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what a gem Ben - love the pedal in the introduction.

I forgor

love the solo stop - a very fine rendition Ben when you play it it is not hackneyed - bravo maestro.

Ava Maria just wonderful

Wonderful. X 2:52

A very tender performance, Ben, on the gorgeous Downes/Walker Organ - good to hear you use the tremulant: bravo! This is certainly a most interesting piece of 'upcycling' . . . and worth adding to the story! The music that is so well known today did not start life as a sacred piece - nor was it initially intended to be! Gounod credited Felix and Fanny Mendelssohn with increasing his appreciation, understanding and passion for the works of Bach. Gounod was introduced to many of Bach's keyboard works by Fanny and when Gounod visited her brother at his home in Leipzig, Felix played a private organ concert of Bach's music for him. About ten years later, as Gounod was improvising at the piano, the now-famous version was born! Gounod was simply working a melody he had created around Bach's famous Prelude in C from the Well-Tempered Klavier. Pierre-Joseph-Guillaume Zimmermann, Gounod's future father-in-law, heard Gounod at the piano and rushed into the room asking Gounod to play it again so that he could write it down. Zimmermann later transcribed it and arranged it for a small ensemble to play. The melody, with Bach's Prelude as the accompaniment, was then published in 1853 as "Meditation on the First Prelude of Sebastian Bach." A later published version included words - a poem called "Vers écrits sur un album" by Alphonse de Lamartine (verses about the book of life). Gounod later changed the text to the traditional Latin text of the Ave Maria prayer. A smart move on his part! Gounod never considered the 'Ave Maria' setting among his greatest accomplishments, but it has ironically turned out to be one of his most beloved compositions. This is probably because the simple, expressive melody speaks deeply into the soul of the listener and it's difficult to imagine that anyone unless they had a heart of stone could listen and be unmoved! But even more ironic for Gounod is that this single work puts the lie to these words by one nineteenth century music critic who opined: "Mr Gounod's music is too learned and complicated. It's a symphonist's music where skill sparks all the time, but inspiration is lacking. Mr Gounod has no melodic gift. The music does not move because it does not sing." How we love to make critics eat their words!

Beautiful cathedral but that hill up from the town centre is STEEP!

I think I prefer the sound of the organ more, rather than the music.

The only difference between Ben and Mr Bean is that Ben is an organist and therefore better

I was taught the same thing about the connection if the Bach to the seven days of creation back in the early 1980’s. So it’s at least not some new folklore. And no, I don’t remember the details given back then. But it was widely considered conclusive.

Overduin states: "We can point to many examples of organ music that are deeply rooted in theological and biblical truths, though not in any clearly programmatic and/or textual way. In Baroque organ music, for example, there is a long tradition, articulated especially by the Albert Schweitzer school, that associates the historical acts of God (creation, exodus, nativity, etc.) with so-called "toccatas and fugues," (also sometimes called merely "toccatas"), psalms with so-called "preludes and fugues," (also called merely "prelude" or "Praeludium"), and eschatology with "fantasias and fugues." So you might need to explore the 'Albert Schweitzer school' to discover more!

I was at Lincoln for five years in the late 1980s as Housemaster for the choristers . . . and got to play the Father Willis for assemblies on Wednesday morning! Such a privilege! Yes, not much evidence online linking BWV 540 to the Creation. I Found a comment from the late Jan Overduin: "Or take J.S. Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in F" (BWV 540), which is clearly inspired by the story of the creation. The opening, with its long pedal point and flowing counterpoint above it, is a very beautiful musical picture of the creative Spirit of God brooding over the deep. The six days of creation can be found in the toccata, while the fugue is the picture of the Sabbath rest. It is a double fugue, since there are two Sabbaths; Jesus represents the reality of the second Sabbath." But no explanation linked to the score! Sorry to have missed hearing you play!

very demanding but you play it with ease Ben.

Extraordinary! Yes, in my youth I've played his 'easier' pieces and heard his most popular works performed live at recitals, though Mathias did seem to fall out of fashion some years back. However, this masterpiece from 1982 is just mesmerizing! Your virtuoso performance on this amazing instrument is awesome, Ben. I've never heard a Tuba used in such a way before - but fabulous - and your imaginative registration choices fully exploit the tonal potential of this fine organ. B R A V O ! And again - B R A V O !

Thank you. It's great to hear a wide variety of organ music, especially recent music.

This is definitely my favorite Mathias piece

I faild to sing it under the shower this morning :)

Far too fast, no feeling at all.

Very beautiful played and I LOVED the registration! Thank you so much for this gift!

love your tempo.

Sorry, but too fast for me.

Very interesting, never realized this famous piece could sound so great if played much faster than one normally hears it.

so nice !

Obrigado Sr!!

A 'brisk' tempo in this fine performance of BWV 147 on the gorgeous Downes/Walker Organ: bravo, Ben. (You manage it in under three minutes; some TH-camrs take over four minutes! Tempo choice certainly influences the 'mood' presented by the music - if only we knew what Bach did with it!)

Truly lovely start to my morning ❤

we tend to think of Samuel Wesley like his father as only relevant as a hymn writer - this proves he was more than that. Ben thanks for introdicing us to his organ pieces.

Thanks for these, Ben. It's terrific to hear the colors that the organ is capable of rather than just the thunder. It's great to hear a young organist who brings that out.

Having played both these Wesley pieces with much pleasure for over the last fifty years myself, it was a real treat to hear them performed so beautifully by you, Ben, on the magnificent Downes/Walker Organ: bravo! Wesley was possibly England's finest organist and composer in the late Georgian period, and deservedly known as 'the English Mozart'. One of ten children, his musical talents were recognized at an early age as by the age of 6, he had started an oratorio, "Ruth", and by 11, he had published 'Eight Lessons for the Harpsichord' - so somewhat on the precocious side! Sadly, aged 21, he suffered a head injury which left him with some limitations and noticeable changes in his personality. Despite this, Wesley's compositional style remained eclectic and he was a pioneer of the organ recital, as the instrument up until then was usually only played in churches during worship. He composed over 120 organ pieces in addition to 6 symphonies, 4 orchestral overtures, and at least 65 piano pieces. Most of his composition were played for an occasion, then the music was lost in time. He married Charlotte Louise Martin in 1793, but they separated after his public affair with a servant, Sarah Suter. He had three children with his wife and then four with Sarah Suter, including his more illustrious son, Samuel Sebastian Wesley. His marital status may have impacted his career since he was unable to obtain a post as an organist in churches thereafter and despite his family being rooted in Methodism, he is recorded as converting to Roman Catholicism in 1784 and then composing at least two masses. At times, his life choices proved to be a disappointment to his parents (!), though according to his obituary, he did not convert and was buried in St. Marylebone Churchyard with his father. After the grave's original small obelisk marker decayed, it was replaced in 1853 with a larger inscribed memorial stone before being moved in 1950 from the actual grave site to a nearby garden on Marylebone High Street, still visible today in the 'Garden of Rest'.

Some pretty good also-rans include bwv651 the fantasia on komm heiliger Geist, 659 the adagio nun komm. Hard to leave out any of the preludes and fugues in G,g and a. You have tempted me to dust off the prelude in A

Moore Susan Walker Larry Davis Dorothy

it always thrills and it is so great to see how different musicians ntrpret it. Very refined Ben.

Bravo!

A suave performance, Ben, of Bach's beautiful air from the third Orchestral Suite in this gorgeous transcription by Gordon Phillips: bravo! Did you know that when Gordon Phillips was a young boy, his family moved to West Bridgford, Nottingham, and he started piano lessons - but the turning point for him came when he heard Louis Vierne give a recital at the Albert Hall, Nottingham? Vierne played among other pieces the Widor Toccata and this so fired Gordon's imagination that he began to take organ lessons with the Nottingham City Organist, Bernard Johnson. When, aged 48, he was invited to become organist at All Hallows by the Tower in 1956, he relished the opportunity to design the new Harrison and Harrison organ, replacing the one that had been destroyed by enemy bombing in 1940. The organ was finished in 1957 and that autumn saw the beginning of Gordon's Thursday lunch-time organ recitals. By the time of his death in 1991, Gordon had given three thousand two hundred and sixty-eight recitals since the beginning of the series! In 1983, at the age of 75, he played the organ works of Bach in an eight hour marathon to raise money for All Hallows church (a prodigious feat of intellect as well as endurance for a man of that age). By all accounts he was a most delightful character: an outstanding musician, a mass of intellect, a generous man, a connoisseur of cigars, a scholar, a composer, editor, a man of sound common sense, a man of strong views and yet a man with a delightful sense of humour and a zest for life. His life was music and when interviewed for a music magazine, the questioner asked him: 'You in fact live music' - to which Gordon replied: 'I feel that to be a really good organist, one works ten hours a day and thinks music for the other fourteen'. Now . . . there's an example to follow!

Lovely playing Ben: looking forward to your CD in Oct. I would not mind some lessons from you at some point. I’ve not had any in 20 odd years.

Walker Dorothy Wilson Sandra Taylor Mark

Fabulous beaut beautifully executed, thank you very much, Ben

a superb melody and a great favourite. Thanks for playing this so beautifully Ben.

Perfect! Thank you, Ben.

Will always be a wonderful piece of music , and here, so well played with the correct choice of stops. I beleive one of the best version. Thank you Ben.

A splendid performance of Handel's stately classic 'Largo' on the gorgeous Downes/Walker Organ: bravo, Ben! (This opening aria of the 1738 opera 'Serse' - giving it its Italian title - has a vocal part composed for a countertenor and the range required in the high register helps create quite an ethereal atmosphere. Sadly for GFH, the opera was a commercial failure and only ran for five performances. It was much later on in the 19th Century that 'Ombra mai fú' was rediscovered, and is now so very well known as one of Handel’s most famous and popular vocal works. Somewhat ironic that out of failure, success eventually blossoms . . . though a comforting thought for would-be composers like me!)

Ahhhh well that was a D...........

Great arrangement! Thanks for uploading, Ben.

Poor old Stanley. He deserves more respect.

This is one of your finest examples to showcast your great talent. Ben congratulations.

Bravo! Beautifully played with an understanding light but precise touch that imparted the joy of this piece. Very cheering Ben.

You can't beat a bit of John Stanley, especially in a David Willcocks arrangement. A sparkling performance, Ben, on this glorious instrument: bravo! (I have long moved past being irritated to now being amused by how certain organists/musicians are obsessed with 'grading' music from the excellent and erudite to the mediocre and unscholarly. All that really matters, in the end, is the pleasure any individual gets from a composition . . . and John Stanley still delivers plenty of pleasure to both the seeing and musically blind.)

Great playing as always! but Tell me, why are so many Organist playing in socks?

Love a loud organ! Lots of VFM (Value For Money). Well done Ben!

Going to the house where your hero was born can actually be rather thrilling. I know because I’ve done it with my hero/heroine so don’t be downhearted; however mundane the dwelling is, his spirit will have seeped into the walls and you have paid your respects at the place of his birth and that’s rather a wonderful thing to do.