Tír Na HiFi

Evening all. During the month of May, there'll be a series of organ recitals happening every Tuesday lunchtime in Monkstown Church (the Church of Ireland one that looks like it's in the middle of the road) in Dublin. I think they'll be starting at 1pm and should last about 30-40 minutes each.

I will be performing the second of these recitals, on May 14th. This is my first recital in quite some time, so I'm looking forward to it. As it stands, my programme is as follows:

J.S. Bach -- Prelude and Fugue in G major, BWV 541
Schumann -- Etude (Canon) in B minor, Op 56, No. 5.
Franck -- Piece Heroique
Jongen -- Chant de May
Vierne -- Finale from Symphonie No. 1, op. 14.

I hope it's a reasonably "audience-friendly" programme, and I'd be honoured indeed if some of you might see fit to come along.

Here endeth the shameless self-promotion.

^^ Simon, I have never been to an Organ concert and in a similar vein to a Brass Band concert, I really wouldn't know whether I'd have the constitution to sit through a whole one without feeling nauseous...

... but I'd just like you to know that IF I lived in Dublin, I would make a special effort to go and hear you... ;-)

Thanks Jared, I appreciate that. This at least has the advantage of being short!

Incidentally, you know I played in a brass band for years too? I kid you not!

I went to Cirencester in Glos last Saturday night, and had a look around the church... they were setting out chairs and refreshment tables for the first evening of their bi-annual International organ festival... (any of these names mean anything to you?)

http://www.cirencesterorganfestival.co.uk/

it all looked very exciting, but I couldn't bring myself to buy a ticket, so I went back to my room with a Pizza and listened to some John Sheppard I'd taken along in the car.

a great shame really, because in 2 weeks time, they'll be holding an evening of Parry's choral music...

Good to see you back on the road again Simon! I hope to be able to get down to support you again and look forward to your normal high standard of performance (that is my plug for you!).

Would love to go (no really) but I know I'll be shoveling wine wine to the good people of D6. There's a guest list right? What's on your rider?

If you think you could stomach it at all, I'd strongly and heartily recommend Olivier Latry in the opening recital. He's one of the top of the top, and a very exciting player. One thing I'd say is that organ concerts tend to be a lot more involving than organ recordings.

Or you could do what my wife does when I drag her along to organ gigs: spend the time mentally balancing your bank account.

Edit: thank you, Fergus, I appreciate that. You've heard me play 2 of these pieces before, but the others should be new. I'd originally programmed some Buxtehude with you in mind, but it wasn't working out for me so I've moved back to the trusty Bach!

Edit 2: thanks Ivor. My rider is 20 pages of small print including numerous demands. That or a slug of communion wine.

Diapason wrote: I'd originally programmed some Buxtehude with you in mind, but it wasn't working out for me so I've moved back to the trusty Bach!

Well, there's a fair bit of it to have a go at, if memory serves me right... I seem to remember Fergus embarking on a Box set of said works, several years ago, and I feared at one point that we were going to have to send out a search party...

Diapason wrote:
I hope it's a reasonably "audience-friendly" programme, and I'd be honoured indeed if some of you might see fit to come along.

Here endeth the shameless self-promotion.

I think I might just be able to make it along to that!

Good man, JB. Cheers!