An organ recital in progress: part 94

Dear SMM Community,
 

The next part of my online organ recital is here, and I hope that you enjoy it. I offer up these musical meditations as part of our parish efforts to find ways to keep you connected at this time. Recorded on my house organ, today's instrument is a musical facsimile of the great 'Father' Willis/Harrison & Harrison organ at Hereford Cathedral.

Today, I present Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy's Prelude and fugue in G major.


Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809-1847) enjoyed a successful career as composer, pianist, organist, and conductor. Novello and Breitkopf & Härtel published his Three preludes and fugues (the Prelude and fugue in G major is second in the set) in the spring of 1837, the set being dedicated to Thomas Attwood (then organist at St. Paul’s Cathedral).



With best wishes,
Andrew Adair
Director of Music

The Solemnity of St Mary Magdalene - 25 July 2021

We celebrate the Feast of our Patron Saint with a livestreamed mass.

10.00 am Sung Mass

You can find the service HERE.

You can find the leaflet HERE.

An organ recital in progress: part 93

Dear SMM Community,
 

The next part of my online organ recital is here, and I hope that you enjoy it. I offer up these musical meditations as part of our parish efforts to find ways to keep you connected at this time. Recorded on my house organ, today's instrument is a musical facsimile of the Kuhn organ at the Philharmonie in Essen.

Today, I present Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck's Ballo del Granduca.


The Dutch composer Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562-1621), the ‘Orpheus of Amsterdam’, lived and worked during the transition between the Renaissance and Baroque eras. Famous for his improvisations, the Ballo del Granduca undoubtedly began life as an improvised set of variations, possibly even performed at one of Sweelinck’s daily recitals. At that time in Amsterdam, the organ was not allowed to be played during services; the organist could improvise before or after, but the reformed faith left worship void of musical accompaniment. 



With best wishes,
Andrew Adair
Director of Music

Pentecost VIII - 18 July 2021

We celebrate the Eighth Sunday of Pentecost with a livestreamed mass.

10.00 am Sung Mass (traditional language)

You can find the service HERE.

You can find the leaflet HERE.

An organ recital in progress: part 92

Dear SMM Community,
 

The next part of my online organ recital is here, and I hope that you enjoy it. I offer up these musical meditations as part of our parish efforts to find ways to keep you connected at this time. Recorded on my house organ, the instrument is a musical facsimile of the great 'Father' Willis organ at Salisbury Cathedral.

Today, I present Robert Schumann's Fugue on B.A.C.H.


Robert Schumann (1810-1856) took almost a year to complete his Six fugues on B.A.C.H. (this fugue being the third in the set). After completion in November 1845, Schumann declared the set to be “the work which, I believe, will longest outlive my others”.

 

With best wishes,
Andrew Adair
Director of Music

Pentecost VII - 11 July 2021

We celebrate the Seventh Sunday of Pentecost with a livestreamed mass.

10.00 am Sung Mass (modern language)

You can find the service HERE.

You can find the leaflet HERE.