
148th has the hymn tune in the Solo Tuba,
accompanied by imitative passages also based on the hymn tune,
while Song 13 has its tune beautifully elaborated between
the solo horn and the mutation stops. Very different are St.
Denio, with its fugal introduction, and Werde Munter
(a Lutheran tune), an evocation of the Baroque. Deo Gracias
is the Agincourt Song, which Whitlock had used five years
earlier in his Music for Orchestra. Here he treats it
“in military style” and it is appropriately triumphant.
It is interesting to note at this time that Walton was similarly
using the Agincourt Song in his music for the Olivier
film Henry V. The last Prelude, on King’s Lynn,
again uses the Solo Tuba, this time to build to a grandiose
finale.
Along with his Symphony
for Organ and Orchestra, the Sonata for Organ is Whitlock’s
largest work. Until recently its length and complexity meant
comparatively few performances, in spite of its being highly
regarded. Fortunately, this situation has begun to change. The
spirit of Whitlock’s favourite Rachmaninoff hovers over
much of the music and there are influences of Elgar and Delius.
As is quickly demonstrated in the first movement, Whitlock’s
thematic material and its handling are all his own, with a large
emotional range in the bargain. The second movement is gentle
and nostalgic in contrast to the first and the Scherzetto, with
no time signature, demonstrates the humour and joie de vivre
that are never far below the surface in Whitlock. The giant
final Choral’s magnificent main theme and its development
are the highlight of the Sonata. Some may find this movement
too long but none will be able to deny the skill with which
the composer sums up all that has come before, only to exceed
himself in the quiet coda that ends the work. The movements
are: Grave-Animato [13:54]; Canzona [6:52]; Scherzetto [4:47];
Choral [20:33].
The organ at Chester has an interesting history, but unfortunately,
is not as powerful as some of its counterparts. On this disc
it receives a variable recording, with the Stewart pieces sometimes
sounding very distant and the Whitlock Preludes having too much
bass. Philip Rushforth’s playing is occasionally a little
too deliberate, but he frequently demonstrates a great colouristic
sense and rhythmically is quite shipshape. The only other recording
of the Six Hymn Preludes is on Vol. 3 of Graham Barber’s
complete set of Whitlock’s organ music. I found Rushforth’s
version more varied and interesting. With the Organ Sonata we
have five other in-print recordings, including Barber’s
excellent version (also on Vol. 3 of his series) and John Scott’s
less exciting rendition [see
review]. One should also mention the out-of-print recording
on ASV with Philip Gower. Rushforth’s performance excels
in its use of organ colouring and in his overall conception
of the work. Perhaps some listeners will prefer the Barber recording,
but given the addition of the Stewart pieces, this disc is highly
desirable overall.
William Kreindler
Philip Rushforth (organ) 
