mike l'irlandese
New member
Am I alone in finding it unsatisfactory to hear a Bach Prelude and Fugue (in this case, the A minor) played as a demonstration of the ability of the player to use all available manuals, stops, expression pedals, frequent changes of registration etc.? This was my experience on Sunday at an inaugural organ recital in Derry, N.Ireland, on the occasion of the restoration of St Columb's Cathedral restoration.
While Carlo Curley is undoubtedly a great communicator and tremendous organist, he doesn't seem to have taken any of the findings of authentic baroque practice on board. At one point he swept up from the bottom manual of the newly-rebuilt Wells Kennedy organ, right through to the top of the four keyboards, all in the space of a single phrase! I think that if he had had 6 manuals, he would have used them.
What a contrast to the playing of Peter Hurford or Simon Preston.
While Carlo Curley is undoubtedly a great communicator and tremendous organist, he doesn't seem to have taken any of the findings of authentic baroque practice on board. At one point he swept up from the bottom manual of the newly-rebuilt Wells Kennedy organ, right through to the top of the four keyboards, all in the space of a single phrase! I think that if he had had 6 manuals, he would have used them.
What a contrast to the playing of Peter Hurford or Simon Preston.