ORGAN RECITAL.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20021, 1 September 1930, Page 7

ORGAN RECITAL.

PROGRAMME BY DR. C. EDGAR FORD. Dr. C. Edgar Ford's recital on the municipal organ last night was a complete success. With a pleasing personality and a mil-selected programme he took the hundreds who came to bear him along with him. and with each succeeding number their appreciation grew more enthusiastic. He showed, too, that the organ is capable oi some fine effects. "Triumph Song" (Baynon) and EUantani (Bernard Johnson) were his first two numbers, followed bjr ' a sympathetic interpretation of Wagnar's "The Meistersingers," played by request. Something quite different, but none the leas pleasing, was provided by Madrigal in IF (Purcell Mansfield) and Fugue in I> (Guilmant), Tha versatility needed for bringing out the four different melodies of Widor's composition. Scherzo, from the Fourth Symphony, proved no trouble to Dr. Ford. It was a good; opportunity to show of what delicate effects the - instrument i£. capable. A second request number w&a Allegro Appassionata,, written by Mr Arthur Barclay. This represents something very modern in musical composition, and Dr. Ford suggested "to his. audience that the more they heard it the more, they would like it. It is only occasionally that Christchurch has the privilege of listening to an accomplished organist in his own composition numbers. Dr. Ford gave two, by request, Hato petuo and Intermezzo and Ode to the Air. He explained, that the second .piece had been inspired many years ago -by a day in the Isle of Wight. The morning is brilliant, hut. .towards midday, a drowsiness fills the air as the haze comes over. Of a sudden the mists clear away, and the • evening is just as brilliant' as the morning. ■■ This is the theme of the piece, and one is not left In doubt as to when the mists settle down or when the. sun bursts forth again. There was a toneh of real art in the manner in which Dr. Ford brought out th« aignificance of the first movement of Handel's Concerto in F, "Cuckoo and Nightingale." This was followed by Allegretto in E Flat (Wolstenholme). His final number was an improvisation from a thenae handed to him at the organ. He. explained that an improvisation was a work composed and interpreted at the same time at the keyboard, and he asked hia audience not to regard it as a trick, but as a branch of art obeying the canons of art.