AT the end of a perfect early June day, St Michael’s Church was filled for the opening of the Jubilee celebrations and the inaugural concert of the new church organ.
“The music chosen by the performers perfectly reflected the occasion and showed off the power and versatility of the instrument,” reports organisers of the concert. “Robin Jackson played the Variation and Fugue on ‘America’ by Max Reger, where the tune of the American National Anthem was originally sung to the tune of ‘God save the Queen’. Then he and Maureen Jackson played two duets by modern composers, Denis Bédard and Julian Bret, which again hinted at celebratory themes and allowed these husband and wife duettists to share their great skills.
“Dr David Thomas played an amusing piece based on ‘Who wants to be a Millionaire?’ combined with the mischief of ‘There will be Trouble Ahead’ and followed this with a breathtaking Chorale by Cesar Franck, which probably required all the stops to be pulled out at some point. He finished with a lively ‘Sortie’ by Lefebure-Wely, which included lightning bravura passages with an amusing hint of fairground organ.
“The evening was balmy enough for the audience to take their Pimm’s and nibbles out to the beautiful southern part of the church grounds during the slightly extended interval. All refreshments were provided by some of the Friends of St Michaels, to whom the profits of the concert will go to help with their aim of funding the care and repair of the church.
“After the interval Gary Cook, who rebuilt the organ, played the final set with a suite of baroque pieces by John Stanley, followed by Vaughan Williams’s peaceful ‘Rhosymedre’. He finished with his usual sense of fun and a perfect demonstration of his skills with ‘Hornpipe Humoresque’ by Noel Rawsthorne, which had the audience laughing and ended the evening with a hint of the Last Night of the Proms.
“Everyone has reason to be grateful to the musicians who gave up so much of their time for this long-awaited occasion.”
Picture: Gary Cook, who rebuilt the church’s organ, played the final set at St Michael’s Jubilee Organ Concert.
