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Organ at St Michael's Church, Brand, Germany.
.Playing the organ puts me in this unique position of being able to express myself instantly - through improvisation. Over the years, the personal style of improvising matures, developes... the creative flow never comes to a standstill.
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This requires constant inspiration and the best way of getting new ideas is to "rethink" the thoughts of those great organ composers of ages past. I find it fascinating to analyse, learn and play music by Bach, Reger, Durufle, Howells, Leighton etc. for this very reason and then try to incorporate interesting ideas from their oeuvre d'orgue into my own improvisational style. I regard most compositions for organ (not all of them!) as "frozen improvisations", as an echo of the composer's own musical personality.
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Sound samples
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J S Bach (1685-1750): Präludium in G Dur (BWV 541a)
played on the Nicholson organ at St Woolos Cathedral, Newport (South Wales)
(June 2007)
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J S Bach (1685-1750): Fuge in G Dur (BWV 541b)
played on the Nicholson organ at St Woolos Cathedral, Newport (South Wales)
(June 2007)
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J Jongen (1873-1953): Toccata op. 104
played on the Nicholson organ at St Woolos Cathedral, Newport (South Wales)
(June 2007)
.
This requires constant inspiration and the best way of getting new ideas is to "rethink" the thoughts of those great organ composers of ages past. I find it fascinating to analyse, learn and play music by Bach, Reger, Durufle, Howells, Leighton etc. for this very reason and then try to incorporate interesting ideas from their oeuvre d'orgue into my own improvisational style. I regard most compositions for organ (not all of them!) as "frozen improvisations", as an echo of the composer's own musical personality.
.
Sound samples
.
J S Bach (1685-1750): Präludium in G Dur (BWV 541a)
played on the Nicholson organ at St Woolos Cathedral, Newport (South Wales)
(June 2007)
.
J S Bach (1685-1750): Fuge in G Dur (BWV 541b)
played on the Nicholson organ at St Woolos Cathedral, Newport (South Wales)
(June 2007)
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J Jongen (1873-1953): Toccata op. 104
played on the Nicholson organ at St Woolos Cathedral, Newport (South Wales)
(June 2007)
C M Widor (1844-1937): Toccata in F Major (from Symphony No. 5)
played on the Hirnschrodt organ at St Albertus Magnus, Regensburg, Germany
(April 2004)
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Wolfram Graf (*1965):
5 Sequenzen über den Choral "Wer nur den lieben Gott läßt walten"
für Orgelpositiv (1994) - played on the Hey organ at St Margarethen, Brand, Germany
(July 1999)
Vorspiel
1. Satz schnell
2. Satz ruhig
3. Satz schnell
4. Satz ruhig
5. Satz bestimmt