Organs in Glasgow

j o h n k i t c h e n a n d j o h n b u t t o r g a n s i n g l a s g o w

Shettleston Old Parish Church (John Kitchen)

1-3 Sonata in C minor/major Op. 65 no.2

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

Grave - Adagio

Allegro maestoso e vivace

Fugue: Allegro moderato

4-5 Two hymn tune preludes

C.H.H. Parry (1848-1918)

Melcombe

Partick Methodist Church (John Kitchen)

6 Praeludium in E

Francis Jackson (b. 1917)

7-8 Two hymn tune preludes

Kenneth Leighton (1929-1988) Lumetto

9 Allegro assai in C

Henry Smart (1813-1879)

Dennistoun Blackfriars (John Butt)

10 Feux follets

Louis Vierne (1870-1937)

Also available on Delphian Records

The Kelvingrove Organ

Timothy Byram-Wigfield

Timothy Byram-Wigfield, master of music at St George’s, Windsor, plays a variety of Edwardian transcriptions on one of the world’s finest concert organs: the Lewis organ in Glasgow's Kelvingrove Gallery.

“[C]arefully crafted interpretations played with consummate skill. There's rhythmical and incisive phrasing in the faster music, and a spacious, singing style in the slower passages. Full and imaginative use is made of the Kelvingrove organ's colourful registers, and the opulent magnificence of this instrument is well captured by Delphian's recording." - Gramophone, March 2004

The Usher Hall Organ

John Kitchen

DCD34022

John Kitchen, Edinburgh’s City Organist, presents a wide-ranging and eclectic programme of music brilliantly brought to life on the Usher Hall’s newly-refurbished monumental Norman and Beard concert organ: never before heard on disc.

"Supported by a splendidly vivid recording, [Kitchen] revels in Walton's jazzy rhythms. Altogether this is a thoroughly enjoyable disc and the programme, ranging from Bach's E flat Prelude and Fugue (BWV552) to three delightful Scottish folk melody arrangements by Geoffrey Atkinson provides a source of endless delight." - Gramophone, September 2004

Delphian Records is one of the UK’s fastest-growing independent labels and is lauded for its recordings of contemporary and early music alike.

Please visit www.delphianrecords.co.uk.

Acknowledgements:

Delphian Records wishes to thank all who have assisted in any way at each of the venues used in this recording, in particular David Crosbie at Dennistoun Blackfriars; Christine Furnish at St. Margaret's, Knightswood; Craig Martin at Partick Methodist; Bill Stewart and Willie McEachan at Shettleston Old; and Michael Rae and Kerr Jamieson for page turning.

Cover Images (clockwise from top left):

Concert Hall, University of Glasgow (John Butt)

Pastorella in F

(1685-1750)

16 A

for two to play (John Butt & John Kitchen)

St. Margaret's, Knightswood (John Kitchen)

Four Orgelbüchlein chorales

St. Bride's Episcopal Church, Hyndland; St. Margaret's Parish Church, Knightswood; Tracks 1-5 recorded in Shettleston Old Parish Church on 22 July, 2004

Shettleston Old Parish Church; Dennistoun

Tracks 6-9 recorded in Partick Methodist Blackfriars Parish Church; University of Church on 23 July, 2004

Glasgow Concert Hall; Partick Methodist

Track 10-12 recorded in Dennistoun Blackfriars Church.

Parish Church on 2 September, 2004

Tracks 13-17 recorded in University of Glasgow

Concert Hall on 3 September, 2004

Tracks 18- 24 recorded in St. Margaret's Parish

Church, Knightswood on 23 July, 2004

Tracks 25-29 recorded in St. Bride's Episcopal Church, Hyndland on 2 September, 2004

Producer: Paul Baxter

Executive Producer: Matthew Hynes

Engineer: David Strudwick

Instrument Preparation: James MacKenzie

Digital Editing and Mastering: Paul Baxter

Photography: © Delphian Records

Photograph Editing: Raymond Parks

Design: Kevin Findlan

G minor Op. 6, no. 9

St. Bride's Episcopal Church, Hyndland (John Butt) 24-25 Settings of Herzlich tut mein verlangen

freut dich sehr, O meine Seele

During the past 150 years, the organ accounted for a substantial share of post-1864 landscape of Glasgow has, as is the case in installations. Other firms, such as Peter almost any other British town or city, Conacher of Huddersfield, enjoyed the support experienced widely fluctuating fortunes. of prominent figures, an example being Dr. A. L. Perhaps most acutely, during recent decades, Peace, who, as organist of Glasgow University urban redevelopment and accelerating and later Glasgow Cathedral, recommended frequency of church closure have resulted in the firm of his birthplace to many clients, the loss of definitive examples of British despite his subsequent collaborations with organbuilding, particularly those examples of Willis. The demand was such, however, that smaller provincial firms. Although having lost there were few established British organ many such instruments, Glasgow has builders who did not receive an opportunity to managed to retain a modest but varied palette provide an example of their work in the city. The from which those on this disc have been authorities at Bellahouston Parish Church selected. ventured yet further afield, acquiring an organ from Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, France's foremost With one exception, the organs featured in this builder of the day, in 1874. recording date from a very productive five decades of organbuilding which lasted from The opening decade of the twentieth century 1864 until the onset of the Great War. The witnessed a relentless surge in organbuilding significance of 1864 is considerable being the activity, with firms such as Abbott & Smith, year that the General Assembly of the Brindley & Foster, J. J. Binns, and Norman & Established Church (known today as the Beard expanding their profiles in the city. Like Church of Scotland) commenced the the Conacher firm before them, the order books legislative process to permit the use of pipe of J. J. Binns of Leeds were to benefit greatly organs in public worship. The first pipe organ from a strong association with a leading to be legally used as a consequence of this organist, in this instance Herbert Walton, who legislation, and opened in January, 1865, is had held a prominent church post (with Binns heard on this disc in St. Bride's Episcopal organ) in that Yorkshire city, prior to succeeding Church, Hyndland, its home since 1971.

Albert Peace as Organist of Glasgow Cathedral in 1897. Whilst new instruments continued to be The organs of Hill & Son, Henry Willis, T. C. Lewis (Lewis & Co. from 1884), Forster & built, there was much rebuilding (in the Andrews (the last two particularly so) prevailing fashion) and even replacement, of

St. Bride's Episcopal Church, Hyndland Great

Whilst General Assembly legislation permitting Stopped Diapason

the use

a

instrument with William Hill of

London in 1864. Originally comprising a tenor c Mixture 17:19:22

Swell and an Open Diapason 16 as the sole

Pedal stop, the organ was opened in January, 1865, becoming the first pipe organ to be legally Swell used for public worship in an Established

church.

provided a new CC compass Swell soundboard,

by a Clarinet and Gamba respectively, whilst a Pedal Bourdon was also provided. Following Pedal closure of the Anderston church in 1968 the

16 organ was installed, after restoration, in St.

16 Bride's Scottish Episcopal Church, Hyndland in 1971 by James MacKenzie. The original Great Couplers Mixture and Twelfth were returned to their native Swell to Great soundboard, new Mixture and Fifteenth stops Swell to Pedal being provided for the Swell, where also the Great to Pedal compasses of the Stopped Diapason and Oboe were completed.

Hill & Son, London, 1865

Harrison & Harrison, Durham, 1882

Accessories

Swell Tremulant

Balanced Swell pedal

3 combination pedals to Great (new pipework marked *)

James A. MacKenzie, Glasgow, 1971

Watkins & Watson “Discus” blower Mechanical action throughout Watkins & Watson humidifier Compasses: 56/30

Instrument Specifications

St. Margaret's Parish Church, Knightswood Swell

Lieblich Gedact 8

Installed in the newly completed Townhead Open Diapason (1-12 from Gedact) 8

Established Church (latterly Townhead- Gemshorn 4 Blochairn) by Henry Willis in 1866, this organ is Cornopean

8 understood to be his first contract for the Established church. Having been removed from a side gallery onto the chancel in the 1870's, Pedale the instrument survived on little more than Bourdon

16 routine maintenance (no electric blowing until 1960) until its removal in 1993, following Couplers closure of the church. After a period of storage Swell to Great in St. Margaret's Parish Church, Knightswood, Swell to Pedals the organ was restored and erected on the Great to Pedals west gallery of that church. This project, undertaken by James MacKenzie of Glasgow and completed in 2002, received grant Accessories assistance from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Lever Swell pedal

Three combination pedals to Great Henry Willis, London, 1866

James A. MacKenzie, Glasgow, 2002

Watkins & Watson “Discus” blower

Mechanical action throughout Watkins & Watson humidifier

Compasses: 56/30

Great Open Diapason

Viola da Gamba

Stopped Diapason Bass (1-12)

Claribel Flute (tenor c)

Dulciana (tenor c)

Principal

Flute Harmonique

Fifteenth

Sesquialtera 17:19:22 III ranks

Corno di Bassetto (tenor g)

organs which had been built no more than a busy after WWII with rebuilds, overhauls, and few decades earlier. Lewis & Co. of Brixton new electric action instruments, before being further consolidated their healthy Glasgow purchased by J. W. Walker & Sons in 1965. As portfolio with instruments for the 1901 is the case with Mirrlees, many of Watt's earlier exhibition (transferred the following year to the organs, in good working order, continue to give Art Gallery & Museum, Kelvingrove; a service, though none sadly within the city. recording of transcriptions on this organ, by Richard Smith arrived in Glasgow in 1878, as Timothy Byram-Wigfield, is available on the sole Scottish representative of the firm then Delphian DCD34004), Glasgow City Hall, known as T. C. Lewis & Co., of Brixton. In 1888 University of Glasgow Bute Hall, and a rebuild he started working on his own account and from of the 1877 T.C. Lewis in St. Andrew's Hall, the 1898 was receiving commissions for new largest organ to leave their Ferndale Road organs in addition to rebuilding work. The works. Dennistoun Blackfriars instrument, heard on this disc, clearly betrays Smith's Lewis upbringing in Of the Glasgow builders, the firm of J. & A. the use of the highest quality of materials and Mirrlees, having branched into organ building workmanship. This is the only organ built by as early as 1812, made a considerable Richard Smith remaining in use. Upon his death contribution both within and beyond the city, in 1926, the business was acquired by Andrew until their acquisition by Hill, Norman & Beard Watt & Son. in 1948. The scope of their work was comprehensive, embracing new organs; Having served his apprenticeship with Andrew restoration; and conservative rebuilding.

Watt & Son, James MacKenzie set up on his Despite the fact that their 1872 magnum opus own in 1960, since when the core of his work, at St. Andrew's Roman Catholic Cathedral no outwith the demands of regular tuning and longer exists, there are excellent examples maintenance, has been the restoration of outwith Glasgow which remain in regular use. mechanical action organs.

Andrew Watt, who learnt his trade with Mirrlees, commenced independently in 1898, Matthew Hynes studied organ with George McPhee at the completing some fifty new instruments by the RSAMD prior to his appointment as Director of Music at Pollokshields Parish Church in Glasgow, and has worked with time his two sons took control of the business, organbuilder James MacKenzie since 1997. He is currently following his death c.1922. The firm remained President of the Scottish Federation of Organists.

Matthew Hynes © 2004

the melody in the pedals, but each phrase,

Shettleston Old Parish Church remarkably, is in a different key; the melody in Rockingham is placed in the tenor. On this

FELIX MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847)

recording each prelude is followed by the hymn Sonata in C minor/major Op. 65 no.2 tune on which it is based.

I Grave Adagio

II Allegro maestoso e vivace Partick Methodist Church III Fugue: Allegro moderato

Mendelssohn's Six Organ Sonatas Op. 65

FRANCIS JACKSON (b. 1917) have been standard repertory since their Praeludium in E publication in 1845. They were commissioned by the English publisher, Coventry and

This mellifluous piece was written in 1985 Hollier, and composed between 1839 and outside the Thomaskirche in Leipzig during an 1845, although some movements are organists' visit, and of course pays homage to revisions of earlier pieces. They were Bach. Listeners may detect quotations from a originally to be entitled 'voluntaries', and do well-known Bach prelude but the overall indeed owe something to the eighteenth- and mood is quintessentially English. early nineteenth-century voluntaries by Stanley, Boyce and Russell; these were often

KENNETH LEIGHTON (1929-1988) suites of several movements in different

Two hymn tune preludes styles. In this, the second sonata, we begin

(i) Lumetto with a serious opening Grave, leading into a

(ii) Rockingham gently lyrical, Romantic Adagio; a robust Allegro; and finally a grand fugue which owes

'Lumetto' is one of Leighton's Six Fantasies on much to Bach.

Hymn Tunes which were dedicated to Herrick Bunney and first performed by him in St Giles'

C.H.H. PARRY (1848-1918)

Two hymn tune preludes:

Cathedral, Edinburgh, in 1976. It is subtitled

'Little canonic variations on Jesus bids us

(i) Melcombe shine and an apparent simplicity disguises

(ii) Rockingham

some very sophisticated canonic procedures.

'Rockingham', the well-known tune for the Parry's two sets of hymn-tune preludes

hymn 'When I survey the wondrous cross', was (1916) use Bachian contrapuntal, motivic and published as a separate piece, and weaves a other techniques, but combined with a melancholy and highly individual harmonic and Romantic harmonic idiom. Melcombe places melodic web around the melody.

University of Glasgow Concert Hall Great

Donaldson of York having provided a tenor c

Swell in 1788, the organ was again removed, c.1813, to the Unitarian Chapel in Union Street.

carried out by J. & A. Mirrlees of Glasgow

15:19:22

fallen

disuse, rehabilitation work carried out by James MacKenzie (in whose care the organ

has since remained), enabled the organ to Swell to Great return to regular service. Following complete Great to Pedal restoration in 1974 (with tonal alterations marked* on the specification), the organ was Accessories installed in the University of Glasgow Concert

pedal Hall in 1985, having been gifted to the Two

pedals to Great University by the Unitarians on their removal to Watkins & Watson “Discus” blower a smaller Sanctuary.

John Snetzler, 1747

John Donaldson, York, 1788

Bevington & Son, Soho, 1856

James A. MacKenzie, Glasgow, 1974 (new pipework marked *), 1985

Mechanical action throughout Compasses: 54/30

Watkins & Watson humidifier

Hand blowing

Temperament: Young (1800)

Dennistoun Blackfriars Parish Church Swell

Lieblich Bourdon

HENRY SMART (1813-1879) Concert Hall, University of Glasgow

Allegro assai in C

Completed by Richard Smith in 1902 for

Geigen Open

J.S. BACH (1685-1750)

Smart, remembered as a composer of hymn Pastorella in F tunes, also wrote a good deal of straightforward, functional organ music. This This is one of Bach's lesser-known organ optimistic-sounding piece is one of a set works, but, with its touches of modern galant rather unimaginatively entitled Twelve pieces phrasing and harmony, it clearly belongs of various kinds and was obviously intended among his mature works. It is essentially a as a postlude to the service. suite of four pieces, the first of which is the pastorale giving the piece its title. This is followed by a light-hearted binary movement, an expressive cantilena, and, finally a brilliant Dennistoun Blackfriars gigue-like conclusion.

LOUIS VIERNE (1870-1937)

Feux follets

Carillon de Westminster

Vierne was the quintessential French organist of the late nineteenth century. Blind, and supremely talented as an improviser, his playing at Notre Dame in Paris attracted many admirers, including Rodin and Debussy. His fantasy pieces of the late 1920s show his absorption of the impressionistic idiom, ranging the colourful flashes of Feux follets (will o' the wisp) to the climactic improvisation THOMAS TOMKINS (1572-1656) on the Westminster chimes. He has long A Fancy: for two to play been berated for getting these slightly wrong, although their sequence through the quarters This is one of very few extant keyboard duets is actually less predictable than most imagine; from this period, although more may have Vierne's version merely combines authentic existed. A contrapuntal texture, influenced by four-note patterns in an idiosyncratic order. Byrd's style, is skilfully divided among four hands at one keyboard, with engaging results.

St. Margaret's, Knightswood St. Bride's Episcopal Church, Hyndland

Partick Methodist Church Swell

Violin Diapason 8

J.S. BACH (1685-1750) JOHANNES BRAHMS (1833-1897)

Four Orgelbüchlein chorales 2 settings of Herzlich tut mein verlangen

Der Tag der ist so freudenreich (Christmas)

Christ lag in Todesbanden (Easter) Although Brahms is not obviously associated Komm Gott, Schöpfer, heilige Geist (Pentecost) with the organ medium, he gained an interest Alle Menschen müssen sterben (for the dying) in the instrument through his early association with Schumann. Shortly after Clara Bach's unfinished Orgelbüchlein contains 45 Schumann's death in 1896 he prepared the concise chorale settings which, while using eleven chorale preludes for organ, well-established techniques, are unsurpassed retrospective but highly subtle in style. The two in fluency and variety of expression. They are settings of ‘Herzlich tut’, in particular, show an pieces of the first order which are liturgically obvious debt to Bach. useful, compositionally instructive, and which further the player's technique. As so often, SIGFRID KARG-ELERT

(1877-1933)

Bach's inspirational music serves Nun freut dich sehr, O meine Seele simultaneously on many levels. Nun danket alle Gott

SAMUEL WESLEY (1766-1837) Karg-Elert had multiple musical talents, initially Voluntary in G minor Op. 6, no. 9 as a pianist, but progressively as a composer. His works show the obvious influence of Grieg In addition to his well-known shorter organ and Reger, and he was later attracted to early pieces, Samuel Wesley (father of Samuel modernist composers. The ChoralSebastian) wrote a number of more ambitious Improvisations of 1908-10 contain some of his voluntaries (with fugues) which reflect his most accessible works, including the lyrical interest in Bach, and in turn influenced 'Nun freut dich sehr, O meine Seele' and the Mendelssohn's organ sonatas. The present bombastic 'Nun danket alle Gott'. work, written in 1808, begins with a gentle larghetto which prepares for a dramatic, stormy passage that must have surprised its first listeners. A gentler bridge passage leads into a finely-wrought fugue. This music seems particularly well-served by the Willis at Knightswood.

By the time Forster & Andrews completed this Salicional 8 organ in 1886, the Hull firm was an established Voix Célestes tenor c 8 force in the city, having provided their first Gemshorn 4 instrument (of over thirty subsequently), for Clarinet tenor c 8* Claremont Street United Presbyterian Church, Cornopean 8 in 1856. Alterations were carried out c.1928 by Oboe 8 Hilsdon, principally the replacement of the Tremulant -* Swell Piccolo by the Great Clarinet, the derivation of the Pedal Bourdon to the Great, Pedal the treble being provided by the Stopped Bourdon Diapason, itself ousted by a new Clarabella.

Bass Flute (1-18 from Bourdon) Other alterations are marked (*) on the specification. The organ remains in this form Couplers today. Though the wisdom of Hilsdon's Swell Super Octave attentions might be debatable, the quality of Swell to Great the original material remains.

Swell to Pedals

Great to Pedals

Forster & Andrews, Hull, 1886 H. Hilsdon Ltd., Glasgow, c.1928

Accessories (Alterations marked *)

Balanced Swell Pedal

Mechanical action to manuals and drawstops Three combination pedals to Great Pneumatic action to pedal Compasses: 56/30

Meidinger electric blower

Great Bourdon (1-30 from Pedal) 16* Open

Shettleston Old Parish Church Swell

Lieblich Bourdon

Completed by Lewis & Co. of Brixton in 1903 Geigen Principal

(during a period of almost continuous activity Rohr Flute

in Glasgow by the firm), the organ remained in Viol de Gamba

original condition until a rebuild in 1961 by the Voix Celeste tenor c

local firm of H. Hilsdon Ltd. (extant c.1912- Geigen Principal

c.1980 and founded by Norman & Beard's Mixture 15:19:22

Scottish Manager Harry Hilsdon). The Horn

mechanisms were converted to electro- Oboe

pneumatic, the adapted Lewis console Tremulantincorporating stopkeys instead of drawstops. Tonal changes, all using second-hand Pedal pipework, saw the compass of the Pedal Great Bass

department extended to thirty two notes, Sub Bass

together with 8 and 4 foot extensions to the

Lewis & Co., Brixton, 1903, (job no. 658)

H. Hilsdon Ltd., Glasgow, 1961 Couplers (Additions marked *)

Swell to Great

JOHN BUTT was born in 1960 (in Solihull, West Midlands) and was educated at Solihull School. As an undergraduate at Cambridge University, he was organ scholar at King's College where he continued as a graduate student studying the music of Bach, receiving his PhD in 1987. He was subsequently a lecturer at the University of Aberdeen and a Fellow of Magdalene College Cambridge, joining the faculty at UC Berkeley in 1989 as University Organist and Assistant Professor in Music. In 1997 he returned to Cambridge as a University Lecturer and Fellow of King's College, and in 2001 he was appointed to the Gardiner Chair of Music at the University of Glasgow. His interpretative theories on Bach's music are widely published, and he enjoys an extensive recording career including eleven recordings on the Harmonia Mundi label.

Electro-pneumatic action

Swell Octave to Great Compasses: 61/32

Swell Sub Octave to Great Swell Octave

Swell Sub Octave

Great Swell to Pedal

Bourdon 16

Large Open Diapason 8

Great to Pedal

Dulciana 8

Octave 4

Flauto Traverso 4

Super Octave 2

Trumpet 8

Balanced Swell Pedal

Four thumb and toe pistons to Swell

Four thumb and toe pistons to Great & Pedal

Reversible thumb piston for Great to Pedal

Reversible toe piston for Great to Pedal

Pistons adjustable by switch Electric blower

JOHN KITCHEN was educated in the Universities of Glasgow and Cambridge, and was organ scholar of Clare College. From 1976-88 he was Lecturer in Music and Organist in the University of St Andrews; since 1988 he has been a Senior Lecturer in Music and University Organist in the University of Edinburgh. He also directs the Edinburgh University Singers, is organist of Old Saint Paul's Episcopal Church and Edinburgh City Organist. For many years he played with the Scottish Early Music Consort as harpsichordist, organist and fortepianist, and he plays regularly with several other ensembles, covering a wide range of musical styles. He gives many solo recitals both in the UK and further afield, and is much in demand as a continuo player, accompanist, lecturer, writer and reviewer. Recent acclaimed recording projects include a recording of the newly-restored Usher Hall organ in Edinburgh on Delphian and the complete works of Johann Ludwig Krebs with Priory (six discs).

University of Glasgow Concert Hall Console (Originally John Snetzler, 1747)

St. Bride's Episcopal Church, Hyndland Console (Hill & Son, London, 1865)

Dennistoun Blackfriars Parish Church Console (Richard Smith & Company, Glasgow, 1902)

Shettleston Old Parish Church Console (Lewis & Co., Brixton, 1903, altered H. Hilsdon, 1961)

Partick Methodist Church Console (Forster & Andrews, Hull, 1886)

St. Margaret’s Parish Church, Knightswood Console (Henry Willis, London, 1866)