St. Albans Cathedral Girls Choir, Lay Clerks of St. Albans Cathedral Choir, Tom Winpenny – Poston: Carols & Anthems (2023) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

St. Albans Cathedral Girls Choir, Lay Clerks of St. Albans Cathedral Choir, Tom Winpenny – Poston: Carols & Anthems (2023)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:18:58 minutes | 1,41 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Naxos

Elizabeth Poston’s long and distinguished career included significant work for the BBC during the Second World War, where she performed as a respected pianist and later composed scores for numerous radio and television productions. Describing herself as ‘a littlemonger’ who never wanted to write big pieces, Poston’s supreme talent for composing vocal and choral miniatures is fully represented in this recording, the first to be dedicated entirely to her work. Poston’s music reveals timeless melodic charm, a great sensitivity of word setting and her profound appreciation of ancient folk-song traditions.

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Tom Winpenny – St. Albans Experience (2023) [Official Digital Download 24bit/192kHz]

Tom Winpenny – St. Albans Experience (2023)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 01:19:57 minutes | 2,49 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Willowhayne Records

Recorded in Willowhayne Records 10th anniversary year in 2022, St Albans Experience is the tenth in their Experience series.

This recording showcases every facet of the magnificent Harrison & Harrison organ of St Albans Cathedral, in music from the Baroque era to contemporary works for the instrument. Central to this programme is Maurice Duruflé’s beautiful Prélude, Adagio et Choral Varié sur le Veni Creator, Op. 4. This recital includes several world premiere recordings, including Francis Pott’s Laudes, Rhian Samuel’s three-movement Ad Lucem, and two works by the late Peter Hurford – for twenty years Master of the Music at St Albans Cathedral, and the driving force behind this world-renowned instrument. Also included are works by Peter Dickinson and Anthony Gilbert, who passed away earlier in 2023, and to whose memory the recording is dedicated.

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Tom Winpenny – Pott: Christus & Other Works (2021) [Official Digital Download 24bit/192kHz]

Tom Winpenny – Pott: Christus & Other Works (2021)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/192 kHz | Time – 02:21:15 minutes | 5,31 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Naxos

Acclaimed for his sacred choral and organ works, Francis Pott was recognised in 2021 with the “Medal of the Royal College of Organists”, its highest award. Regarded as an Everest of the organ repertoire, Christus is a Passion symphony that traces this dramatic Biblical narrative through evolving tonality, portraying Christ’s vast struggle through betrayal and crucifixion towards ultimate triumph. Christus here enjoys its first studio recording, made in the presence of the composer. Included also are premieres of Surrexit Hodie (a toccata for Easter Sunday) and a commemorative chorale prelude, Schm”ucke dich, O liebe Seele.

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Tom Winpenny & Johan Hammarström – Judith Bingham: Heaven and Earth & Other Works (2021) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Tom Winpenny & Johan Hammarström – Judith Bingham: Heaven and Earth & Other Works (2021)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:14:12 minutes | 2,40 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Naxos

Judith Bingham is established as one of the foremost British composers writing for the organ. The powerfully atmospheric and evocative music in this recording richly demonstrates her gift for creating compelling works which draw inspiration from a broad range of historical, literary and artistic sources. The Åkerman & Lund organ of Västerås Cathedral is the perfect vehicle for this colourful programme, and both Heaven and Earth and Eternal Procession for two organs also feature the cathedral’s Fredriksborg choir organ.

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Tom Winpenny – Messiaen: Méditations sur le mystère de la Sainte Trinité, I/49 (2019) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Tom Winpenny – Messiaen: Méditations sur le mystère de la Sainte Trinité, I/49 (2019)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:14:27 minutes | 1,23 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Naxos

Olivier Messiaens Meditations sur le Mystere de la Sainte Trinite grew out of improvisations that he performed at the inauguration of the rebuilt organ of La Trinite in 1967. It became his largest cycle to date and marks Messiaens first use of communicable language, in which each letter of the alphabet is assigned a unique pitch and note value, thereby translating text into music. Haunting harmonies, awe-inspiring monumental grandeur and the deepest profundity of expression are contrasted by the innocence of birdsong with the recurrent call of the yellowhammer, a tranquil voice from nature amid kaleidoscopic Biblical themes.

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Lesley-Jane Rogers, John Turner, Emma McGrath, Heather Bills, Harvey Davies, Tom Winpenny – The Music of Colin Hand (2023) [Official Digital Download 24bit/44,1kHz]

Lesley-Jane Rogers, John Turner, Emma McGrath, Heather Bills, Harvey Davies, Tom Winpenny – The Music of Colin Hand (2023)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/44,1 kHz | Time – 01:17:56 minutes | 699 MB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © ASC Records

A selection of works from the generous output of the composer Colin Hand.

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Tom Winpenny – Cooke: Organ Music (2022) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Tom Winpenny – Cooke: Organ Music (2022)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:20:57 minutes | 1,32 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Toccata Classics

The music of Arnold Cooke, born in Yorkshire in 1906, had already fallen into neglect by the time of his death 99 years later. Cooke was a prolific composer, with two operas, six symphonies, numerous concertos and a generous amount of chamber music to his credit – nor did he neglect the organ, as this album of his major organ pieces reveals. Cooke’s style owes much to his teacher, Hindemith, not least since both men were natural contrapuntists, although there are also points of contact with Bartók and Shostakovich, and occasional touches of Walton’s ceremonial sparkle and no-nonsense grandeur.

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Tom Winpenny – Elgar: Complete Organ Works (2022) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Tom Winpenny – Elgar: Complete Organ Works (2022)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:26:53 minutes | 1,54 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Naxos

The organ was a formative part of Edward Elgar’s musical upbringing, and for a time he was organist at St. George’s Catholic Church in Worcester. The symphonic scale and distinctive themes of the First Sonata contrast with the more liturgical atmosphere of the Vesper Voluntaries, while the rousing Second Sonata is an arrangement of Elgar’s Severn Suite for brass. This album comprises Elgar’s original works for organ as well as the complete arrangements made by the composer himself and those made by four distinguished contemporary organists.

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