LUNCH-TIME MUSIC

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30733, 24 April 1965, Page 16

LUNCH-TIME MUSIC

Organ Recital In Cathedral

Mr C. Foster Browne’s lunch-time organ recital in the Cathedral on Thursday exemplified the long and close musical association between University and Cathedral, the recitalist’s right to a place amongst the leaders of his contemporaries, and, above all, Bach’s power to express unchanging truth in a changing world.

The large audience heard a well-varied programme which began with three Chorale Preludes: “O Christ who makes us joyful,” massively treated and with clear delineation of its canonic writing: “From God I will not depart,” delicate, and most neatly played with a baroque-style registration: and “All Men are Mortal.” quietly meditative, sympathetically expressive of the music’s spirit. It was good to hear the early “Fantasia in G major” played with well-judged tempi, the bravura passages of the first and third divisions brilliant and always clear, and the rich five-part writing of the slow middle section noble and dignified while being always rhythmically alive.

Of the three Chorale Preludes that followed “Through Adam’s Fall” was sombre above its ponderous descending leaps of sevenths in the pedal part: “O Spotless Lamb of God” rose to a tremendous climax in its third verse with the theme in the bass: and “Rejoice, beloved Christians” scintillated lightly in effective contrast.

The great Fantasia and Fugue G minor had that essential control of a steady tempo which some recitalists lose when playing the work. This was a memorable performance by Mr Foster Browne, admirably registered for contrast and completely convincing.—V.G.