Timothy Selman Organ Concert in Howden Minster

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Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Prelude and Fugue in G, from Eight Little Preludes and Fugues; BWV 557
J.S Bach was from a family of composers in Eisenach, Germany; and is well known as a prolific composer of Organ and Sacred Music. Well known for his Chorale Preludes, Trios, and Preludes & Fugues; throughout the 18th century Bach was primarily valued as an organist, while his keyboard music, such as The Well-Tempered Clavier, was appreciated for its educational qualities. The 19th century saw the publication of some major Bach biographies, and by the end of that century all of his known music had been printed.

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
Schmücke Dich, O Liebe Seele - from Chorale Preludes, Op.122, No.5
One of the Romantic German composers, Brahms is well known for his orchestral output, and not as well known for his organ output. In the German chorale tradition, we see composers improvising and composing preludes to be played prior to the singing of the chorale. Here, we see
"Schmucke dich, o liebe seele" which is a Lutheran hymn written in 1649; and describes the yearning of the soul to meet God.

Frederick A. Keene (1871-1916)
Allegro Con Brio
Frederick Keene was organist at St Saviour’s, Clapham and later Sandringham Parish Church. He was taught by Walter Alcock, Professor at the Royal College of Music and organist in Westminster Abbey and the Chapels Royal. Very little is known about his output, and this is a charming piece full of character.

Walter Battison Haynes (1859-1900)
Meditation
Haynes was born near Worcester, and received his earliest musical education from his uncle William Haynes, who was organist at Great Malvern Priory Church and went to Leipzig Conservatoire in 1878. He returned to London in 1883 after six months living in Boulogne, where he occasionally played the cathedral. In 1890 he became Professor of Harmony and Composition at the Royal Academy of Music and in 1891 he also took on the post of organist and director of the choir at the Chapel Royal, Savoy. For a time he was the proprietor of music publishers Novello and Company.

John Ferris Tozer (1857-1944)
March in Bb
John Ferris Tozer is a lesser known composer from the turn of the 19th century, and not many of his works are in print. His musical life began as a chorister at Exeter Cathedral, and when not involved with music worked at the (now defunct) Devon and Cornwall Bank.

Rosalie Bonighton (1946-2011)
Whence Shall I Go From Thy Spirit?
Rosalie Bonighton was an Australian composer, and was the organist at Ballarat and Queen's Anglican Grammar School. She was a driven composer, writing pieces with academic focus, whilst taking influences from plainchant and jazz alike, her pieces are uplifting to play.
This piece is inspired by the text of Psalm 139:7-12, and affixes a D in the Swell division throughout the entire piece.

Alexandre Guilmant (1837-1911)
Offertoire in C minor, Op.39, No.6
Félix-Alexandre Guilmant was a French organist and composer. He was the organist of La Trinité in Paris from 1871 until 1901. A noted pedagogue, performer, and improviser, Guilmant helped found the Schola Cantorum de Paris. He was appointed as Professor of Organ at the Paris Conservatoire in 1896. This Offertory is based on French Carols, and makes use of various tonal colours of the instrument.

Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992)
Le Banquete Céleste
Olivier Messiaen was a French composer, organist, and ornithologist, one of the major composers of the 20th century. Messiaen entered the Paris Conservatoire at the age of 11 and was taught Charles-Marie Widor and Marcel Dupré, among others. He was appointed organist at the Église de la Sainte-Trinité, Paris, in 1931, a post held until his death.
The work's epitaph is: "He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him" (John 6:56). The work has two themes: the first, marked "far away, mysterious", is slow and sustained. The second, played by the pedal, but at 4' pitch (drawing a stop one octave above notated pitch) and above, is marked "brief staccato, as a water drop", and represents Christ's blood.

Kenneth Leighton (1929-1988)
Fanfare
Born in Wakefield, Yorkshire; Kenneth Leighton was a chorister at Wakefield Cathedral and studied at Queen's College, Oxford, graduating with both BA in Classics and BMus having studied with Bernard Rose. In 1955 he was appointed Lecturer in Music at the University of Edinburgh where he was made Senior Lecturer, Reader, and then Reid Professor of Music in October 1970. Many of his 100 compositional output were written to commission, and his work is frequently performed and broadcast both in Britain and in other countries.
The organ of Howden Minster https://www.npor.org.uk/NPORView.html...