The organ at Adlington Hall is arguably the most important surviving historic instrument in the British Isles and yet, its provenance is shrouded in mystery. No records survive to provide a definitive date let alone any to define its maker. No organ builder's records give any indication of work undertaken on the instrument either. It remained almost completely unknown until 1958, when Noel Mander was engaged to carry out a restoration of the organ. Amongst the interesting finds were a number of cut up playing cards used to pack the bearers on the soundboard. These were dated by de la Rue at around 1780, which is probably the date the instrument was last worked on. Noel Mander was able to revive all but a handful of the damaged pipes and very few were actually missing when a final tally was taken. The organ was returned to Adlington Hall in 1959 and heard for the first time for about 150 years.
On this new recording, Anne Page plays eighteen pieces, largely contemporaneous with the organ and is joined by Paul Binski for two 'pieces for two to play'. Handel visited the hall in 1741 and subsequently sent the Legh family who still own the hall a setting of a poem by Charles Legh, "The Hunting Song". The tune is included as track 17 on this disc and can be previewed in a data compressed version by clicking here
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Adlington Hall CDs can be ordered directly from P H Music at the address shown below enclosing sterling cash, cheque (UK bank accounts only) or sterling postal order payment of £10.50 inclusive of post and packing. Export orders can be paid for similarly at £12.00.
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The organ of the Church of Santa Maria, Mahon (Maó), Menorca
Original pressed disc now out of stock. Orders will be fulfilled with full brochure artworks and burned CD-R.
Tomé Olives performs a variety of music demonstrating the full range of this remarkable instrument, one of only a handful of organs on this Mediterranean island in the Balearic group. Built in 1810 by Swiss born Johann Kyburz, it shows his North European origins, whilst also including very distinct Spanish influences. These are at their most blatant in the almost violent sound of the "en chamade" (horizontally mounted) trumpet used authentically in the performance of the "Marxa per Clarins" by Mestres and to give a unique edge to Sigfrid Karg Elert's "March Triomphale", Nun Danket Alle Gott.
In the August 2001 edition of 'The Organ', the reviewer writes: "The sound of the instrument is stunning, from the gentle flute and flautado ranks, through the many mixtures and cornets to the sizzlingly glorious horizontal reeds on the Gran Organo. How brilliantly this has all been captured by the microphones, perfectly complemented by the warm acoustic".
On this CD Tomé Olives demonstrates how effect this organ can be with some of the organ's core repertory including Bach, Couperin and Buxtehude and he concludes with one of his own pieces. Olives is organist of the Cathedral in Cuitadella in Menorca and also performs regularly at Santa Maria.
The tracks are as follows:
Italian Pavane Passacaglia in D Berceuse Qui tollis peccata mundi Marxa per clarins Ch. Pr. 'Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland' Verso de segundo tono March Triomphale 'Nun Danket Alle Gott' Berceuse Ch. Pr. 'Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme' Sensacions per Orgue Santa Maria CDs can be ordered directly from P H Music at the address shown below enclosing sterling cash, cheque (UK bank accounts only) or sterling postal order payment of £10.50 inclusive of post and packing. Export orders can be paid for similarly at £12.00.
Alternatively payment can be made by Visa, Mastercard or American Express credit cards via PayPal by clicking on the credit card logos below.
Be sure to include a delivery address in the PayPal "message to seller" field. PayPal does not automatically provide your billing address as a delivery address (nor any other part of your card details)!
Historic Organ Sound Archive
This disc has also been engineered, edited and produced by P H Music but on behalf of the British Institute of Organ Studies (BIOS).
P H Music has no commercial interest in the disc which is being sold directly by BIOS and all profits go to the work of Historic Organ Sound Archive.
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