Listen & tracks
1 of 25 tracks have a preview · 25 works · 77:20
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1 Ormond College bell :29
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2 Toccata in E minor, P.462 Johann Pachelbel 1:42
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3 Fantasia in G minor, P.128 Johann Pachelbel 3:19
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4 Toccata in C major, P.456 Johann Pachelbel 2:02
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5 Chorale Prelude, P.255 Johann Pachelbel Komm Heiliger Geist 1:21
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6 Ricercar in C minor, P.419 Johann Pachelbel 4:50
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7 Ciacona in F minor, P.43 Johann Pachelbel 7:32
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8 Chorale Prelude, P.166 Johann Pachelbel Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ 1:42
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9 Chorale Prelude, P.70 Johann Pachelbel Da Jesus an dem Kreuze stund 2:46
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10 Chorale Prelude, P.478 Johann Pachelbel Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her (a) 1:32
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11 Chorale Prelude, P.479 Johann Pachelbel Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her (b) 3:09
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12 Diapason Maurice Greene 1:55
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13 Gavotte Matthew Camidge 2:00
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14 Echo: ad manuale duplex, forte e piano, SSWV 128 Samuel Scheidt 1:51
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15 Air and 4 variations on the old Dutch song “Ah, you fine young horseman”, SSWV 111 Samuel Scheidt 5:58
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16 Ciacona in E minor, BuxWV 160 Dieterich Buxtehude 5:30
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17 Ach Herr, mich armen Sünder, BuxWV 178 Dieterich Buxtehude 2:55
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18 Nun bitten wir den Heiligen Geist, BuxWV 208 Dieterich Buxtehude 2:14
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19 Prelude and Fugue in D minor, BuxWV 140 Dieterich Buxtehude 5:28
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20 Gelobet seist du Jesu Christ, BuxWV 188 Dieterich Buxtehude 1:51
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21 Von Gott will ich nicht lassen, BuxWV 221 Dieterich Buxtehude 1:53
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22 Passacaglia in D minor, BuxWV 161 Dieterich Buxtehude 5:54
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23 Nun komm der Heiden Heiland, BuxWV 177 Dieterich Buxtehude 1:54
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24 Jesus Christus, unser Heiland, BuxWV 198 Dieterich Buxtehude 2:00
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25 Canon in D major, PWC 37 Johann Pachelbel 5:33
The programme centres on Pachelbel, including the popular Canon in D major, and on Buxtehude, with the Ciacona in E minor and the Passacaglia in D minor, alongside pieces by Greene, Camidge and Scheidt.
These are the only recordings of the Ormond College Chapel organ as built by Sydney organ builder Ronald Sharp, made before the instrument was rebuilt and enlarged in 1993. The disc reissues the acclaimed The Best of Pachelbel LP with highlights from its Buxtehude sequel and previously unreleased 1976 takes. The final track is the Canon, recorded after the 1993 rebuild.
Francis Alan Jackson, CBE, organist and director of music at York Minster for 36 years, played the instrument on a visit to Australia and called it “the most beautiful sound I have heard in music” in an ABC radio interview with Glen Menzies.
Reviews
… Pachelbel and Buxtehude (two LPs) have been digitally remastered and released on one splendid CD – with the Canon recorded this year on the organ rebuilt and enlarged by Kurt Smenge, allowing a fascinating comparison.
This record is in every respect a treasure
This is a great collection and the sound is as Ron Sharp left it.
The acoustics are a joy; warm, flattering and intimate … the Canon in D recorded here after the instrument’s restoration, comes up so well as to suggest this is a more positive arrangement than the one for strings.
The playing and articulation cannot be faulted. The sound of the organ is heard close up: delightful for softer pieces and you could listen to those endlessly.
Artists
Douglas Lawrence
organ
Melbourne organist Douglas Lawrence is Director of Music at The Scots' Church and Teacher of the Organ at the University of Melbourne. He founded the Choir of Ormond College and directed it from 1982 to 2006.
Johann Pachelbel
composer
Johann Pachelbel (1653–1706) was a German Baroque composer, organist and teacher who brought the south German organ tradition to its peak. His chorale preludes, fugues and keyboard variations place him among the central figures of the middle Baroque.
Ronald Sharp
Ronald Sharp (1929-2021) was a self-taught Australian organ builder whose most notable instruments were the organ at the Sydney Opera House (1979), the chapel at Ormond College, Melbourne (1974) and Perth Concert Hall (1976) as well as a number of others. He specialised in mechanical, tracker action instruments in the baroque tradition, but using modern materials.
Dieterich Buxtehude
composer
Dieterich Buxtehude (c. 1637–1707) was a Danish-born organist and composer of the middle Baroque, long based at Lübeck. His organ works remain central to the standard repertoire.
Matthew Camidge
composer
Matthew Camidge (1764–1844) was an English organist and composer, long based at York Minster, whose keyboard music includes organ concertos and a once-familiar gavotte.
Maurice Greene
composer
Samuel Scheidt
composer
Samuel Scheidt’s early Baroque organ and sacred vocal music helped define the north German style. Chorale preludes grow through patterned variations; dances, fantasias, echo pieces and Christmas settings keep the tune clear while the texture thickens.
Digital booklet
Digital booklet Notes, texts and credits — read online or download the PDF Download the PDFPerformers
- Douglas Lawrence · organ
Technical credits
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Contributor
Ronald Sharp
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Recording Engineer
Martin Wright
Nicholas Alexander
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Mastering Engineer
Martin Wright
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Venue
Ormond College Chapel
More to explore
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