Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach, Louis-Claude Daquin, Gary Davison, Garth Edmundson, Félix Alexandre Guilmant, Ferencz Liszt, Philip Moore, Matthew Owens, Flor Peeters, Howard Skempton, Johann Gottfried Walther, Philip Wilby
Performer: Matthew Owens
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Resonus
Catalogue: RES10293
Release: 2021
Size: 1.17 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Bach: Canonic Variations on the Christmas Hymn ‘Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her’, BWV769a (Autograph version)
01. I. Variation I
02. II. Variation II
03. III. Variation III
04 .IV. Variation IV
05. V. Variation V
06. Guilmant: Introduction et Variations sur un ancien noël polonais
07. Moore: A Fugal Flourish on Personent Hodie
08. Daquin: Noël No. 12 Suisse Grand jeu, et Duo
09. Owens: Prelude on ‘Yorkshire’
Walther: Lobt Gott, ihr Christen, alle gleich
10. I. Partita I
11. II. Partita II
12. III. Partita III
13. IV. Partita IV
14. V. Partita V
15. VI. Partita VI
16. VII. Partita VII
17. VIII. Partita VIII
18. Peeters: Vom Himmel hoch, da komm’ ich her Op. 70 No. 3
19. Moore: Prelude on Irby
20. Wilby: Ding Dong! Merrily on High
Davison: Versets on Divinum Mysterium
21. I. Verset I
22. II. Verset II
23. III. Verset III
24. IV. Verset IV
25. V. Verset V
26. VI. Verset VI
27. VII. Verset VII
28. Guilmant: Noël Ecossais
29. Liszt: Die Hirten an der Krippe (‘In dulci jubilo’)
Peeters: Chorale Preludes, Op. 68
30. VII. Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern
31. Skempton: Christmas Bells
Edmundson: Christus Advenit (Second Christmas Suite)
32. IV. Toccata on Vom Himmel hoch
For this recording organist Matthew Owens presents a diverse recital of some of the greatest Christmas music ever written for the instrument. Traditional tunes, whether Lutheran chorales, plainchant, French noëls, or medieval carols, have provided the inspiration for much Christmas organ music throughout the years, with much of this programme made up of pieces based on such tunes, from J.S. Bach’s Canonic variations on “Vom Himmel hoch” to Louis-Claude Daquin’s Noël Suisse. This recital also draws on more contemporary sources and presents several world premiere recordings including Howard Skempton’s Christmas Bells and Gary Davison’s Seven Versets on Divinum Mysterium, both of which were written specially for this recording.