McVities
New member
I know I'm blowing my own country's diapason (hope that translates into Dansk ok!) but has annyone ever played music by John Stanley? Its fairly standard repertoire here, but I'd be interested to know if he is known on the continent.
The 30 Voluntaries really are remarkable and I believe show a really individual style with a strong English flavour. He also doesn't try to imitate Handel, but finds ways to be innovative in the late Baroque idioms whilst dabbling occasionally into the emerging rococco style. There is such a variety, even in the 30. I am particularly impressed with his handling of the Handelian fugal form, he has moulded it to his own origional style, and it is quite complex in places. Considering he was blind, and had to compose fugues as Bach did; purely by improvisation and later refinement at the keyboard; and not like other composers by working throught the subjects and entries on paper, I think they are quite an achievement. His use of stretto is also a very effective feature and I have found examples of it in some of his cornet voluntaries too. (Do Continental organs still have, or have they ever had cornet stops?)
The 30 Voluntaries really are remarkable and I believe show a really individual style with a strong English flavour. He also doesn't try to imitate Handel, but finds ways to be innovative in the late Baroque idioms whilst dabbling occasionally into the emerging rococco style. There is such a variety, even in the 30. I am particularly impressed with his handling of the Handelian fugal form, he has moulded it to his own origional style, and it is quite complex in places. Considering he was blind, and had to compose fugues as Bach did; purely by improvisation and later refinement at the keyboard; and not like other composers by working throught the subjects and entries on paper, I think they are quite an achievement. His use of stretto is also a very effective feature and I have found examples of it in some of his cornet voluntaries too. (Do Continental organs still have, or have they ever had cornet stops?)