Brayne organ recital

Press, 19 April 1986, Page 8

Brayne organ recital

Organ recital by Christopher Brayne, at Christchurch Cathedral, April 18, 5.15 p.m. Reviewed by Philip Norman. Christchurch will be host this week-end to a group of 50 musicians from Wells Cathedral, Somerset, England. The various performing skills of this travelling troupe are represented here in two concerts at Christchurch Cathedral: a solo organ recital held last evening, and a choral and orchestral concert this evening. Christopher Brayne, assistant organist at Wells Cathedral, was the soloist in last evening’s recital. From the very opening bars of his delivery of Bach’s Fantasia and Fugue in G minor.it was obvious he is an organist of keen technique and well rounded interpretative skills. With neatly clipped

phrases and clearly defined rhythms, the Fantasia was dispatched without fuss or hesitation. In the Fugue, the various contrapuntal strands were deftly woven into a cohesive, cogent texture. It was, in all, a commanding performance of an often abused work. An intelligent choice of registration was one of the more impressive facets of Christopher Brayne’s performance. All timbres selected were sensitively sequenced. Contrasts of colour and texture form the very basis of Cesar Franck’s Chorale No. 2 in B minor. The distinctive vox humana (human voice) stop in particular features prominently, and the passages for this were delivered to tender and satisfying effect. Indeed, the Chorale was impeccably shaped by the organist, skilfully coaxed

from the sombre opening theme to a climax of majestic proportions. The closing item, Widor’s “Symphonic Sixieme Op. 42 in G minor” began promisingly with a set of expansive variations. These variations culminated in a thunderous sequence of various flourishes and ornamental figures. The passive Adagio provided a pleasing contrast to this lavish material. It was difficult to sustain interest in the meandering lines of both the Intermezzo and Cantabile movements. The writing was at its most diffuse in these and the playing lost much of its assertion. The Finale, however, easily hauled the listener’s concentration back into focus. Powerful sounds, confidently articulated, brought the concert to a rousing conclusion.