Gerald Hendrie: Complete Organ Music, Volume Two
The organ music of Gerald Hendrie – born in England in 1935 but resident in France since 1996 – encompasses a huge range of influences, among them the organist-composers who went before him (not least Franck, Dupré and Messiaen), dodecaphony, mediaeval plainchant and modality and jazz. The resulting works are as varied as the styles that fed into them, from grandiose to gentle, from severe to whimsical, from lyrical to lively. The mighty, 25-minute Sonata: In Praise of Reconciliation uses whimsical references to two cities bombed in the Second World War – the ‘Coventry Carol’ and the ‘Dresden Amen’ – to make a monumental plea for peace.
Tom Winpenny, organ of St. Albans Cathedral
Listen To This Recording:
Six Concert Studies (2020-23) (34:30)
- No. 1 Brillantemente (5:15)
- No. 2 Allegro deciso (5:44)
- No. 3 Allegro ritmico (6:27)
- No. 4 Allegro molto (6:06)
- No. 5 Allegramente (4:59)
- No. 6 Comodo (5:59)
Pastorale and Fughetta (2017/2023) (9:48)
- Pastorale (5:09)
- Fughetta (4:39)
Sonate en Trio (2005) (10:49)
- I. Allegro comodo (3:36)
- II. Pastorale (3:10)
- III. Moderato (4:03)
Sonata: In Praise of Reconciliation (1995-96) (24:46)
- I. Introduction (2:47)
- II. Fugue (9:15)
- III. Commemoration (6:01)
- IV. Exsultate (6:43)
First Recordings
British Music Society :
‘Hendrie’s deep and instinctive understanding of form and, a point made by the performer, his gift for dramatic pacing, ensures that the seemingly arbitrary inclusion of musical elements achieves genuine cohesion and becomes what the composer intended, which is an astonishingly powerful plea for peace.
Tom Winpenny must be commended, not merely for his ability to master both the technical and interpretive challenges of this highly wrought music, but for ensuring that it is the music that always takes centre stage, and not his own extraordinary virtuosity. A magnificent achievement.’
—Martyn Strachan, British Music Society
Fanfare :
‘Overall, this is a quite remarkable recording. The music is top-notch and well within the mainstream of classical music in the last 30 years. Winpenny’s playing is to the manner born, and the recorded sound is clear, bright, and successful in taming the resonance that often afflicts organ recordings. Recommended.’
—Mark Gabrish Conlan, Fanfare
American Record Guide :
‘Hendrie’s synthesis of these seemingly unrelated elements [in Sonata in Praise of Reconciliation] creates a cohesive and profound musical statement.
Winpenny again uses the wonderful 4-manual, 58-stop 1962/2009 Harrison & Harrison organ in St Alban’s Cathedral, England, delivering his usual convincing, musical, and exciting performances. Extensive notes by the composer and performer with specification.’
—Robert Delcamp, American Record Guide
Cathedral Music Trust :
‘The diversity of Hendrie’s interests extends to ragtime and the intricate counterpoint and variation technique of Bach (Etude No.5), Indeed you may hear many composers in these pieces, from Mendelssohn to Dupré, but that is not to detract from Hendrie’s skill in recalibrating their styles in his own image so as to present an entirely new and original musical experience. […] The Sonate en Trio (2006), composed for the late Jonn Scott, is a masterclass of precision engineering and textural clarity that the format requires. [The Sonata: In Praise of Reconciliation is] dramatic work rich both in allusive content and thematic development, it is one of the most significant and original British organ sonatas of recent decades.
Tom Winpenny again demonstrates his brilliance and empathy with the music of this most interesting composer, played on the St Albans organ he knows and loves so well. It is a worthy addition to the growing catalogue of contemporary organ literature.’
—Bret Johnson, Cathedral Music Trust