Organ Club Journal

Divine Art’s second CD featuring the organ at Cheltenham College Chapel with their organist, Alexander Ffinch, the first being DDA25193 Transformations.

Through Covid, and being able to record in that difficult period, Alexander widened many viewers’ musical knowledge with his online concerts, which continue. The 1897 Norman & Beard organ
in an impressive case was rebuilt and extended by Harrison & Harrison in 1930, having minor
alterations in 1976, with H&H’s most recent restoration in 2017: full details in the booklet.

The music begins with Thomas Trotter’s transcription of Gustav Holst’s Jupiter from The Planets,
Op.32. American composer Florence Price (1887-1953) seems to have been in the news quite a
bit recently: her Suite No.1 for Organ, four movements Fantasy, Fughetta, Air and Toccata follow. [6] is Alexander’s arrangement of Charles Martin (b.1977): Paradise from Coldplay – unusual! Elgar transcriptions feature at (7] Nimrod, [13] the Pomp and Circumstance March No.1 and [14] Chanson de Matin. Good to see more works by Dan Locklair: Rubrics (five movements, [ 8-12]. The brochure includes a printed conversation between Dan and Alexander giving the background to the composition.

The CD ends with Boëllmann’s Suite Gothique: Introduction/Choral, Menuet Gothique, Prière à Notre Dame and Toccata. 68 minutes of most enjoyable music. The Club was last here in 1997 – a long time ago. 5-star recording!