Eric’s first piece was ‘Chorale No.1 in E Major’, the first of three chorales by the famous composer, pianist and organist Cesar Franck (1822-1890). Franck wrote over a hundred pieces for organ, mainly for liturgical use, and although sometimes lacking a pedal part, they were always musically significant and appealing. However, it is for his twelve major organ works, composed between 1859 and 1890, that he is best known; his Trois Chorales (1890) were his final works and are very popular with organists.  In the E Major chorale, Franck believed that the main theme created itself as it progressed, developing through three variations, firstly joining flutes with the ‘flue’ pipes, in five-part harmony, and all within vocal range. The beautiful Romanic meanderings were movingly expressed, described by Eric as “like a flowing river”, reaching its musical destination (via triple motion) with a profoundly distinctive conclusion – the ideal reflective respite for the busy Brentwood shopper or city commuter!

The recital continued with ‘Schmucke dich, o liebe Seele, BWV 654’ by J.S. Bach (1685-1750). The translation is: “Deck thyself, my soul, with gladness”, a Lutheran hymn from 1649, often sung at communion services.  It is one of The Great Eighteen Chorale Preludes, prepared by Bach during his last ten years (1740-1750) in Leipzig, from earlier works he composed in Weimar, where he was court organist.  The mood of this chorale was sombre, reverent and meditative as the Baroque sounds graced this beautiful cathedral, while a projection screen enabled the audience to follow the music in a visual way and appreciate the performer’s movements around the organ. Eric’s superb and sensitive interpretation drew us into the soulfulness of Bach’s music, leading us through the melodic phrasing, key changes and counterpoint in a seamless manner and sharing with us the spirituality of this work.

For his final piece, Eric delighted us with a work with which most of us were unfamiliar! It was the impressive ‘Passacaglia in A Minor, op. 40’, composed by the late Romantic Dutch organist and composer Gerard Bunk (1888-1958). Born in Rotterdam, and later with the support of German composer Max Reger, Gerard Bunk was a lecturer at the Dortmund Conservatory and became known as one of the greatest organists of the first half of the 20^th century.  His ‘Passacaglia’ began quietly and mysteriously, slowly but surely gathering momentum through melodic sequences, with ever richer harmonies and further chordal progressions. In one of the middle sections the influence of Bach was evident briefly, before the composer returned to his own particular style. The eventual climax was a wonderful conclusion to this lesser known concert work, thrilling the audience with an incredible fortissimo finish, which was followed by the inevitable loud applause!

On behalf of Nina How, who introduces and organises the recitals, and Andrew Wright, Brentwood Cathedral’s Director of Music, we would like to thank Eric Chan for another inspiring lunchtime recital. We wish him every success this year in his organ studies and concerts, and we very much hope he will return to Brentwood soon!

Julia Bentham