Hannah Parry-Ridout Organ Recital at Norwich Cathedral

On Thursday 20th February 2014 I attended the Hannah Parry-Ridout Lunchtime Organ Recital at Norwich Cathedral. Hannah is Assistant Musical Director of the Fulham Camerata, Assistant Organist at St. Mary's Putney and a regular accompanist to choirs and instrumentalists. She started her musical career as a chorister in the Norwich Cathedral Girls' Choir and started playing the organ with the aid of a Norwich Diocesan Scholarship.

The programme consisted of Toccata and Fugue in D minor BWV 565 - Bach, Master Tallis's Testament - Howells, Intermezzo from Sonata No.4 - Rheinberger, Scherzo from Symphony No.4 - Widor and St. Patrick's Breastplate Movement III from Sonata Celtica - Stanford.

This was another fantastic Lunchtime Organ Recital at Norwich Cathedral with featured works by Bach, Howells and Stanford. Hannah Parry-Ridout who graduated from the Royal College of Music in 2010 performed a wonderful programme of music which was greatly appreciated by the enthusiastic audience at Norwich Cathedral.

Julian Haggett Organ Recital at St. Peter Mancroft Church

After my morning at Norwich Cathedral on Wednesday 1st January 2014 I made my way to the St. Peter Mancroft Church next to Norwich Marketplace for the Julian Haggett New Year's Day Organ Recital 2014 at 12 noon. As Organist at St. Peter Mancroft Julian Haggett provides voluntaries sensitive to the liturgical focus of services, ranging from 17th Century French and North European organ music of Tunder and Buxtehude to French 20th Century organ music by Alain and Messiaen.

The programme for this New Year's Day Organ Recital consisted of Piece d'Orgue BWV 572 - Bach, Noel avec variations - Langlais, Chorale Prelude In dulci jubilo Bux WV 197 - Buxtehude, Suisse Noel - Daquin, Chorale Prelude In dir ist Freude BWV 615 - Bach, Paean - Leighton and Toccata from Symphony V - Widor.

Two brilliant Organ Recitals on New Year's Day was a splendid start to the year. The highlight of the Recital at St. Peter Mancroft was the Widor Toccata from Symphony V which filled the church with the sound of beautiful music.

Julian Haggett Organ Recital at St. Peter Mancroft Church

After the New Year's Day Organ Recital at Norwich Cathedral on Tuesday 1st January 2013 I walked to the St. Peter Mancroft Church for the New Year Organ Recital from Julian Haggett who is the Organist at the church. He has toured on organ in Asia, Europe and the United Kingdom Recital venues.

The programme consisted of Prelude and Fugue D BWV 532 - Bach, Jesus accepte la souffrance (La Nativite du Seignuer) - Messiaen, Chorale Prelude In dulci jubilo BWV 729 - Bach, Jesus est bien Marie - Balbastre, Suisse Noel - Daquin, Chorale Preludes In dir ist Frelude BWV 615 - Bach, Wie Schon leuchtet der Morgenstern - Pachelbel, Les Mages (La Nativite du Seignuer) - Messiaen and Toccata from Symphony V in F minor - Widor.

This was another wonderful Organ Recital in Norwich to start the New Year in style. The varied programme of music from Julian Haggett ranged from Bach to the twentieth century organ music of Messiaen. It is always a splendid experience to listen to music in this historic Norwich church next to Norwich Marketplace.

New Year's Day Organ Recital at Norwich Cathedral

On Tuesday 1st January 2013 I attended the New Year's Day Organ Recital from Kris Thomsett at Norwich Cathedral which delivered some New Year cheer with a varied programme of organ favourites. The programme consisted of Carillon de Westminster - Vierne, Praeludium in C Bux137 - Buxtehude, Wachet Auf Ruft Uns Die Stimme BWV 645 - Bach, Dialogue Sur Les Mixtures - Langlais, Radetzky March - Johann Strauss, Toccata (Symphony No.5) - Widor and Hornpipe Humoresque - Rawsthorne.  Elgar's Nimod was added to the programme by Kris on the day.

Kris Thomsett is currently Organ Scholar of Norwich Cathedral, a post he will hold for the next three years whilst completing a degree in music at the University of East Anglia. Prior to coming to Norwich, Kris was Organ Scholar of Chelmsford Cathedral in Essex for his gap year. His role in Chelmsford, similar to that here, involved accompanying the daily services and regularly playing for the Cathedral Girls Choir.

Kris started the organ at the age of twelve, and at the age of fourteen was appointed Organ Scholar of All Saints parish church in Maidstone (Kent). After being there for just over a year, Kris then moved on to become Organ Scholar of the King's School in Rochester where he accompanied the schools' services in the Cathedral. Whilst there, Kris studied the organ with Roger Sayer. As well as playing the organ, Kris enjoys singing and has sung counter-tenor in Rochester, Chelmsford, and now Norwich, Cathedrals

This was a wonderful way to start the New Year as Norwich Cathedral was filled with wonderful organ music from the brilliant piece by Buxtehude to the traditional march from Johann Strauss. Kris Thomsett finished the recital with the jolly Hornpipe Humoresque which put lots of smiles on faces in the audience.

Celebrate at St. Peter Mancroft Church

On Saturday 30th June 2012 I attended the Julian Haggett Organ Recital at St. Peter Mancroft Church, Norwich in the Mancroft Music Summer Recital series. Celebrate was a recital marking the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. The music chosen included works by Walton and Elgar to mark this special year.

The programme consisted of Praeludium in F BuxWV 145 - Buxtehude, Crown Imperial - Walton, Nimrod - Elgar, Nun danket alle Gott BWV 657 - Bach, Chorale Prelude on Eventide - Parry, Chorale Prelude on Croft's 136th - Parry, Voluntary in A - Prelleur and Toccata from Symphony No.V - Widor.

This was a wonderful Summer Recital at St. Peter Mancroft Church in Norwich City Centre with a programme of music which celebrated the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in splendid style. Julian Haggett put on a delightful performance with Crown Imperial and Nimrod especially putting us all in a Jubilee mood.