Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

Before praising the strengths of this release - and there are many - we ought to say a word about what it isn't. If you like your instrumental music to feature hymn tunes so you can add the words or if you want tone poems as an aid for reflection and meditation then this does not fit the bill and is not intended to. What it does though is to showcase a particularly important instrument played by an up and coming new talent. The Father Willis organ of Truro Cathedral was built in 1887 and although some slight changes have been made its sound remains, we are told, as it was when commissioned. Some believe that this instrument was Willis's best so for organ enthusiasts any new recording is of great interest. Luke Bond is Truro's Assistant Organist and this is his debut solo recording. The music he has selected allows us to experience the instrument in all its glory from the opening first movement of Charles-Marie Widor's "Symphonie no 6, opus 42, no 2" to the finale of Alexandre Guilmant's "Sonate no 1 in D minor, op 42". In between we hear a varied programme including Percy Grainger's popular "Handel In The Strand" and Felix Mendelssohn's rarely heard "Prelude and Fugue in C minor, op 37, no 1". Also we get first recordings of Tom Winpenny's arrangement for organ of William Walton's "Prelude and Fugue 'Spitfire'" and David Bednall's "Magna Voce Cane Et Magno Cum Jubilo" ("Sing With A Great Voice And Great Joy"). Bond's playing is very good indeed, the choice of music is interesting, and Father Willis's pride and joy is heard to very good effect thanks to the usual Regent Records audio quality from producer and engineer Gary Cole.

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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