Jane Parker-Smith

For a half-century he had the reputation of the trumpet soloist: Maurice André, who died in 2012. The best examples of his radiant tone are the recordings he made with different organists – a brilliant stroll through the golden world of Baroque music.

Jane Parker-Smith is one of the world's leading concert organists, acclaimed by the critics and public alike for her musicianship, virtuosity and interpretative ability. Jane joins the Avie label with a unique programme linking European composers who were chiefly known as performers and proponents of specialist organ or keyboard repertoire. The kaleidoscopic range of the works on this recording suggest their compositional output deserves further exploration.

The mighty modern organ at St. Martin's Memmigen, Germany, provided the inspiration for Jane's selection of late 19th- and 20th-century works for this recording. Almost 400 years to the day after the dedication of the first important organ in St. Martin's a new, large and unique organ was inaugurated in Memmingen's main church on 8 November 1998. Built by Goll of Lucerne there are 62 stops on four manuals and pedal. Together with the impressive organ case and the similarly rebuilt organ loft - both planned by the late master organ builder Jakob Schmidt - it forms, at the west end of the Gothic church, an imposing contrast with the Gothic chancel with its famous choir stalls. The old and the new enter into a harmonious dialogue to fascinating effect.

In her sequel to Romantic and Virtuoso Works for Organ, Volume 1 (AV 0034), Jane Parker-Smith has assembled an international array of works, largely from the 20th century, by organist-composers from America, Belgium, England, Germany, Italy, and France, including Louis Vierne who, like Jane Parker-Smith's teacher, was blind. Jane was granted a French government scholarship which enabled her to complete her studies in Paris with the legendary Langlais, perfecting the knowledge and understanding of twentieth-century French organ music for which she is now internationally renowned.

The large Seifert organ in the St. Marien Basilika in Kevelaer was built during the years 1905 to 1907. The instrument contained 113 speaking stops distributed over four manuals and pedal. Situated in the north gallery of the church was an 18-stop antiphonal division (Fernwerk) which was connected electrically. In 1926, the pneumatic action of the main organ was electrified. At the same time, the specification was enlarged to 131 speaking stops and the present console installed.

In 1944, the instrument suffered heavy war damage. At that time, the basilica was being used as an internment camp. The Fernwerk was completely destroyed. The main organ underwent stopgap repairs in 1946. During the great heat in the summer of 1976, the organ was again heavily damaged. From 1979 to 1981, the instrument was thoroughly overhauled by the company Romanus Seifert in Kevelaer. The visit of Pope John Paul II in 1987 prompted the installation of three horizontal chamade reeds (Tuba magna 16', Tuba mirabilis 8' and Cor harmonique 4') behind the main case. They blend superbly into the tonal scheme of this gigantic symphonic organ.

In 2004, the Fernwerk was rebuilt to the original specification and the console reconstructed and extended with reference to the exemplar of 1926 and equipped with a combination system. An 8' carillon was placed behind the high altar. Today, the large Seifert organ in the St. Marien Basilika consists of 135 speaking stops (not counting borrowings) on four manuals and pedal; 14 stops still remain missing. The case with its neo-gothic facade is 14 metres in height, 9 metres in width and 10 metres in depth.

Jane Parker-Smith releases her third volume of romantic and virtuoso works for organ. Here we see original pieces by Saint-Saëns, Wiedermann, Landmann, Bairstow Hubert H. Parry, Gárdonyi and two arrangements: Lizst’s magnificent Symphonic Poem Orpheus, in a transcription by Jean Guillou and the Scherzo Symphonique by Pierre Cochereau, transription by Jeremy Filsell.

Jane Parker-Smith is one of the world’s leading concert organists, acclaimed by the critics and public alike for her musicianship, virtuosity and interpretative ability. She has been awarded numerous prizes and scholarships, including a French government scholarship which enabled her to complete her studies in Paris with the legendary blind organist Jean Langlais and to perfect her knowledge and understanding of twentieth-century organ music for which she is now internationally renowned.

The Organ of the Catholic Parish Church of St. Gudula in Rhede

The instrument, built in 1998 by Romanus Seifert & Sohn of Kevelaer Germany, has 52 stops, divided into 3 manuals and a pedal. The organ is equipped with a slider soundboard with a tracker action and electric stop control.

Located behind the organ case are the Great organ, the Positif (expressive) and the Pedal organ. Behind this lies the Swell. The large wooden pipes of the Subbass 32’ are positioned at the back of the organ and these can be viewed from the entrance hall to the tower.

14 stops were taken from its predecessor (Horstenke, Telgte 1874 and Breil, Dorsten 1902/1937) as well as from the stock of historic stops kept by the Seifert workshop. Thus an artistically ‘universal’ organ came into being, with stylistic references to the German and French late Romantic period.