Organ Ovations & Improvisations

The ability to improvise freely and well was once expected of organists as an essential skill, but it became less prominent in the twentieth century, with few famous practitioners and little demand from listeners. At the beginning of the twenty first century, however, the art of organ improvisation has started to regain the respect it was given in the past, with funded competitions and organizations devoted to it; more virtuoso organists are demonstrating their proficiency in this creative practice. Tom Trenney, an award ... Read More

The ability to improvise freely and well was once expected of organists as an essential skill, but it became less prominent in the twentieth century, with few famous practitioners and little demand from listeners. At the beginning of the twenty first century, however, the art of organ improvisation has started to regain the respect it was given in the past, with funded competitions and organizations devoted to it; more virtuoso organists are demonstrating their proficiency in this creative practice. Tom Trenney, an award-winning improviser who is noted for his work as a church musician but also as a brilliant recitalist, is known for his facility in weaving elaborate variations around hymn tunes. The improvisational sets that open and close this album from Raven give a clear idea of Trenney's deep knowledge of organ styles and traditional forms, which he incorporates in his spontaneous playing: whether he adapts Baroque, Romantic, or modern musical idioms, or wittily borrows from the masters, Trenney... Read Less