Faulkes: An Edwardian concert with England’s Organ Composer - Duncan Ferguson

Having incited critical fervour with his choir’s wide-ranging recordings of music from John Sheppard to Gabriel Jackson, Duncan Ferguson – when exploring repertoire for a solo recording on Edinburgh’s ‘Father’ Willis – has revealed gems from a period in the instrument’s history that is seeing something of a resurgence. William Faulkes, comfortably England’s most prolific organ composer of all time, was one of the leading figures in a generation of organist-composers whose style of writing went out of fashion; music that is melodious, spirited, uplifting – a manifest example of the then national confidence. The St Mary’s organ has the ideal colour palette for Faulkes, and Ferguson is a compelling advocate, revelling in music that speaks from and of the golden age of organ concert-going.

1        Festival Prelude On "Ein Feste Burg"
2        Fantasia
3        Scherzo Symphonique Concertant
4        Theme (Varied) In E-Flat Major
5        Barcarolle In B-Flat Major
6        Concert Overture In E-Flat Major
7        Melodie In F
8        Fantasia On Old Welsh Airs
9        Legende And Finale