Song List: Great Is Thy Faithfulness (Wm. Runyan) At the River (Rbt. Lowry) Fantasy On Hyfrydol (Rowland Pichard) I Would Be True (Joseph Peek) Lift High the Cross (Sydney Nicholson) Nicaea (Holy, Holy, Holy) (John Dykes) Peace, Perfect Peace (Geo. Caldbeck) Spirit of God, Decend Upon My Heart (F Atkinson) Where All Is Peace (Arr: Kimo Smith) CROSS OF CHRIST, THE (ARR: JOYCE JONES)

This is an outstandingly atmospheric piece of music, the final part of Holst's choral work 'Ode to Death'. Holst composed this work in response to the First World War. He dedicated it to his musical friend Cecil Coles and "the others" who were killed in that war. The breath-takingly beautiful tune is supported by other-worldly harmonies and an unusual 7/4 rhythm to create music of immense presence. It works really beautifully on the organ: a wonderful piece for recitals, meditative services, remembrance or to play on your own for the sheer reward offered by this exceptional music. Also a great piece for demonstrating different solos and effects of the organ, including a great outlet for the Vox Humana, solo Flute and quiet Strings. Even bells, if you're lucky enough to have a set on your instrument!

Matthias Weckmann, born in Niederdorla near Muhlhausen (Thuringia) in 1616 and died in Hamburg in 1674, was trained as a musician by Heinrich Schutz in Dresden among others. He worked as an organist in Dresden (Schlosskirche) and Hamburg (St. Jakobi). It is particularly for the Jakobi organ that he wrote his elaborate and virtuoso organ works. Our new edition in the renowned series 'Masters of the North German Organ School' faithfully transfers the works which survived in letter tablature, providing a reliably edited urtext. Volume 1 contains the cantus firmus-based works, 8 authentic verse cycles with 2-7 movements each in which chorale melodies such as 'Es ist das Heil uns kommen her', 'Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ)' or the 'Magnificat' are varied, as well as a cycle on 'Ach wir armen Sunder' attributed to Weckmann. Volume 2 proves him to a master of concertante organ music, containing 3 works with pedal (Fantasia, Fuga and Praeambulum in D) as well as several moderately difficult works to be played on manuals only (6 toccatas, 5 canzonas). Reliable standard edition of the music by one of the great (North) German organ masters.