Wednesday 20th May 2015
12.30 Lunchtime Concert Jonathan Melling, organ Organist & Director of Music, All Hallows by the Tower, London EC |
Sponsors: 2015 Season Sponsor: Patricia Morgan Optician Supported by: Leatherhead Concert & Arts Society |
ProgrammeAlexandre Guilmant (1837-1911) Preludio from Sonata no 3 in C minor Op 56 John Stanley (1712-1786) Voluntary in D, op 6 (1752) Adagio Allegro Siciliano Trumpet Tune Josef Rheinberger (1839-1901) Adagio non troppo and Allegro maestoso from Sonata no. 5 in F sharp Op 111 (1878) Alfred Hollins (1865-1942) Spring Song (1904) Adrian Self (b1952) Variations on a Swedish Carol Ecce novum gaudium Flor Peeters (1903-1986) Chorale Prelude: Nun ruhen alle Wälder Now rest beneath night’s shadow Frank Bridge (1879-1941) Allegro marziale e ben marcato in D from First Book of Organ Pieces, H56 (1905) |
Jonathan Melling
Jonathan Melling was born in Wigan, Lancashire. He held appointments at local churches, eventually becoming organist of Chorley Parish Church. Following this he studied in London with Gordon Phillips during which time he became a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists. Whilst still a student Jonathan was director of music at the Church of the Annunciation, Marble Arch and afterwards at St. Michael's, Barnes, SW13. Subsequently he became assistant organist of Wimborne Minster in Dorset. At the invitation of the then director, Dr W S Lloyd Webber, Jonathan served on the professorial staff of the London College of Music where he taught a range of theoretical work and became an examiner. In due course he took on administrative work there as registrar of the Saturday Junior Music School and director of Part-Time Studies. Later he was responsible for the teaching of organ at the College. Jonathan has given recitals in many churches throughout England, Northern Ireland, and the Isle of Man. He has also played in Baden-Wurttemberg in southern Germany, and in Bavaria. In addition he has performed at Oxford Town Hall, Hull City Hall, the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Renfield St Stephen's Church in Glasgow and in the Victoria Concert Hall in Singapore. In the Summer of 2008 he undertook a tour of North America playing recitals in Boston (Trinity Church, Copley Square), Reno, Nevada and San Mateo near San Francisco, California. Other engagements have included a concert at the cathedral in Ieper, Belgium in May 2011 and St. Michael’s, Croydon. Most recently Jonathan has performed at Wesley’s Chapel and St Mary-at-Hill, both in London. Now concentrating on performing and private teaching, Jonathan is organist and director of music at the church of All Hallows by the Tower in the City of London where, in addition to the weekly Sunday Eucharist, he is responsible for the music at many livery company and commemorative services. He also gives regular Thursday lunchtime recitals at the church. Weblinks: |
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The Christ Church organ was built by Hill, Norman & Beard in 1970 with 16 stops, using some pipes from previous organs plus some neo-baroque sounds typical of the 1960's and '70's (Chimney Flute and Fifteenth on open-foot voicing, like the Royal Festival Hall organ). In 1995, HNB moved some loud stops from the Great to a new double case in the nave, 6 stops were added, and the tone was refined. |
The Hill Norman & Beard organ at Christ Church (United Reformed), Leatherhead
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Concert at Home:
Here are some links to online recordings of works that feature in Jonathan Melling's concert:
Here are some links to online recordings of works that feature in Jonathan Melling's concert:
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Guilmant adapted his Sonata No 3 to be played on the harmonium, so our first recording below is of the complete work on that instrument. The second recording is a live performance of the Prelude
on the renovated Austin Organ (6 divisions, 79 ranks) of the First United Methodist Church of Evanston, Illinios. Alan John Phillips is the organ for our recording of John Stanley's popular Voluntary in D, from Opus 6. Alan is playing the
1764 John Byfield organ in St Mary Rotherhithe, London SE His short programme notes are also worth reading. The first movement of Rheinberger's Sonata in F sharp
is marked Grave. In this recording from Rochester Cathedral Roger Sayer plays all three movements: |
Next we hear David Aprahamian Liddle playing Alfred Hollins' delightful Spring Song on the Courcelle chamber organ belonging to the Arabesque Trust for Blind Pipe Organists: To represent Adrian Self's work we have chosen Riley's Revels which he wrote for organist Malcolm Riley's wedding.
Malcolm is the player here, at the 1957 Compton organ in St Bride's Church, Fleet Street, London EC. Our own Graham Davies has a lunchtime concert in St Bride's at 1.15pm on 26th June 2015: Here is the chorale "Nun ruhen all Wälder" - we could find no online recording of the Flor Peeters work:
Today's final work is Frank Bridge's
Allegro marziale e ben marcato in D. The recording comes from Hereford Cathedral where Peter Dyke plays the great Willis organ: |
