I enjoyed reviewing this CD – for a
number of reasons. Firstly there is
a family connection with Manchester
and I can recall my father talking about
St Ann’s Church. I understand that my
grandfather conducted concerts there
in the years before the last war. From
my own point of view it was one of the
very first churches I discovered when
I began to explore the city back in
the early 1970s. I always found it a
haven of peace and tranquillity in the
midst of the ‘shop till you drop’ surroundings.
And then it was only a few months ago
that I was in church listening to Ronald
Frost playing at the end of a Saturday
service: I managed to have a chat with
him for a few moments. The final reason
I enjoyed this CD is the fact that it
is a recording of music by Manchester
composers. So it is real home-grown
talent.
Most organ enthusiasts
know at least one work by Norman Cocker
- and that is most likely to be the
redoubtable Tuba Tune. However,
here we have five delightful pieces
that I have not consciously heard before.
Of course organ enthusiasts will know
that Malcolm Archer has recorded Paean
and Interlude in his survey of
Lancastrian Organ Music on the Priory
label (Priory 400) However, in addition
to these numbers, Frost introduces us
to three delightful and as yet unpublished
miniatures. They are from a set of 13
pieces still in manuscript and in the
possession of the organist. The Angelus
is a lovely, short musing for strings
– ideal for filling an awkward moment
during Mass. The Trio is surprisingly
well wrought and again could be best
described as a ‘voluntary.’ However
the gem is the Cradle Song. I
am not sure whose cradle is being invoked,
however I see it a being a ‘Mancunian
Berceuse’ - looking over the shepherds’
shoulder at Our Lord’s Nativity. It
is the longest and most interesting
of these three ‘miniatures’ and is certainly
a rare and quite delicious discovery.
John E. Ellis provides
a nice opening to the programme, I must
confess that the tune Veni Emanuel
is a little hackneyed – especially the
final Tierce de Picardie! However Dr.
Ellis manages to avoid making this piece
sound contrived: the six variations
are well contrasted and never loose
interest.
Ronald Frost suggests
that he has made use of a tone row for
his Passacaglia for the Birthday
of St Ann’s. He then immediately
points out that, actually there is little
12 tone harmony in this work. He makes
use of a kind of musical code to translate
the years 1712 and 1979 along with 267
years into musical notes. I do not know
if 267 years is special in any way but
it makes for an attractive birthday
present for the Saint and her great
church.
Douglas Steele was
assistant organist to Norman Cocker
at Manchester Cathedral. So it is fitting
that one of his works appears on this
CD. ‘On Gibbons’ Angel’s Song- Chorale
Prelude’ is one of those lovely
heart-warming English organ works that
sounds so typical of the Anglican Church.
It is so easy to imagine the choir and
clergy processing in from the vestry
at the start of Evensong for St Swithun.
There is a slight climax in the middle,
but typically this is a restrained work
that ends peacefully.
Ernest Tomlinson is
best known for his ‘light music’ works.
However he was an ex-chorister at Manchester
Cathedral so was well acquainted with
the tradition of ecclesiastical music.
The Three Lyrical Pieces have
all the charm one would expect although
they are very much in the more conservative
style of their years (1958). However,
there is nothing light about them –
approachable as they are. I was reminded
of Percy Whitlock whilst listening to
these pieces. The three numbers are
a Quiet Prelude, a Rondoletto
and a Paean. The concluding
piece is all that a song of praise should
be – a great tune with some fine harmonies.
The Vetrate di Ricercata
is the work I least enjoyed. Much of
it seemed to be clichéd organ
writing that was perhaps a little more
fashionable a few years ago. There are
three movements dedicated to Mendelssohn,
Karg-Elert and a lesser known character
(at least to me) called Cyril Colvin.
There is much diversity – maybe a bit
too much- in this music, including contrapuntal
writing and even a waltz! However the
text states that this is Ellis’s first
organ composition. For a first work
in the medium it is not at all bad!
The programme notes
are a little light on the music (with
the exception of the Ricercata)
but excellent for information on the
instrument. There is a full history
of this fine locally built organ. I
hasten add that it was not a Manchester
firm that built it, but Glyn & Parker
who hail from the City of Salford. One
must be careful about these details!
It was originally installed in 1730.
Of course it has been moved and restored
over the years, most recently in the
late 1990s.
This is an excellent
CD by an extremely talented and competent
organist on a fine instrument. And the
Manchester connection makes it of interest
to all those of us who know there is
musical life outside of London!
John France
see also reviews
by Geoffrey
Hallas and Philip
Scowcroft
Ronald Frost on the Organ of St Ann's Church,
Manchester 
