Battle of the Organs
Saturday 29 June 2024 – 8 pm
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On Saturday June 29th at 8pm, a large and highly-appreciative audience enjoyed a special one-off event in Brentwood Cathedral entitled ‘A Battle of the Organs’.
In charge of these instruments on the night were Donald MacKenzie (Organist of the Odeon, Leicester Square) and James Davy (formerly Master of Music of Chelmsford Cathedral and currently Organist at the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook).
Canon John Harvey, Donald MacKenzie, James Davy and Richard Nott |
The mighty Cathedral instrument, originally built by Hunter, and rebuilt in 1990 by Daniel of Clevedon, went head-to-head with a new Allen GX350.
Introduction by Richard Nott, who organised this event, which raised more than £1000 in support of the Cathedral Music Department 
James Davey and the Cathedral Organ
| Programme The programme for this concert was wonderfully varied with music by, amongst others, J.S. Bach, Jacques-Nicolas Lemmens, Jean Sibelius and Johann Strauss II.The eveing reached a magnificent climax with a powerful duet by our two organists, one on the Cathedral instrument and the other on the Allen machine. The music was the very well-known and thrilling Sortie in E flat by Louis Lefèure-Wély |
With Thanks!
Canon John Harvey, Dean of the Cathedral proposing a Vote of Thanks Canon John expressed our heart-felt thanks to Donald and James, our two excellent soloists, and then thanked all those involved in the organisation of the recital, especially Richard Nott, without whose organisational skills nothing would have happened. Canon John also thanked Allen Organs UK who very generously lent us the Allen GX350 Organ for this musical extravaganza, and then went on to express our particular gratitude to Liz and Paul Arkwright at Allen Organs UK for their kindness and support. Liz and Paul Arkwright with Richard Nott |
PRS Music Licence- LE-0032994–Brentwood Cathedral Music©2024 – Photos & Recordings©Graham Hillman