Tom Winpenny organ
TOCCATA CLASSICS TOCC 0760
Last July I had the pleasure of reviewing the first volume of John Gardner’s complete organ music and concluded by stating that I looked forward to the second volume. I have not been disappointed.
At the time I was puzzled by the fact that so much worthwhile music had not been made available before. However, the excellent note provided by Chris Gardner, the composer’s son and Tom Winpenny clarifies this issue. Of the works included in the present release, only the Five Dances, Op 179 would be likely to strike a chord with even British organ music enthusiasts. In fact, they were broadcast on BBC Radio3 last autumn and played by Thomas Trotter from St Peter’s, Eaton Square, London, thus reaching a wider audience.
Gardner wrote for the organ throughout his life, although his Op.1 was a Quintet Movement in C minor, written in 1932. The last work in this initial sequence was a Processional for flute, violin and guitar written in 1939 and bearing the number Op.76. In 1947 Gardner decided to begin allocating a new series of numbers, so that only his mature works would form part of his ‘official’ catalogue.
Unlike other composers who have embarked on such an exercise, none of the works in the earlier series were destroyed, unlike Brahms, who towards the end of his life, systematically discarded any work with which he was not completely satisfied. Gardner regarded them as ‘withdrawn’, and while some may not reach the standard of his later compositions, the stronger examples have been released by the Gardner family, designated as ‘Old Series’, to make it clear that they form part of his earlier corpus of works.
This is most welcome, since it significantly adds to the composer’s stature as one of the most distinctive British composers of organ music of the 20th century.
The Five Dances and the Variations and Fugue on Sine Nomine Op. 128 are the most extended pieces, the latter being particularly welcome, although it would have helpful to have been given details of the publishers, where appropriate. In terms of style the Gardner characteristics are fully apparent; the rhythmic unpredictability, with changes of time signature, as found in the first of the Five Dances and his obvious affinity with contrapuntal procedures.
Tom Winpenny gives polished and committed performances of this music, as he does with everything that he commits to disc. His ability to bring unfamiliar music to life is extraordinary and Toccata Classics are to be commended for their policy of treating the organ and its repertoire as a mainstream instrument. An excellent release which reflects great credit on all concerned.
Review by Martyn Strachan