Michael Murray’s programme
is an eclectic one spanning composers
from England, France and Germany. Murray
spent some time studying with Dupré
in France though no mention is made
of his studies in the United States.
Murray published a biography of Dupré
in the mid-1980s.
He opens with two Fanfares.
The first by Francis Jackson is rather
short and shows-off the Salisbury Tuba
very well. The Fanfare of John Cook
is less remarkable, and wanders on for
nearly six minutes. It might have felt
more effective placed elsewhere in the
programme. Another loud piece follows
immediately so the ear begins to tire.
Alexander Schreiner’s organ solo arrangement
of the Kyrie from Vierne’s Messe Solenelle
was new to me, and was given an effective
reading. The Willis full swell is on
display and the foundation tone goes
some way towards replicating a Cavaillé-Coll
fonds. The Duruflé Scherzo is
very well performed, and I especially
enjoyed the character achieved in the
fast figuration and the wonderful colour
of the end with strings and 4 foot flute-
reminding me of Puget organs in France.
The tone is beautiful and the playing
sensitive to the architecture of the
piece.
The Schumann Canon
in B minor in contrast is performed
rather slowly for my taste. In fact,
it sounds as if the record player has
been set at the wrong speed. The tone
colour is also rather bright. Continuing
on a German theme, the Brahms chorale
‘Lo, a Rose is Blooming’ (title given
in English) is also at a slow speed
with little rubato and some unidiomatic
soloing-out of the left hand on a solo
reed. The Mendelssohn Second Sonata
fares rather better although again the
third and fourth movements are far from
brisk. The organ is however fairly well
suited to this music and the registrations
are largely appropriate. Bridge’s famous
Adagio in E follows, and the Willis
is truly in its element. The crescendo
seems bumpy but this doesn’t completely
detract from the music.
The disc ends with
Dupré’s Triptyque. A work dating
from the late 1950s, it was commissioned
by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra for
the inauguration of a new Aeolian-Skinner
organ. I like much of Dupré’s
music, but this seems rather odd and
doesn’t reach the standard of the Symphonie-Passion
or famous Variations sur un Noël.
The Chaconne at nearly nine minutes
would benefit from some editing, although
it is well performed. The short Musette
is quite effective and allows a tour
of various colours. The final Dithyrambe
has an impressive conclusion.
The programme doesn’t
hold together completely but the presence
of the Vierne and the Duruflé
make it worth hearing. The accompanying
booklet contains the usual items, a
full specification and a listing of
Murray’s other recordings.
Graham Mark Scott
Michael Murray, organ 
