Listen & tracks
2 of 21 tracks have a preview · 14 works · 71:42
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1 Grand Chœur from 12 Pièces Théodore Dubois 4:19
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2 Passacaglia in D minor Johann Caspar Kerll 7:09
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3 Canon in B minor, Op. 56 No. 5 Robert Schumann 3:27
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4 Noel: This Day Nicolas Le Bègue 2:21
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5 Trumpet Voluntary John Bennett 5:37
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6 Preludes for Christmas Time, Op. 76 No. 6 J. B. Schiedermayr 3:31
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Pieces for Mechanical Clock, Hob. XIX:1–32Franz Joseph Haydn 7 movements7:04
- 7 No. 5, Menuett :40
- 8 No. 1, Allegro moderato 1:00
- 9 No. 11, Menuett: allegretto :51
- 10 No. 4, Andante 1:11
- 11 No. 7, Allegretto :53
- 12 No. 8, Menuett 1:24
- 13 No. 10, Vivace 1:05
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Prelude and Fugue on B-A-C-H, S.260Franz Liszt 2 movements11:51
- 14 Prelude 3:14
- 15 Fugue 8:37
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16 Lamento Jehan Alain 3:29
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17 Litanies, JA 119 Jehan Alain 4:44
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18 Epitaphs for Edith Sitwell Malcolm Williamson 4:30
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19 Sistine Chapel Evocation, S.461 Franz Liszt 8:59
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20 Am Grabe Richard Wagners, S.135 Franz Liszt 2:56
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21 Chorale Prelude: Nun danket alle Gott Franz Schmidt 1:45
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. For many years he was artistic director of the Melbourne International Festival of Organ and Harpsichord, and director of the Choir of Ormond College until 2006. He has travelled widely on concert engagements.
Robert Ampt, a student of David Rumsey and Anton Heiller, has been 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 at the Sydney Conservatorium until the late 1970s, then moved to Adelaide to teach.
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 churches around Australia, Director of Music at various schools, and Launceston City Organist for many years. A well-known recitalist and composer of liturgical music, he died in 1996.
Reviews
Congratulations 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.
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.
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
Artists
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.
Jehan Alain
composer
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
composer
Théodore Dubois (1837–1924) was a French composer, organist and pedagogue. Sacred and organ works form the part of his large output that still reaches the concert platform, above all the oratorio Les sept paroles du Christ and the Toccata in G.
Franz Joseph Haydn
composer
Franz Joseph Haydn (1732–1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period, central to the making of the symphony, the string quartet and the piano trio. A vast body of chamber, orchestral and sacred music from his long career shaped the language of his age.
Franz Liszt
composer
Franz Liszt (1811–1886) was a Hungarian composer, virtuoso pianist, conductor and teacher of the Romantic era. His vast output reshaped piano technique, invented the symphonic poem and pushed harmony toward the twentieth century.
Robert Schumann
composer
Robert Schumann (1810–1856) was a German composer and music critic of the early Romantic era. His piano works and songs remain among the most enduring of the period.
Nicolas Le Bègue
composer
Nicolas Lebègue wrote French Baroque keyboard music that helped define the organ school: independent pedal parts, the tierce en taille, early unmeasured harpsichord preludes, and some of the first published noëls.
John Bennett
composer
Johann Caspar Kerll
composer
Johann Caspar Kerll (1627–1693) was a German Baroque composer and organist, acclaimed in his lifetime for keyboard mastery and contrapuntal craft.
J. B. Schiedermayr
composer
Franz Schmidt
composer
Malcolm Williamson
composer
Malcolm Williamson wrote music that absorbed serial technique, Messiaen, jazz and popular song, then settled into a fundamentally tonal and lyrical language. His catalogue runs from piano sonatas and concertos to hymns, cassations and large choral scores.
Digital booklet
Digital booklet Notes, texts and credits — read online or download the PDF Download the PDFPerformers
- Christa Rumsey · organ · tracks 1, 2, 5, 16, 17 and 21
- William Pierce · organ · tracks 3 and 18
- Douglas Lawrence · organ · track 4
- Robert Ampt · organ · tracks 6–13
- Donald Hollier · organ · tracks 14, 15, 19 and 20
Technical credits
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Venue
Sydney Opera House
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Credit
Ronald Sharp
Details
- List price
- $25.00 AUD
- Total playing time
- 71 minutes 42 seconds
- Release date
- 2008
- Categories
- Australian, Classical, Organ
- Genres
- Organ, Romantic & Impressionist
- Musical work copyright
- © 1979 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
- Sound recording copyright
- ℗ 2008 Move Records
- Catalogue
- MD 3030
- EAN
- 9314574303025
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