Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

Collectors of organ music will be pleased to hear this new collection from St Asaph Cathedral in North Wales. William Hill's original instrument from 1834 has been moved, enlarged and overhauled more than once with the latest rebuild, by Wood of Huddersfield, being finished in 1998. (Further details and a photograph are included in the CD booklet.) The organist is Cornishman John Hosking, who studied under the late Nicholas Danby and Margaret Phillips at the Royal College of Music from 1995-1999, was appointed the Organ Scholar of Westminster Abbey in 1996 and is, to date, the only person to have held the post for three years. Since then Hosking has been assistant organist at Lincoln and Truro Cathedrals before taking up his current post at St Asaph in 2004. Hosking has selected a wide range of variations to show both his expertise and the versatility of the instrument in what is an enjoyable programme featuring music from the 18th to 21st centuries including several first recordings. It is good to hear variations on Welsh tunes played in a Welsh cathedral so we applaud "Variations on 'Y Delyn Aur' ('The Golden Harp')" by Harold Stocks who was organist and choirmaster at St Asaph from 1917-1956, and John Hosking's own "Improvisation: Variations on 'Suo Gan'". However the highlights for this reviewer were Max Reger's "Variationen und fuge uber 'Heil, unserm Konig heil' ('God Save The King')" and "Variations On 'Greensleeves'" by David Briggs as I recognise the basic melodies of both and am thus better placed to appreciate the variations on them. And standing above everything is Bach's magnificent "Partite diverse sopra il Corale 'Sei gegrusset, Jesu gutig'" (BWV 768). The hymn tune setting "Hail To Thee My Jesu, Holy" is given 11 variations, starting with hands only and then adding the organ pedals, to give an incredibly diverse range of approaches. That Hosking remains in complete control throughout is testament to his fine playing and for a mid-priced disc the whole is excellent value and one that organ lovers will appreciate.

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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