JOHN SCOTT, ed., Unbeaten Tracks, 8 Contemporary Pieces for Organ. Faber Music, 3 Queen Square, London WC1N 3AU. £7.50. This collection was commissioned by The Royal College of Organists, with funds also made available by the Britten-Pears Foundation and the Kenneth Leighton Trust. The eight composers were specifically asked to produce free works not based upon hymnody, chant, or church. Since the composers are all non-organists (some writing for the instrument for the first time), it is worth noting that, without exception, all of the pieces are idiomatically scored. On the conservative side of the compositional spectrum, Carillon by David Bedford features energetic eighth-note motion in various meters, but rarely leaves C major; Wedding by Graham Fitkin is “all dressed in white” (i.e., written almost entirely in white notes); and Bridal Train by Roxanna Panufnik uses the familiar formula of arpeggios in the manuals and melody (for six phrases) in the bass. On the progressive side, Errollyn Wallen’s Tiger (marked, appropriately, “ferocious”) offers a kaleidoscope of different effects, but settles into a kind of soliloquy over a rumbling bass, while Diana Burrell’s Fragments I, II read like indecisive improvisations. Elsewhere, Judith Bingham’s St. Bride, assisted by angels employs poetic text in the score to assist the performer in capturing various expressions, but is otherwise a fully self-standing, stylistically consistent, and well-composed character piece that would sound beautifully on gambas and celestes. David Matthews’s Invocation juxtaposes two elements, one chordal, the other with voicings three octaves apart, though it is not clear what the two elements have to do with one another. Huw Watkins’s opening Fanfare is clearly generated from its opening ascending figure and is written in the paratonal vein throughout. An interesting feature of this collection is an introductory section entitled “composer biopics,” in which each composer was asked to list “date and place of birth, musical works that have most inspired you, individuals who have most inspired you, what your piece means to you, a quote that you feel best describes your music in general, and your two favorite books.” It is hard to tell whether these “biopics” are a help or a distraction in the appreciation of the music.

[Publications]
[Performances]
[Compositions]
[Home Page]
[Inquiries]