John Wells on organ

Press, 10 March 1987, Page 4

John Wells on organ

John Wells in a recital of organ music presented by the Christchurch Organists Association at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, March 9, 8 p.m. Reviewed by Philip Norman. To enjoy without reservation a concert of organ music, one needs either to be a devotee of the instrument’s sound or have the physique of a giraffe. The effort of craning one’s neck to peer at the back of an organist’s head makes staring at the pew in front seem an attractive alternative. There is a third option, though, and that is to attend a recital by an organist of .the calibre of John Wells. Presented with the sounds he was able to draw from the Catholic Cathedral organ last evening, one had no need of visual diversion. In a sustained burst of intelligent musicianship, ,

John Wells delivered a programme of solo organ works notable for its variety of moods and styles. Along with the inevitable “Prelude and Fugue” (in C, 5545) by J. S. Bach and “Toccata” (from "Symphony No. 2”) by Widor, both presented with admirable flair, there were items by lesser-known composers such as Louis Lefebure-Wely (French, 1817-70) and William Wolstenholme (English, 18651931). Two of the performer’s own compositions were also presented. The first of these was a neatly crafted suite of brief, melodically attractive movements. The second was a short mass. This accessible, harmonious work gave John Wells his one break from the console during the recital. The performance, by the Cathedral Choir under the baton of Don

Whelan, with Chris Archer as organist, was a good one. The group was obviously well-drilled; phrases were neatly-tailored, dynamic shadings were carefully observed and pitchings were generally secure. Many aspects of John Wells’ playing are worthy of mention. He has a keen ear for colour, as evidenced by his expressive timbral mixes. His articulation was almost always clean and his rhythms assertive, yet buoyant. Subtle rhythmic nuances brought life to many of the melodic lines. In short, his performance combined an impressive technique with a lively imagination. With the exception of a longwinded Sonata No. 3 in G minor by Joseph Rheinberger, all of his items easily held the ear, if not the neck, to attention.