Sydney Opera House Concert Hall Grand Organ
This CD contains historic recordings made during the inaugural recital series in 1979 when the organ was launched.
William Pierce organ
Douglas Lawrence organ
Robert Ampt organ
Donald Hollier organ
Johann Caspar Kerll composer
Robert Schumann composer
Nicolas le Bègue composer
John Bennett composer
J. B. Schiedermayer composer
Franz Joseph Haydn composer
Franz Liszt composer
Jehan Alain composer
Malcom Williamson composer
Franz Schmidt composer
The Sydney Opera House Grand Organ is in many ways a unique instrument. With 10,500 pipes, of which 2700 can be sounded simultaneously, it is both the largest instrument in the country, and the largest mechanical action organ in the world.
Douglas Lawrence gave the inaugural recital on the Sydney Opera House Grand Organ. He was for many years artistic director of the Melbourne International Festival of Organ and Harpsichord, and was director of the Choir of Ormond College until 2006. He travels extensively on concert engagements in many countries around the world.
Robert Ampt, a student of David Rumsey and Anton Heiller, has been the Sydney City Organist since 1978 and Organist/Choirmaster of Sydney's German Lutheran Church since 1985. His organ and choral music is distributed by Birralee Publishing. He is married to Sydney University Organist Amy Johansen.
Christa Rumsey, who also studied with Heiller, taught, up unto the late 1970s, at the Sydney Conservatorium, and then moved to Adelaide to take up a teaching position there.
Donald Hollier, organist and composer, was director of the Canberra Opera Company at the time of this recording.
A Fellow of the Royal College of Organists, William Pierce was organist at a number of churches around Australia, Director of Music at various schools and Launceston City Organist for many years. He was a well-known recitalist and composer of liturgical music. He died in 1996.
Press quotes
“Congratulation to Move Records for re-releasing in an expanded form this disc from the inaugural recital series of the Opera House organ in 1979 . . . A spirit of adventure also pervades the performers . . . of particular note is [Donald] Hollier's mercurial account of Liszt's monumental Prelude and Fugue on B.A.C.H.”
— Tony Way, The Age - Green Guide
“I consider the disk is a must-have for both the music and the history. I think I'll just listen to it once more before bed.”
— David Powis, Plenum Magazine
“What an excellent gesture on behalf of MOVE . . . this is all delightfully played and registered most colourfully on an instrument offering unlimited possibilities . . . the CD also includes excellent notes on the music with further information on the instrument”
— John Maidment, Organ Historical Trust of Australia News, July 2008
Artist
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.
Audio previews
Track Listing
- Grand Chœur from 12 Pièces Théodore Dubois 4:14
- Passacaglia in D minor Johann Caspar Kerll 7:04
- Canon in B minor Op. 6 No. 5 Robert Schumann 3:22
- Noel: This Day Nicolas le Bègue 2:16
- Trumpet Voluntary John Bennett 5:32
- Preludes for Christmas Time: Op. 76, No. 6 J. B. Schiedermayer 3:26
- No. 5, Menuett :40
- No. 1, Allegro moderato 1:00
- No. 11, Menuett: allegretto :51
- No. 4, Andante 1:11
- No. 7, Allegretto :53
- No. 8, Menuett 1:24
- No. 10, Vivace 1:05
- Prelude 3:14
- Fugue 8:37
- Lamento JA 119 Jehan Alain 3:24
- Litanies JA 14 Jehan Alain 4:39
- Epitaphs for Edith Sitwell Malcom Williamson 4:25
- Sistine Chapel Evocation S.461 Franz Liszt 8:54
- Am Grabe Richard Wagners S.135 Franz Liszt 2:51
- Chorale Prelude: Nun danket alle Gott Franz Schmidt 1:45
Pieces for Mechanical Clock, Hob. XIX:1-32 Franz Joseph Haydn
Prelude and Fugue on B-A-C-H S.260 Franz Liszt
Performers
- Christa Rumsey · tracks 1, 2, 5, 16, 17 and 21
- William Pierce · tracks 3 and 18
- Douglas Lawrence · track 4
- Robert Ampt · tracks 6–13
- Donald Hollier · tracks 14, 15, 19 and 20
Composers
Jehan Alain
Jehan Ariste Alain (1911 – 1940) was a French organist and composer. Alain was born in Saint-Germain-en-Laye in the western suburbs of Paris, into a family of musicians. His father, Albert Alain (1880–1971) was an enthusiastic organist, composer and organ-builder who had studied with Alexandre Guilmant and Louis Vierne.
Théodore Dubois
François-Clément Théodore Dubois (1837 – 1924) was a French composer, organist and teacher. The music of Dubois includes ballets, operas, oratorios and symphonies. His best known work is the oratorio Les sept paroles du Christ which continues to be given an occasional airing; and his Toccata in G (1889), for the organ.
Franz Joseph Haydn
Franz Joseph Haydn (1732–1809) was an Austrian composer, one of the most prolific and prominent composers of the Classical period. He is often called the "Father of the Symphony" and "Father of the String Quartet" because of his important contributions to these forms.
Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt (1811–1886) was a 19th-century Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher. As a composer, Liszt was one of the most prominent representatives of the "Neudeutsche Schule" ("New German School").
Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann was a German composer, aesthete and influential music critic. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most representative composers of the Romantic era.
Contributors
Organ builder
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.
Where to listen
Sydney Opera House Concert Hall Grand Organ is available for streaming through Spotify and Apple Music. It can also be purchased through the iTunes Music Store.
Sydney Opera House Concert Hall Grand Organ is available as a CD. It can be purchased online through Buywell Music or the Australian Music Centre which both offer online ordering.
Product details
- Catalogue number
- MD 3030
- List price
- $25.00 AUD
- Total playing time
- 70 minutes 47 seconds
- Venue
- Sydney Opera House
- Credit
- Ronald Sharp
- Release date
- 2008
- Musical work
copyright - © 1979 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
- Sound recording
copyright - ℗ 2008 Move Records
- Categories
- Australian, Classical, Organ
- Barcode
- EAN 9314574303025
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