RES10162 KENNETH LEIGHT V OR OL G UME 2 AN W ORK S The KLAIS org ON STEPHEN F an of S ymphony NICKY SPENCE Hall,Birmingham ARR

OR TENOR G AN Kenneth Leighton (1929-1988) Complete Organ Works Vol. 2

1. Festival Fanfare (1968) [6:12]

Et Resurrexit (Theme, Fantasy & Fugue), Op. 49 Stephen Farr organ 2. Theme: Sostenuto, lontano e religioso [2:39] 3. Fantasy: Largo alla marcia [5:22] with 4. Fugue: Andante sostenuto [7:58] 5 Nicky Spence tenor 5. These are Thy Wonders (A Song of Renewal), Op. 84 [8:04]

6. Veni Creator Spiritus (1987) [7:00] The Klais Organ of Symphony Hall, Birmingham Prelude, Scherzo and Passacaglia, Op. 41 7. Prelude: Largo sostenuto [4:23] 8. Scherzo: Allegro molto, ritmico e chiaro [3:07] 9. Passacaglia: Adagio sostenuto [8:25]

Total playing time [53:16] About Volume 1:

‘Indeed, it is the sheer musical quality of Farr's playing and his obvious sensitivity towards the rhythmic and textural detail of Leighton's music which makes this a hugely impressive release’ Gramophone (Editor’s Choice)

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Photography: Rudi Wells (A Song of Renewal), Op. 84 for tenor and 1987. Leighton frequently described the organ (1981) and Leighton’s last composition importance of both plainchant and hymn for solo organ, Veni Creator Spiritus (1987). tunes in his music (’My work is littered with hymn tunes’), and this short work, described Composed between April and May of 1981, as a ‘Prelude’ by Leighton, is an exquisite These Are Thy Wonders was commissioned meditation on the plainchant hymn Veni by the tenor Neil Mackie in honour of the Creator Spiritus. Between lilting sections seventieth birthday of Peter Pears. Mackie, based around the ninth-century Veni Creator accompanied by the Richard Hughes, Spiritus theme, the chant itself is brought premiered the work on 23 June 1981 in St out in rilievo, suggesting the structure of Magnus’ Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney. In a Baroque chorale prelude with one setting words to music Leighton was drawn complete verse fractured into its four to the work of the metaphysical poets, separate phrases. often to great effect. These Are Thy Wonders provides no exception in a © 2016 Adam Binks luminous setting of George Herbert’s poem ‘The Flower’ from The Temple (1633). The imagery is strong here in this vivid through-composed work – the garden of life in which some flowers perish and die while others soar towards heaven. The challenge of balancing a solo voice with the wide range of the organ is fluently negotiated while the intensely lyrical nature of Leighton’s music is here in abundance.

Composed just a year before Leighton’s untimely death at the age of fifty-eight Veni Creator Spiritus was written for the Dunfermline Abbey Festival and first performed in Dunfermline Abbey by the organist Andrew Armstrong on 21 June The Klais Organ of Symphony Hall, Birmingham (2001) Photography: Bob Hall (Creative Commons - flickr.com) The Klais Organ of Symphony Hall, 24. Quinte 2 2/3 Chamade to Swell Right Echo on Positiv Birmingham 25. Superoctave 2 Chamade to Solo Left Echo on Great 26. Mixtur V 2 Positiv (Manual I) 27. Cymbel III 1/2 Solo (Manual IV - enclosed) Pedal 1. Quintadena 16 28. V 49. Salicional 8 67. Openflute 32 2. Praestant 8 29. Trompete 16 50. Cor de nuit 8 68. Untersatz 32 3. Voce humana 8 30. Trompete 8 51. Traversflöte 8 69. Principal 16 4. 8 31. Clairon 4 52. Céleste 8 70. Violon 16 5. Principal 4 Positiv to Great 53. Viola 4 71. Subbass 16 6. Koppelflöte 4 Swell to Great 54. Rohrflöte 4 72. Octave 8 7. Nasat 2 2/3 Solo to Great 55. Waldflöte 2 73. Cello 8 8. Octave 2 Chamade to Great 56. Baryton 16 74. Gedackt 8 9. Terzflöte 1 3/5 57. Clarinette 8 75. Superoctave 4 10. Sifflöte 1 1/3 Swell (Manual III - enclosed) Tremulant 76. Hohlflöte 4 11. Scharff V 1 1/3 32. 16 58. Trompette 8 77. Mixtur IV 2 2/3 12. Dulzian 16 33. Flûte harmonique 8 59. Trompette en chamade 4 78. Contrabombarde 32 13. Trompette 8 34. Gamba 8 Sub-octave Chamade to Chamade 79. Bombarde 16 14. Cromorne 8 35. Voix céleste 8 Chamade on Solo 80. Fagott 16 Tremulant 36. Rohrflöte 8 Chamade on Great 81. Trompete 8 Swell to Positiv 37. Principal 4 Chamade on Positiv 82. Clairon 4 Solo to Positiv 38. Flûte octaviante 4 Positiv to Pedal Chamade to Positiv 39. Nasard 2 2/3 Right-hand Echo Division (enclosed; Great to Pedal 40. Octavin 2 inside reverberation chamber) Swell to Pedal Great (Manual II) 41. Tierce 1 3/5 60. Unda maris I-II 8 Solo to Pedal 15. Praestant 16 42. Sifflet 1 61. Trombone 16 Chamade to Pedal 16. Principal 8 43. Plein jeu 2 62. Trumpet 8 17. Flaut major 8 44. Basson 16 63. French Horn 8 Great & Pedal Combinations Coupled 18. Gambe 8 45. Trompette harmonique 8 19. Bordun 8 46. Hautbois 8 Left-hand Echo Division (enclosed; Manual compass: C-c 4 20. Quinte 5 1/3 47. Voix humaine 8 inside reverberation chamber) Pedal compass: C-g1 21. Octave 4 48. Clairon harmonique 4 64. Tuba 8 22. Nachthorn 4 Tremulant 65. Cor anglais 8 798 combinations & sequencer 23. Terz 3 1/5 Solo to Swell 66. Tuba clarion 4 General Crescendo roller pedal Stephen Farr He has a particular commitment to contemporary music, and has been involved Stephen Farr pursues a varied career as a in premieres of works by composers including soloist and continuo player, activities which Patrick Gowers, Francis Pott and Robert he combines with the post of Director Saxton; he also collaborated with Thomas of Music at St Paul’s Church, Knightsbridge. Adès in a recording of Under Hamelin Hill, He was of Clare College, part of an extensive and wide-ranging Cambridge, graduating with a double discography first in Music and an MPhil in musicology. . He then held appointments at Christ His concerto work has included engagements Church, Oxford, and at Winchester with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, and Guildford Cathedrals. Ulster Orchestra and the ; he made his debut in the Amsterdam A former student of David Sanger and a in 2005. He has also worked prizewinner at international competition with many other leading ensembles including level, he has an established reputation as the Berlin Philharmonic (with whom he one of the leading recitalists of his generation, appeared in the premiere of Jonathan and has appeared in the UK Harvey’s Weltethos under Sir Simon Rattle in venues including the Royal Albert Hall in October 2011), Florilegium, the Bach (where he gave the premiere of Judith Choir, Holst Singers, BBC Singers, Polyphony, Bingham’s The Everlasting Crown in the , London Baroque Soloists, BBC Proms 2011); Bridgewater Hall; City of London Sinfonia, City of Birmingham Symphony Hall, Birmingham; Westminster Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Cathedral; King's College, Cambridge, Orchestra, Wallace Collection, Endymion St Paul’s Celebrity Series and Westminster Ensemble, the Philharmonia, Academy of Abbey: he also appears frequently on BBC Ancient Music, Britten Sinfonia and Radio 3 as both performer and presenter. Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. He has performed widely in both North and South America (most recently as guest www.stephenfarr.co.uk soloist and director at the Cartagena International Music Festival), in Australia, and throughout Europe. Nicky Spence In recent years, Nicky Spence also made his New York recital debut with Malcolm Martineau, Hailed by the as ‘a voice performed a live broadcast at the Amsterdam of real distinction,’ Nicky Spence is fast Concertgebouw, a Britten Song-Cycle Series in emerging as one of ‘our finest young singers.’ Aldeburgh, a recital series at Kings Place as An artist of great integrity, Nicky Spence’s part of their Britten 100 celebrations, and unique skills as a singing actor and the rare appearances at the Oxford Lieder Festival, honesty in his musicianship are steadfastly Middle Temple Hall, St John’s Smith Square, earning him a place at the top of the profession. Spitalfields festival with the Songsmiths and the Purcell Room. On the opera stage, Nicky Spence created the role of Brian in the world premiere of Nico Nicky trained at the Guildhall School of Music Muhly’s opera at the ENO, a role & Drama and the National Opera Studio. He he reprised for his debut took his place as an inaugural Harewood Artist in 2013 conducted by David Robertson. His at the ENO in 2011, which is made possible other recent roles include Števa in Jenůfa at by the American Friends of the ENO. La Monnaie, Brussels, Steuermann in Der Fliegender Holländer in concert with the Nicky was recently been nominated by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra International Opera Awards for Young Singer under Andris Nelsons and at Scottish Opera, of the Year 2015 and was also one of ten Iago in Rossini’s Otello for the Buxton Festival, artists up for this year’s Times Breakthrough and Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni at New Award at the South Bank Sky Arts Awards Zealand Opera. Recent concert performances celebrating the best of up and coming include Tristan und Isolde with the BBC young British talent from across the Arts. Scottish Symphony under Donald Runnicles, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony at the Barbican www.nickyspence.com with the Philharmonia, Finzi’s Dies Natalis with the BBCCO, Elgar’s The Kingdom at King’s College, Cambridge, Mozart’s C Minor Mass at Cadogan Hall, and Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings with L’Orchestre Photography: Raphaelle Photography National d’Ile de France and at The Wigmore Hall. More titles from Resonus Classics 5. These are Thy Wonders [But while I grow in a straight line, (A Song of Renewal), Op. 84 Still upwards bent, as if heaven were mine own, Kenneth Leighton: Organ Works, Volume 1 Thy anger comes, and I decline: RES10134 How fresh, oh Lord, how sweet and clean What frost to that? what pole is not the zone Are thy returns! even as the flowers in spring; Where all things burn, ‘Stephen Farr is a committed advocate. Nimble To which, besides their own demean, When thou dost turn, and nuanced in the multi-faceted Six Fantasies on Hymn Tunes, [...] and unabashedly muscular The late-past frosts tributes of pleasure bring. And the least frown of thine is shown?] Grief melts away in Leighton’s magnum opus, the dramatically variegated Missa de Gloria. [...] Recorded sound Like snow in May, And now in age I bud again, As if there were no such cold thing. is exemplary' After so many deaths I live and write; Choir and Organ (5 stars) Who would have thought my shriveled heart I once more smell the dew and rain, And relish versing. Oh, my only light, Could have recovered greenness? It was gone Judith Bingham: The Everlasting Crown Quite underground; as flowers depart It cannot be Stephen Farr To see their mother-root, when they have blown, That I am he RES10108 Where they together On whom thy tempests fell all night. All the hard weather, ‘[Farr’s] breadth of vision, intense sense of purpose Dead to the world, keep house unknown. [These are thy wonders, Lord of love, and brilliant technique combine to make this a To make us see we are but flowers that glide; recording which, every bit as much as Bingham’s These are thy wonders, Lord of power, Which when we once can find and prove, music itself, deserves repeated listening.’ Killing and quickening, bringing down to hell Thou hast a garden for us where to bide; Gramophone And up to heaven in an hour; Who would be more, Making a chiming of a passing-bell. Swelling through store, We say amiss Forfeit their Paradise by their pride.] This or that is: Thy word is all, if we could spell. © 2016 Resonus Limited The Flower by George Herbert (1593-1633) è 2016 Resonus Limited Recorded in Symphony Hall, Birmingham on 27-28 August 2014 Oh that I once past changing were, (stanzas 5 & 7 not set) Producer, Engineer & Editor: Adam Binks Fast in thy Paradise, where no flower can wither! Recorded at 24-bit / 96kHz resolution (DDD) Many a spring I shoot up fair, Cover image: Edinburgh by Yiannis Theologos Michellis (Creative Commons - Flickr.com) Offering at heaven, growing and groaning thither; Nor doth my flower RESONUS LIMITED – UK Want a spring shower, My sins and I joining together. [email protected] www.resonusclassics.com RES10162