Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

It was in 2014 that we enjoyed a collection of Phillip Cooke's choral compositions, also on the Regent Records label, and now we get to appreciate this selection of his music for organ, here played on the iconic Walker (1969) / Wood (2002) instrument of Blackburn Cathedral by a former student of Cooke's in Ed Jones. Phillip Cooke is a Cumbrian and his love of his native county and in particular the Lake District can be heard in his compositions both vocal and instrumental. He is currently Professor of Composition at the University of Aberdeen and is also a published author. Indeed, his booklet notes for this release are well written and well worth reading. The collection under review utilizes the full resources of the Blackburn Cathedral organ, ranging from the contemplatively meditative to the epically dramatic, with the power of the building's long reverberation and subsequent silence playing a significant role. A number of the shorter pieces are based on chant which brings a timeless quality to them. Some of the larger works remind us of one of Cooke's great loves, the music of Herbert Howells, but Cooke is his own man with his own musical voice that deserves to be heard. Ed Jones plays well throughout and the audio quality is of Regent Records usual impeccable standard, thanks to producer George Richford and engineer Adaq Kahn. Listeners who enjoy organ music, both traditional and contemporary, will find much to appreciate in this collection and the 73 minutes playing time gives full value.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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