A fascination with Aida

'Popular' is a perilously subjective notion in the organ loft. While a transcription of the Grand March from Aida may fall into that category, what of Messiaen's Joie et Clarte des Corps Glorieux? Miscellany would be a better title for Gough's lively and generally approachable programme on the Wells Harrison. It ranges from Susato's Mohrentanz to Bovet's Salamanca by way of Brubeck's Blue Rondo a la Turk.

The playing, discounting some edgy Bach, is strong, the pieces delivered with considerable panache and no little wit - as witness Ronald Watson's Happy Birthday, Herr Bach, a neat little joke.
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DEVOTEES of British music who missed this disc on its issue in 1990 should quickly repair that oversight - and not merely for the presence of Bryn Terfel's majestic baritone.

Organists familiar with Ireland's vein of rich English romanticism (he was a pupil of Stanford, a teacher of Britten and, audibly, an admirer of Parry) will scarcely find a better introduction to his orchestral works. Hickox directs a programme that ranges from the rumbustiously astute A London Overture to the early anthem Vexilla Regis.

Terfel is wonderfully expressive in the Elgarian outpourings of These Things Shall Be, a pity the chorus sopranos struggle sometimes for ensemble. Superb recording quality.
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British Organists: G D Cunningham. Amphion PHI 136 (Distributed by Priory Records). Mid price.

MARTIN Monkman of York continues his 'cleaning up' of the recorded repertory with these electronically-filtered vintage performances. Cunningham, pupil of Josiah Booth, teacher of Thalben-Ball, was appointed organist of the Alexandra Palace at 22 and, as Geoffrey Richardson affirms elsewhere in this issue, was widely regarded as one of the finest players of his day.

This selection of recordings from between 1926 and 1937 ranges from Bach and Mozart to Gigout and MacDowell. They offer an opportunity to hear several notable instruments of the day: The Alexandra Palace, Central Hall, Westminster, Kingsway Hall and St Margaret's, Westminster.

While hindsight makes it easy to castigate his period style (and some dangerously fast tempi), more rewarding is to discern behind the quaint registrations, odd clatter and faint hiss, the sounds of a pioneering and thoughtful musician.
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