Kenneth Leighton: Complete Organ Works Stephen Farr

• Kenneth Leighton (1929-1988): Six Fantasies on Hymn Tunes, Op. 72:
• 1 Helmsley 03:21
• 2 Aus der Tiefe (Heinlien) 03:58
• 3 Lumetto: Little canonic variations on ‘Jesus bids us shine’ 02:57
• 4 St Columba (Erin) 02:57
• 5 Veni Emmanuel 06:11
• 6 Toccata on Hanover 03:09
• Martyrs:
• 7 Dialogues on a Scottish Psalm-tune, Op. 73: 12:19
• Improvisation in memoriam Maurice de Sausmarez:
• 8 Improvisation in memoriam Maurice de Sausmarez 06:41
• Missa de Gloria, Op. 82:
• 9 I. Kyrie 04:35
• 10 II. Gloria 08:24
• 11 III. Credo 07:56
• 12 IV. Sanctus 05:38
• 13 V. Agnus Dei 05:56
• 14 VI. Ite, missa est 04:28
• Festival Fanfare:
• 15 Festival Fanfare 06:09
• Et Resurrexit, Op. 49:
• 16 I. Theme 02:39
• 17 II. Fantasy 05:22
• 18 III. Fugue 07:59
• These are Thy Wonders, Op. 84:
• 19 These are Thy Wonders, Op. 84 08:04
• Veni Creator Spiritus:
• 20 Veni Creator Spiritus 07:01
• Prelude, Scherzo and Passacaglia, Op. 41:
• 21 I. Prelude 04:26
• 22 II. Scherzo 03:09
• 23 III. Passacaglia 08:25
• Paean:
• 24 Paean 04:57
• Elegy:
• 25 Elegy 08:08
• Ode:
• 26 Ode 03:48
• Fantasy on a Chorale 'Es ist genug', Op. 80:
• 27 I. Es ist genug 06:27
• 28 II. Herr, wenn ed dir gefällt 03:48
• 29 III. So spanne mich doch aus 01:08
• 30 IV. Ich fahre sicher hin mit Frieden 06:17
• 31 V. Es ist genug 03:04
• Rockingham:
• 32 Rockingham 03:09
• Fanfare:
• 33 Fanfare 02:15
• Veni Redemptor (A Celebration), Op. 93:
• 34 Veni Redemptor (A Celebration), Op. 93 10:22
• Improvisations 'De Profundis', Op. 76:
• 35 I. Molto Adagio e con fantasia 02:47
• 36 II. Allegro e ritmico 04:04
• 37 III. Presto e leggiero 01:00
• 38 IV. Appassionato 05:25
• 39 V. Più sostenuto e molto espressivo 06:38
• 40 VI. Molto statico e misurato 03:01
• Total Runtime 03:28:02

Info for Kenneth Leighton: Complete Organ Works

Resonus Classics is proud to present a major new recording of the complete organ works of the British twentieth-century composer Kenneth Leighton (1929–1988). With vivid interpretations, acclaimed organ virtuoso Stephen Farr breathes new life into this highly significant part of the composer’s output, recorded on the organ's of St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh, Symphony Hall in Birmingham and St Paul's Church in Knightsbridge, London.

This three-album set also includes all of his collaborative works for the instrument as well as Leighton’s only work for solo harpsichord. Joining Farr in collaborative works for this comprehensive survey are John Butt (organ), Chloë Hanslip (violin) and Nicky Spence (tenor) . Completing the set is Leighton's only solo work for harpsichord, which here receives its first recording.

„This is a major achievement. Stephen Farr triumphs in his massive survey of the output of Kenneth Leighton, a towering figure in British 20th-century liturgical music [...] Highlights are too numerous to mention“ (The Observer)

Stephen Farr, organ, harpsichord
John Butt, organ
Chloë Hanslip, violin
Nicky Spence, tenor

Judith Bingham - Composer
Born in Nottingham in 1952, and raised in Mansfield and Sheffield, Judith Bingham began composing as a small child, and then studied composing and singing at the Royal Academy of Music in London. She was awarded the Principal’s prize in 1971, and 6 years later the BBC Young Composer award. Recent composition prizes include: the Barlow Prize for a cappella music in 2004, two British Composer Awards in 2004 (choral and liturgical) one in 2006 (choral) and the instrumental award in 2008.

Judith Bingham was a member of the BBC Singers for many years, and between 2004 and 2009 she was their ‘Composer in Association’, during which time she wrote a series of choral works. Several of these were for the BBC Singers, but there were also pieces for other professional, amateur and collegiate choirs, including Salt in the Blood, written for the BBC Symphony Chorus to perform at the 1995 Proms, a Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis for King’s College Cambridge, and diverse anthems and church works for many UK cathedrals. A CD of some of her choral works –‘Remoter Worlds’ by the BBC Singers was released in 2009 on the Signum label. In 2007 she was made a Fellow of the Royal School of Church Music for distinguished services to church music.

Although Bingham’s output is marked by the number and variety of its choral works, she has always been seen as an all-rounder, and the scope of her activities has included pieces for brass band, symphonic wind ensemble and various chamber groups and solo instruments, concertos for trumpet and bassoon and tuba, and several impressive works for large orchestra. She has written a substantial body of pieces for organ including Jacob’s Ladder, a concerto written for Stephen Cleobury and Philip Brunelle. A CD of her organ music performed by Tom Winpenny will be released in 2010. A carol God would be born in thee was performed at the King’s College Cambridge Nine Lessons and Carols at Christmas 2004 and was released by EMI on the CD ‘On Christmas Day’. Recently her works have included See and Keep Silent for the BBC Singers and Guy Johnston, and Shadow Aspect for choir, organ and timpani, written for the Edinburgh Royal Choral Union.

Stephen Farr - Organist
Stephen Farr is Director of Music at St Paul’s Church, Knightsbridge, and at Worcester College, Oxford, posts which he combines with a varied career as soloist, continuo player, and conductor. He was Organ Scholar of Clare College, Cambridge, graduating with a double first in Music and an MPhil in musicology. He then held appointments at Christ Church, Oxford, and at Winchester and Guildford Cathedrals.

A former student of David Sanger and a prizewinner at international competition level, he has an established reputation as one of the leading recitalists of his generation, and has appeared in the UK in venues including the Royal Albert Hall (where he gave the premiere of Judith Bingham’s The Everlasting Crown in the BBC Proms 2011); Bridgewater Hall; Symphony Hall, Birmingham; Westminster Cathedral; King’s College, Cambridge, St Paul’s Celebrity Series and Westminster Abbey: he also appears frequently on BBC Radio 3 as both performer and presenter.

He has performed widely in both North and South America (most recently as guest soloist and director at the Cartagena International Music Festival), in Australia, and throughout Europe.

He has a particular commitment to contemporary music, and has been involved in premieres of works by composers including Patrick Gowers, Francis Pott and Robert Saxton; he also collaborated with Thomas Adès in a recording of Under Hamelin Hill, part of an extensive and wide-ranging discography.

His concerto work has included engagements with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra and the London Mozart Players; he made his debut in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw in 2005. He has also worked with many other leading ensembles including the Berlin Philharmonic (with whom he appeared in the premiere of Jonathan Harvey’s Weltethos under Sir Simon Rattle in October 2011), Florilegium, the Bach Choir, Holst Singers, BBC Singers, Polyphony, The English Concert, London Baroque Soloists, City of London Sinfonia, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Wallace Collection, Endymion Ensemble, the Philharmonia, Academy of Ancient Music, Britten Sinfonia and Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.

Booklet for Kenneth Leighton: Complete Organ Works