Stylish organ recital

Press, 17 August 1977, Page 6

Stylish organ recital

By

C. FOSTER-BROWNE

Bernard Bartelinck. one of Europe’s most famous organists. gave a recital in the Christchurch Cathedral yesterday afternoon. His programme began with a set of variations by Sweelinck on a secular melody. “Est-ce Mars” in which he displayed magnificently clean figuration and stylish renderings of ornaments. Mr Bartelinck chose registration meticulously clear,; maginative. stylish, and remarkably economical. Every stop drawn made its own specific contribution. The resuit was music of the clearest texture and fascinating col-' ours changing simply in kaleidoscopic fashion. A calmly devotional performance of Bach’s “Sleepers Wake" chorale prelude fql-l lowed, with the melody, ini

subtle contrast with the ac-< cotnpanying counterpoint,; f clear but not over-assertive. > With delightfully clear tex-i • tures Mr Bartelinck gave a 1 - performance lovely in itself! and an object lesson to all) i players in apt choice of re- ■ gisters. There was an orch- . estral clarity in every de-1 ! tail. i Chorale Preludes by! • Brahms deeply moving in spiritual appeal, and a per-i • formance of his Prelude and I .(Fugue in A minor in which • contrasting rhythms flowed ■ pellucidly, showed what valui able contribution Brahms! ■ made to the literature of the organ. There was a magnific-' ent and sweeping rush in the ■ short prelude and an exciting complexity, skilfully unravelled. in the fugue. Both > movements could have < (doubled their length, and i‘been sure of their welcome.

•i Schumann’s Fugue No. 5 >on B.A.C.H. had charming freshness of sound. i “Epithalame,” by Vieme. I intricately chromatic, had , happy and tender atmosphere I with subtle changes of mood. | “Fantasy,” by Jelian Alain, iwas a forward-looking work 'of strong conviction and proj t ided interesting and varied | splashes of colour. Graham Hollobon provided; ia theme, of plainchant char-) acter on which Mr Bartelinck! j improvised as the last item on! |his programme. He harmon-' ised with imaginative ingenI uitv and brought the music to. (vivid and colourful life with! (varying and most interesting. uses of registration going! from delicately soft sounds to' blazing effects of full-organ magnificence. Fugal treat-1 rnent had most attractive flow; and all ended with exciting! peroration. '