Organ Recital at Abbots Langley

The concert was part of the church's series of Spring Concerts, which are held to raise money for church funds. The concert was arranged by virtue of Mr Tonks's connection with the parish: he regularly plays for services at the church. The opportunity for the boys to have the experience of playing organs in different churches is hugely valuable as it helps them to develop as organists: no two instruments are the same.

Almost a prerequisite for organ recitals — certainly those at Taylors' — is the provision of cake beforehand, and we were gladdened to discover that this was also the case at Abbots Langley, where we were refreshed in the Brakespeare Room, named after the only English-born pope, who hailed from the village. The church was being freshly bedecked with flowers as we arrived, and the pleasant day on which we visited enhanced the welcome. Situated in the north aisle, the Nicholson organ faces east but speaks well into the whole church. However, for the purposes of the recital, chairs were laid out facing the organ in the north aisle, allowing the audience to see the performers clearly. Some, however, chose to sit in the nave, the organ obscured by various pillars.

The recital was opened by Ben C (Divs), who has only been learning the organ since September. He played three short pieces, Praeludium X by Johan Fischer, Vieux Noël by César Franck, and the G minor prelude from the Eight Short Preludes and Fugues, formerly attributed to Bach. As Ben explained, the volume from which the Franck is drawn, L'Organiste, is the source of several works which will be played on the forthcoming organists' trip to the Netherlands in October. Mr Hill then followed, playing Bach's prelude on the advent chorale Nun komm', der Heiden Heiland, apologising for the liturgically incorrect programming. This was followed by an arrangement of Parry's Resignation from his Sonnets and Songs Without Words. Aarnav H (Fourths) then played three short works, the first being Helmut Walcha's Zu Bethlehem Geboren, another unseasonal but pleasant piece. The second was the short prelude by Henry Coleman on the tune Verbum supernum, titled The Word of God. He closed with Louis Marchand's Dialogue. Mrs Stubbs then played Andriessen's dramatic Theme and Variations, whose connexions with the school were described in a previous issue of Scissorum. Mr Tonks followed this with an intriguing French fancy, Fournier's Cloches, which imitates church bells. He then played the first two movements of Boëllmann's Suite Gothique, interrupted only by the unwelcome alert of an Apple Watch. Ethan G, who is currently in his final year at the Prep School (but will be joining the Senior School in September), concluded the recital with three pieces, two English and one German. Verse by Peter Hurford, erstwhile teacher of Mrs Stubbs, began the set, and was followed by another work by Henry Coleman, his Prelude. The concert closed with another prelude from the Eight Short Preludes and Fugues, this time the chirpy F major prelude.

At the close of the concert the performers were thanked and (rather unexpectedly)  presented with gifts of wine and chocolate (the former to staff only). The next organ recital will be held at school on Tuesday 25th June at 5pm in the Great Hall. We hope that our unplanned tour of rural local churches will continue in the future.